Author's note: I'm not Shannon Messenger. All rights belong to Shannon Messenger.

This story begins after Legacy, when Keefe is still unconscious. (Warning: I am completely on board team SoKeefe!3)

Thanks to all KOTLC fanfic writers and authors that inspired me to write this!

Sophie walked into the Healing Center to see an unfamiliar girl with long red-gold curls standing over Keefe's cot, studying him while he slept.

Had Elwin let her in? Sophie opened her mouth to say something, but she was stopped by a mouthful of gray goblin arm. Sandor moved in front of her protectively and addressed the stranger.

"Who are you?" he growled – as much as someone with a squeaky bunny voice can growl. "I can't detect your scent."

The girl turned to face them, holding her head high in a confident posture. She wore a simple black tunic with black leggings and boots. A wine-red cloak hung about her shoulders, held together at the corners not with a family crest, but with something that looked like a claw that had been punched through the fabric then twisted around itself. She was about an inch taller than Sophie with a thin frame; a cascade of long red-gold curls framed her pale face. And her eyes… They were as cold and blue as a frozen lake on a clear winter's day. They were Keefe's eyes. Sophie stared. Sandor, however, was unfazed.

"Do you have clearance from Elwin to be here?" he squeaked.

The girl's voice was smooth and calm. "I'm here on behalf of Sir Coralin. He wanted me to give Sophie this." She pulled a small scroll out of a pocket in her cloak and held it out to Sophie. Sophie looked at it curiously. It was made of yellowed paper, and on its seal was a boobrie. Sophie was tempted to take it – but it could be a trick, just like all the other times the Neverseen had deceived them. Besides, they didn't even know this girl.

"No thanks," Sophie told her.

"For once you're reasonable," Sandor agreed.

Something passed over the girl's face for a moment, and her expression changed – but only for a second. Then her condescending attitude returned. She smoothed the skirt of her tunic and tossed her hair over one shoulder.

"There's some crucial information in this scroll, Sophie. If you walk away now, I promise that you will regret it. I know that you don't want that to happen."

"How do you know her name?" demanded Sandor, brandishing his sword.

Now Sophie was creeped out. She wanted more than anything to run down the hall and teleport away to safety and away from hard choices. But… the girl was right. She couldn't let herself walk away and wonder for the rest of her life if the information inside the scroll was worth the risk. If it would save her friends from danger. She had no choice. She had to take a risk. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from behind Sandor and held her hand out for the scroll. The girl smiled knowingly and held it out, but before she could grasp it, Sandor had grabbed her arm and dragged her back.

"What are you thinking?!" he growl-squeaked.

Sophie faced him. "I can't risk walking away from this information. If she's right and it is crucial, it could be the game-changer we need!"

Sandor sighed. "But you don't even know this elf!" he argued. "And we don't even know if the information in that scroll is trustworthy!"

The girl stepped forward. Sandor growled and shoved Sophie behind him again.

"Excuse me, but I think you will find that the information in this scroll will match up exactly with the facts you're already gleaned. You can even ask your leader for verification."

"What leader?" questioned Sophie.

"Your 'Mr. Forkle'," she answered.

Sandor growled again. "Miss Foster, this is insane! Don't you dare even think-"

But Sophie had already decided that she wouldn't leave without that scroll. So, acting on impulse, she dodged Sandor and grabbed the scroll. She then levitated, turned around in midair, and dropped to the ground right behind Sandor.

"Sophie, stop!" he yelled as he chased her down the hall.

As she ran, she gathered her concentration and adrenaline into a surging mass and shoved it into the ground in front of her. A crack opened up opened up in the ground and thunder echoed through the crystal halls. Without a pause, Sophie ran into the void.