Okay, so here's a kinda-late-night update. I'm happy I actually stood by my word and uploaded a new chapter on Tuesday, even if it's later than expected. There's not too much action in this one, in fact it's kind of another Magnate Leto Q&A, but whatever. Next chapter will definitely have some interesting content! *evil grin*
Replies:
ButWhatIfYouFly: :) Thanks so much for the multiple reviews, and also that font (is it a font?!) looks really cool. Sorry, kinda random. Anyway, here you go, a new chapter! Stay tuned and thank you for commenting!
Revel Temptation: Don't worry! I'm not that person who ignores all the comments they get. Honestly, I'd even appreciate negative comments. At least it means someone is reading. And then occasionally, there are reviews like yours, which make me feel like dancing all over the house. Thank you for taking the time to review my fanfic! I'm glad you're enjoying it! And yeah, I am a huge shipper of Team Foster-Keefe, but Sophitz is totally cool with me too. I don't care if you think I'm being weird (cause I probably am) but even Sodex (is that what you call it?) is growing on me. Honestly, this fanfic probably will have a little of all the ships, mostly Team Foster-Keefe, but I'm going to try to avoid any serious romantic relationships. I think Sophie is too awkward for that as a fourteen/thirteen-year-old. But...yeah. Thanks again for the amazing review, and sorry for the absence of any Sophitz moments so far. Trust me, there will be some! :D
Word Count: 2,233
Whew! *Deep breath* Well, here it is!
Chapter Eight
"WAIT, SO YOU WANT TO GO TO EXILE?"
Sophie nodded, rubbing her sore eyes from another sleepless night. Grady and Edaline stood in front of her with their arms crossed, and she really wished they'd step aside and let her leap to Foxfire. But they'd cornered her about her plans, and she'd kept true to her promise to herself.
No more secrets.
"Sophie, we've been very trusting parents so far, but Exile isn't exactly a friendly place," Grady told her.
"I know," she agreed. "I don't want to go there either. But…" she hesitated. "I'm meeting somebody."
Grady opened his mouth to ask who when Edaline interrupted. "Keefe," she answered for Sophie.
Sophie nodded, wishing she could shrink as Grady's piercing eyes glowered down at her.
"I don't trust that Sencen boy," he argued.
"You let him ride across the ocean on Silveny with me," Sophie reminded him.
"Yes, I did. And I shouldn't have. But that was before he joined them."
"He's not evil, dad! He could've let Brant and Fintan capture me, but he created a leaping crystal on my necklace in advance. He never meant to hurt me."
"But he has," Grady whispered, dropping his voice. "In so many ways."
"I still need to get him back. Dex said so too."
"Yes, Dex is going with you, right? I'm not too sure his parents will appreciate that."
Sophie looked down, feeling guilty that she was dragging one of her friends into danger once again.
"Grady, I think Sophie should go," Edaline butted in.
"You want me to let my daughter go marching into what's likely to be an ambush?" Grady laughed coldly. "Last daughter, it didn't go so well."
Edaline's eyes widened in dismay and she turned away. "That's why we need to help Sophie save Keefe. So she doesn't have to feel the pain of losing someone important."
A wave of guilt swept over Grady's face, and his angry facade crumbled. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to upset either of you. I just care about you, Sophie. I don't want to regret this later."
"You won't," Sophie promised, pulling him in for a hug. She soaked up the warmth of his arms, wishing she'd never have to let go. When she spoke again she was surprised to realize that her voice was choked up with sadness. "I'll be okay. I always am."
He nodded and pulled away, stepping aside. Sophie took a deep breath before whispering, "Foxfire."
The quiet words somehow managed to reach the LeapMaster and a small crystal dropped down, hurting her tired eyes with its sparkling facet.
I can do this, she repeated over and over in her head, willing to make the words true. I am strong.
But how long could she really pretend for? The rush of warm light pulled her away as the first tear slid down her cheek.
"I'm not the only one who's nervous, right?" Dex asked, fidgeting with a few scraps of metal as Sophie wiped away the last traces of her tears.
