a dangerous combination [discontinued]

~ F I F T Y - E I G H T ~

The first thing Keefe heard were the shouts.

He'd been trying his best to work around the guards to sneak into the lab room. He had no idea what they were planning to do to her, but the fact that his mom had been so enthusiastic about it was proof enough that it couldn't be good.

He couldn't feel her emotions from outside the lab; the walls had deliberately been made thicker  here than anywhere else. What happened in the lab stayed in the lab.

Keefe had never dared to approach it. He knew enough about Vespera and her creepy hobbies to stay far, far away.

But now Sophie was in there, and it was killing Keefe to not know what they were putting her through.

Sure, maybe he'd messed up in the first place and betrayed her trust, but he also now knew firsthand that people could change.

He'd changed a lot after meeting her.

He wasn't having much luck, the guards had noticed him straight away and were now watching him carefully. He tried to look as innocent as possible, like "oh I just thought it would be a good idea to go for a walk right around here, you don't mind do you?"

And judging from their suspicious looks, he wasn't doing a great job at it.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the people running into the lab until he was knocked over onto the floor.

He couldn't even tell who had done it, everyone kept at a hurried pace towards the lab room. He took this as an opportunity to get in, but stopped cold when he saw what had happened.

There lay Sophie Foster, her skin the same color as the white sheets she lay on, her eyes closed and lips pale.

Several people, some of whom were not even experienced in the medical field, were doing their best to save her: pressing needles into her skin, force feeding her various liquids. He even saw someone trying CPR on her, but none of them had any result.

"She's dying," he heard one of the experienced whisper.

Keefe felt like his heart was being torn apart until he heard a voice.

"No," Gisela hissed, and Keefe was touched for a moment that she actually cared what became of Sophie Foster until she added, "we need those lab results. Did you get any of the tests done?"

Vespers shook her head. "She started writhing the second we gave her the limbium."

Keefe's mother cursed, her eyes on the slowly dying girl in the center of the room when Keefe suddenly had an idea.

It was an insanely stupid idea.

But it might just work.

He pushed through the crowd until he was right in front of his mother. "We have to take her back."

Gisela's eyes flashed with anger as she stared at her son. "What?"

Keefe met her burning eyes, holding her gaze. "I said we have to take her back."

"Absolutely not," Vespera hissed, glaring at Keefe. "We just went through so much trouble to get her here."

Keefe looked at her as calmly as he could manage while he fantasized of throwing a dagger at her. "And what'll happen if she stays here? Oh, that's right! She'll die!"

Gisela turned back to her son. "What exactly are you suggesting, Keefe?" Her eyes bore into him like chips of cold ice.

Keefe swallowed but met her gaze once more. "I'm saying that you allow her go back to the Black Swan, and you let me take her," at this, Vespera made a noise of outrage, but Keefe continued without looking at her. "The people who created her might know what to do, and if I say I rescued her then they'll trust me again."

Someone in the crowd shouted, "What if they can't save her?"

"Then she dies," Keefe answered, trying his best not to picture it.

"And if they do?" Lady Gisela's tone was hard, however she seemed to be considering the tiniest bit.

Keefe stood straighter. "Then I'll be the one to bring her right back to you."

The crowd around them murmured words like "He'll never be able to do it," and "Can't wait to watch him fail," but Keefe knew that the only person who's opinion mattered was Gisela's.

Gisela stared at him, and Keefe refused to look away, until the tiniest hint of a smile appeared on her face. She clapped her hand, "Quiet!"

The chatter instantly went down, everyone's eyes were glued to Keefe and his mother.

She scrutinized him a moment longer before glancing back at Sophie's form and realizing they were running out of a time. Her chin dipped.

A nod.

Keefe could feel the awed gazes on his back as approached the hospital bed and carefully scooped Sophie into his arms.

Little did any of them know that his loyalties were no longer to the Neverseen and his mother.

No, his loyalties were with the fragile girl he held in his arms as he leaped away from the hideout.

~~~

TRIPLE UPDATE BECAUSE I LEFT YOU GUYS FOR THREE WEEKS

and also I'm procrastinating I have so much homework to do—

anyways I'm REALLY proud of this chapter like it's almost 900 words (for me that's a lot) and I love that hero moment for Keefe

hope you guys enjoyed!!

love, riya
11/16/20