Team Foster-Keefe!

Dance, Foster!

After a long, hard struggle, the Neverseen had finally been defeated, and Alden and Della were hosting a celebratory ball at Everglen, to which everyone was invited.

Sophie dressed in red, due to the pleading of both Biana and Della, who kept insisting that red was Sophie's color.

She arrived at the ball early, standing in the doorway flanked by Grady, Edaline, and Sandor, just in case. Her gaze swept around the room, surveying who was here. The whole Vacker family and the whole Diznee family, as well as Keefe, Wylie, Linh, and a couple other of their friends were already milling about the ballroom.

Quickly, the room filled up with elves, all dressed in fine dresses and suits, chatting excitedly about the victory against the infamous Neverseen.

Sophie wove through the masses of elves, occasionally stopping to talk with someone, who wanted to congratulate her on her success, or wanted to ask her what it was like to be the Moonlark. Sophie swiftly tired of talking and retreated to the outer corner of the ballroom where she could observe the festivities from a distance.

"Well, if it isn't the Mysterious Miss F." Sophie whirled to find Keefe standing in front of her, handsomely clad in a midnight blue suit.

"You look nice tonight," Sophie told him, then blushed.

"Thank you. So do you." Keefe flashed Sophie a winning smile. "Care for a dance?"

"No thank you. I don't really feel like it."

"C'mon. Dance, Foster!" Keefe grabbed Sophie's arm and pulled her back into the crowd of elves, twirling her around.

"Keefe!" Sophie squealed, surprised. "I told you, I don't want to dance!"

"Well, that's too bad because you're doing it anyway." The song slowed and Keefe pulled Sophie closer to him, his arms around her waist. They swayed to the tempo of the music.

Sophie glanced around and noticed that all the couples were doing the same thing. "Keefe, we're not—we can't—"

Keefe shushed her. "Why can't we be a couple?" he asked.

"I don't know, it just never occurred to me before. I had Fitz, and then I guess, well, I had you. It kind of makes sense, I mean—" Sophie trailed off, cheeks flaming.

"Exactly, it makes sense. Let's just leave it at that." Keefe closed his eyes and Sophie noticed how peaceful he looked.

"Hey, how are you doing, after, well, you know?" She struggled to find the right wording.

"I'm fine. It's a shock though. After so long of fighting and watching my back and stuff, it's hard to really comprehend that we don't have to do that anymore. What about you, Foster?"

Sophie started to tug an itchy eyelash, but Keefe grabbed her wrist and stopped her. "Please don't do that. You don't have to be stressed anymore."

Sophie sighed. "I know, and I agree with what you said earlier. It's weird to be carefree."

At that moment, the music sped up again and Keefe twirled her again. "Stop doing that!" she squeaked.

Keefe laughed. "It's fun."

Sophie glared at him, but Keefe's smile never left his face.