Book 8.5: Unlocked

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sophie's POV

Sophie ran down the stairs hoping the mess wasn't too bad.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Dex screamed.

Sophie ran towards the noise and found herself in the elvin version of a living room. She saw Tinker collapsed on the floor with Squall keeping her in a sitting position while Dex was telling Bo to back off. Bo had his weapon in front of him and Sandor looked very confused as Tinker shrieked again whenever Sandor took a step in her direction.

"Miss Foster, these elves are intruders," Sandor explained, pointing to Squall and Tinker when Sophie entered the room.

"Bo put the weapon down and Sandor go somewhere else," Sophie demanded.

Both bodyguards shared a look. Bo lowered his weapon and grumbled some creative words as Sandor pushed him outside and then followed.

"Flori can you sing to Tinker? Something about the cold should do," Sophie asked.

"Of course," Flori's little voice said somewhere behind her.

Flori started singing a sweet melody that sent shivers down Sophie's spine.

"Thanks," Dex said to Sophie as he walked towards her.

"Anytime," Sophie assured him.

Flori sang a little longer before stopping. Tinker looked almost normal except her eyes looked like it was playing a memory (which it probably was). Flori walked out of the room and called back, "I'll make sure Sandor and Bo don't come back here" before she walked outside.

"So what are you guys here for?" Sophie asked.

"To give you this,"

Dex held out a charm that said 'S.E.F' on it.

"Tinker and I made a new null that can't block the frequencies of my gadgets. It can also be changed to allow other frequencies." Dex explained. "It has S.E.F on it for Sophie Elizabeth Foster."

"Wow thanks," Sophie breathed as she tucked it away in her pocket, "I'll wear my charm bracelet whenever I can."

Dex cheeks flushed red at the praise. Sophie ran upstairs and grabbed her charm bracelet that laid on her desk. Sophie ran downstairs and put the S.E.F charm on the bracelet. Sophie showed Dex the bracelet.

"It's perfect," Sophie said while a question bubbled up in her mind,"But...why is Tinker here?"

"Some of the coding may be off so she came over here to make sure it worked,"

"Yeah, but she never leaves her conservatory and I can just go to her,"

"I guess she thought it was time to see the world," Dex guessed.

Sophie walked towards Tinker and said, "Sorry about Sandor and Bo."

Tinker nodded slowly. Tinker then pointed to her arm and Sophie showed her the charm. Tinker grabbed her arm and whispered some Technopath words that sounded like gibberish to the charm bracelet. Tinker released Sophie's arm and Dex came over and whispered his own Technopath words.

"There it's all good," Dex announced with pride.

Sophie hugged Dex in the hardest way she could and whispered, "Thank you Dex."

Dex smiled and hugged her back.

"Aww you're so cute together," Squall teased.

Dex rolled his eyes and whispered something about moms these days. That made Sophie smile even more.

"Well I think it's time to go," Squall interrupted. "You still have to prepare for the meeting Dex."

"I know. I am going to stay here," Dex said.

Tinker and Squall held up their home crystal and glittered away. When Sophie walked back to her room she explained that Tinker hates goblins for some reason to Sandor and told Bo never to unsheath his weapon when there is no threat like her friends, The Black Swan, and the Council. Sophie was pacing her room while Dex sat by Iggy's cage. Iggy let a ground shaking fart as a knock came from her door. She opened it to find Fitz, Biana, Tam, Linh, Wylie, Marella, Maruca, and Stina standing there.

"Ready," Fitz asked through a cough.

"You better stay safe," Sandor said outside.

"You aren't coming with me?" Sophie asked.

"I decided that you can protect yourself," Sandor said.

Sophie thanked him and stepped out of her room taking the lead. Everyone walked up the stairs to the fourth floor to find Grady and Edaline standing in front of the Leap Master 500.

"Be safe," Edaline said squeezing the life out of Sophie in a hug.

"For the record I still don't trust her," Grady said coldly.

Edaline elbowed him in the ribs, hard. Sophie smiled at them, then turned around shouting, "Wanderling Forest" into the Leap Master 500 and leaped away.

Glimmer sighed as she rose from the rock she was sitting on, "It took you long enough."

"Wait, we need to trust you first so we know you're not Lady Gisela. If we really work together I need you to take off your hood" Sophie said.

"Fair enough, but this may complicate some things, and keep an open mind about this" Glimmer warned and took off the black Neverseen hood.

Sophie's mind went through the list of who she thought Glimmer is, but she never expected to see the scarred elf behind it.