She shook her head. "I barely convinced my parents to let me go."
"Me too," Dex agreed. "I thought it would be so much harder. But I guess they've accepted that they can't keep me out of this thing anymore...this rebellion." He said the word so softly Sophie could barely hear it in the silent hall.
The stood quietly for a few seconds. Then Dex reached for the polished handle and opened the door to Magnate Leto's office. The office was at the very apex of the glass pyramid, and many Sophies gazed forlornly back at her through the mirrors set in the walls. She hadn't realized her expression looked so sad, and she tried to loosen up her muscles, but they felt like someone was holding them in place.
"Sit down, we have a lot to talk about," Magnate Leto greeted, pulling up two comfy chairs. "First, how you're going to get into Exile," he continued, straight to the point, when neither of them said anything. "The Council has collapsed all gnomish tunnels in the surrounding area, so we'll have to use different methods. And we can't fight the dwarves guarding Exile, because we don't want to lose the little trust the Council has finally given us. So our only option is to break in through the ground above undetected—although without Magsidian staying concealed will be extremely difficult."
"Break in through the ground above?" Sophie echoed.
Magnate Leto nodded. "I have a theory...I think you might be able to teleport through solid objects."
"What?" Sophie asked at the same time Magnate Leto had to ruin her hope by adding, "But it's only a theory."
"So what is it?"
"I think If you send your consciousness downwards and gain enough solidity to ground yourself in the desired location...you might be able to transport your physical form."
"And Dex's?" Sophie prompted.
"I'm not sure. I haven't worked out the kinks yet. As I said—multiple times—it's just a theory."
"Can I say something?" Dex asked as Sophie opened her mouth to speak. He didn't wait for an answer before he continued, "I'm not getting left behind. I'm sick of being left out of things. You're always plotting stuff with Wonderboy—Fitz," he corrected, making Sophie grin. She was glad he was finally trying to set his old grudges aside. "And before that, you risked your life, like, a million times with...Keefe… um… so it's my turn now. And if you can't make this teleportation thing work with both of us, I'll do whatever it takes to be there with you. You can't face the Neverseen alone if this is an ambush. And I'm not even sure you can face Keefe alone… so… yeah," he finished awkwardly.
Magnate Leto smiled at Dex. "You are incredibly loyal. And luckily there might be another way—if the first doesn't work. Ever heard of a terrakinetic?"
Sophie shook her head as Dex's eyes brightened.
"They're super rare, aren't they?" he said.
"Yes. Almost as rare as pyrokinetics."
The word sent a tremble down her spine. She could almost feel the blazing heat of Everblaze scorching her back.
"A terrakinetic manipulates the earth, much like how a hydrokinetic controls water," Magnate Leto explained. As it so happens, we are lucky enough to have a terrakinetic working in the Black Swan. Her name is Kesia, and she is exceptionally talented."
Sophie really didn't like the idea of someone she didn't know listening in on her meeting with Keefe—especially if she had to drop to her knees and beg him to turn back. But she also didn't want to leave Dex behind.
"Okay," she agreed. "So when are we going?"
"I need to contact Kesia first—and I'm not coming with you. I have prodigies to attend to, and I don't want to get between you and your friends. I trust you, Sophie," Magnate Leto said. "But, before that, there's something I want to tell you." His expression turned somber. "Gethen is gone."
"No way!" Dex and Sophie both shouted at the same time.
"Shhhh! It's true. I went to check on him and he was not there. And the entrance to where the Council was keeping him was blasted through—a perfect hole. That wall was made of allulite—an almost impenetrable dwarven mineral—and reinforced with a psionipath's force field. That blast would've had to be extremely concentrated and ten times more destructive than everblaze. When I told the Council… well, let's just say they were not thrilled at the discovery of this new threat."
Sophie resisted the urge to smash her fist through a mirror. Every time they seemed to be catching up with the Neverseen the unpredictable group came up with another way to ruin her life. So instead she settled for asking, "More destructive than everblaze?"
