Her Imperfections

Chapter Ten

The Council.
The Council?
Suddenly Sophie's lungs heaved as if the air was being forced out of her. Gasping for breath, Sophie sunk to her knees. Fintan had to be lying? He had to be because if he was right....
Sophie swallowed and pushed the thought back. No. You're lying. She spat, anger as her venom.
I wish I was, given the certain losses of the plague.
Sophie's eyes floated up to Calla's tree and she squeezed her eyes at the sight of its flowers. How? I don't understand.
The Council created the plague to force the gnomes into servitude, just as the ogres used it. But like the cowards they are, they pulled back. Unfortunately, word of the plague had traveled far and the ogres already knew of it. Blackmailing the Council with the threat of telling the public their original intentions, the Council was forced to hand over the plague.
Sophie shook her head physically, The Council would never do that. They know the ogres too well.
The ogres promised not to use it and that was all the Council needed. And you want to know the worst part?
Sophie hesitated a second later and Fintan took the opportunity.
They had the cure the entire time. The Council was going to use it as leverage against the ogres. Which meant...
Calla died for nothing.
Nothing.
How could the Council even keep it a secret? When so many had died, when would it no longer be a game to them. And Sophie still didn't understand how Fintan knew all this. Why do you know about it then?
You seem to forget I used to be on the Council.
But that would mean the cure was created centuries ago.
It was. Fintan answered gleefully.
Sophie itched to move from her frozen, kneeling position. Pushing off from the ground, Sophie stalked the edges of the animal pens while her mind drew out a timeline. She was trying to reason with the Council, to say they pulled back, but they still created it in the beginning.
She didn't know how many Ancients were on the Council that knew Fintan at that time but she did know Bronte. She had to know. Even is she wouldn't be able to look him in the eyes after knowing the answer.
Was Bronte a part of this?
He was, but as you can imagine he was quite against it. You can relax Moonlark, Bronte is as clean of the plague as the rest of them.
That answer was easier to swallow. Sophie couldn't help feeling she was overreacting. The plague happened so long ago, so why did she care so much?
Something must have pulled at Fintan's attention since he distractedly said, I really do have to go, and you seem to have much to think about.
Sophie stopped suddenly and glared at the ground. Fintan don't think I'll forget what you did. Nothing you say will ever make me forget what you have done today.
I wouldn't want you to.
And like an echo, he was gone. How dare he speak so lightly of that day's events? The anger boiled below her blood and without a way to get it out Sophie yelled into the growing wind wrapping around her. Some of the rage flooded out and Sophie paused a movement to catch her breath, panting. Why couldn't Fintan just give her straight answers?
"Sophie, hey, are you okay?"
Spinning around, Sophie saw Edaline making her way up the hill to her. A sour word floated across her mind and reddened, glad Edaline wasn't a Telepath.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sophie mumbled her words into her crossed arms, barely even trying to cover up her emotions.
Edaline slunk an arm around Sophie's shoulder and they melted into each other a little. Sophie loved her human mother, but she never could understand her. Edaline still didn't get it, but she came the closest.
But right then, all Sophie could focus on was the invisible space between them, tearing them apart. The space with no name, no reason, but fueled by Fintan's words. It was almost as if ever since Fintan started talking to Sophie a bubble of defensiveness closed her off from everyone. Sophie hated the way it reminded her of being the freak in highschool.
"I know," Edaline kisses the top of her head steadily, her love shaking off the feeling. "I know you won't talk. But I am always here."
"I know." Sophie said, but she sounded duller than she wanted.
"I know." She whispered again, but the wind tore the words from her mouth.