"Yeah—is that even possible?," Dex chimed in.
"Apparently." Magnate Leto buried his face in his hands, and when he looked up he suddenly seemed a thousand years older.
Another thought flew into Sophie's mind. "My spyball disappeared yesterday. I searched the whole room. it's definitely gone."
"I took it," he admitted. "I thought it would be a bit too dangerous for you to know your friend's location. I was afraid you'd go rushing into danger."
Sophie was too worn out to feel any anger. "I already know he's somewhere underground."
"Really? Our sources all point toward the Neutral Territories—aboveground."
"Maybe they have more than one base."
"It's possible," Magnate Leto said and tapped his chin thoughtfully, looking young again. "But…"
"But what?"
He shook his head, almost as if shooing away a pesky thought. "It's nothing. You should leave soon. I'll contact our terrakinetic, she'll meet you at Alluveterre." He handed Sophie a black crystal with a purple gleam. "And remember, Sophie. Don't forget about the cache. If those secrets get into the wrong hands, the entire balance of our world could tip."
Sophie nodded and moved to open the door, but then yet another question struck her.
"There's something else I want to talk to you about before we leave," she said. She snuck a peak at Dex, looking away when he met her eyes. She was sure he know what she was going to ask.
"Yes?" Magnate Leto inquired.
"When I told my friends about Keefe I meant to transmit the memory into their minds. But for some reason I felt like I needed to use my mental energy—the energy I use for a brain push—and I created this golden chain through all of our minds where we could all communicate."
Alarm and something else rose up in his eyes. Was it respect? Before Sophie could play the guessing game he opened his mouth to speak. "You and your friends are far closer than I'd realized. Far more powerful."
"What do you mean?" Sophie asked, fear rooting in her mind.
"An Amity Link is not something just anyone can create."
Sophie sighed, wondering how many more times she was going to hear those words.
"You can only perform one with someone you're close to. Not just any friend—someone you'd trust with your life. Most telepaths, even if they're capable of using mental energy, never find anyone they can perform the Link with. The fact that you're only fourteen and already have three—maybe four—friends that close… it's unheard of."
Sophie sighed again. Magnate Leto rolled his eyes.
"When the Amity Link turns silver—which means you're completely open to your friends and are keeping no secrets—there's a theory that you can all access each other's powers and knowledge—and all suffer the same injuries as a consequence."
"That's super confusing," Dex complained, rubbing his temples. Sophie had to agree. Her brain was still struggling to comprehend the truckload of information.
"You should go," Magnate Leto repeated, ushering them out of the room. "Leap straight to Alluveterre."
When Sophie didn't move, Dex took her hand and pulled her out of the room.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. I don't know why it's so overwhelming. I mean, I already know I trust you guys with my life."
He nodded. "Can I see that crystal?" Sophie handed it to him, and his eyes lit up as his fingers traced the edges of the sparkling facet.
"It's not exactly a gadget, but… I've been wondering if I can build a device to catch light like a leaping crystal. I know it's kind of silly, but—"
"Actually, I think that's a great idea," Sophie corrected. "We can visit all the places Magnate Leto doesn't want us to go to."
Dex grinned, flashing his perfect dimples. "Yeah. Most of them are underground, though, so I thought I'd look at this. It's weird. See, these purple flecks aren't natural. They're a whole different kind of mineral." He bent down and reached into a pocket around his ankles and fished out a small pouch. Then he took the scraps of metal he'd been fidgeting with earlier—they were now fashioned into a single shape like a crescent moon. He poked at one of the purple stones embedded in the crystal until a few chips came off, and tucked them into the pouch, returning it to his ankle pocket.
"I hope I didn't ruin the crystal," he said when Sophie stared.
"Let's see." She took it from him and held it up to the light filtering down through the glass walls of Foxfire, hoping a path would appear. And it did. The light was white with dancing pink spots, and as Sophie and Dex stepping into the rushing warmth, she prayed the next time she used this crystal she'd be returning with Keefe.
