A/N: OMGGG! We're at Chapter 20! Okay, calm down, *sighs and takes deep breaths* Mk, all calm now. So, last chap I forgot to answer to reviews (SORRY!) so Imma do it now.
RamenG: Here ya go lol.
Fan Person: Lmao, sorry but I don't rlly have a fixed schedule. You just motivated me, tho, so maybe I can try once every week or two weeks at least? Well, not to reveal too much, but when I was writing Chapter Sixteen I figured Gethen just found Sarah mildly attractive while Alvar liked her. Anyways, that's a good idea. I'll consider sifting it in along with the plot. Thank you for reviewing! :)
Satmage: Really? Reviews like this make me beam. Thx for reviewing and making me smile. :). I hope you'll keep reading on!
bookbedhead101: Happy (late) holidays too, lol. Ty for reviewing!
Sokeefe54335: Thanks for reviewing :D. I'm not ending this yet, sorry for the infrequent updates :/.
*Chapter 20*
THEY sat at the table, happily munching on mallowmelt while Alden and Della interrogated them. "Who was there?" Alden asked.
Keefe shoveled a large chunk of the gooey goodness into his mouth and mumbled incoherently.
Della rolled her sad cobalt blue eyes and said quietly, "We can wait until he's finished eating, Alden."
Alden sighed, pacing around the kitchen, his footsteps heard all over the creaky kitchen floor. "I'll answer any questions you have," piped up Sarah, who had cleaned her mallowmelt plate within seconds of sight.
Alden nodded gratefully and Della pulled him into a chair, kissing his cheek briefly, taking his hand and caressing it. "It's okay," she whispered, "we'll find them. We will."
Keefe of course, finished eating now and stared at the proximity Della was to Alden and gagged into his hand. "Gross. Can you guys save the lovey-dovey stuff for later?" he joked, trying to ease the mood.
Sarah chuckled sourly, rubbing her cold arms. Della laughed softly, a forced laugh that held no depth of joy in it. Clearly she too was suffering gravely from the disappearance of her children and their close friends.
Alden began the interrogation, resting a weak hand subtly on Della's shoulder. "Which Neverseen members were in the Amazon before they were taken?"
Keefe held out a hand and monotonously listed them off, "Lady Gisela, Fintan, and Alvar I think." Sarah's eyes averted to her hands tucked neatly in her lap at the last name's mention.
Alden nodded and quickly jotted the names down on a sheet of paper laid on the table in front of him. "Can I have more mallowmelt?" Keefe blurted out, staring at the empty plate as if it held the secrets of the universe.
"Of course, Keefe," Della kindly told him and grabbed his plate, glancing over to Sarah. "Sarah, would you like a second helping as well?"
"Yeah, thanks," Sarah replied, holding her head in her hands and sounding rather drained.
Della smiled forcefully and took Sarah's plate as well, her fists white and tightly squeezing the edges of the plates she was carrying into the kitchen. "Is she... okay?" Keefe blinked at her.
Alden shrugged his shoulders. "We all have different ways of coping. You're lucky to still have your sister, Keefe."
Keefe's ice-blue eyes hardened on his sister. "Yeah you're right." He walked over to her and sat down in the chair beside her.
Sarah lifted her head out from her hands and blinked. "Why'd you change your spot, Keefe?"
Keefe slung an arm around the back of her chair. "I dunno. Just wanted to sit next to my sister." Sarah rolled her eyes but offered a weak smile.
Once Della returned with new plates of mallowmelt for everyone, Alden resumed pummeling the siblings with questions. "Do you remember if they brought anything with them? Did you see the light crystals they brought, if any?"
Keefe sunk in his chair and Sarah's eyes were focused on the wall.
Alden banged his fist on the table. "Answer!" he yelled furiously, his teal eyes stony.
Della raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. "Alden, I realize everything is difficult right now but we must remain calm and not antagonize each other."
Alden took a deep breath and relaxed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I want to find them. So so badly. But I know we should keep together and form a rational plan, not a hasty one developed as a result of raw emotions colliding into one another in a hurry."
Della nodded. "There you are."
Alden sheepishly rubbed his eyes. "Yes. Now, instead of my asking you individual questions regarding the scene, could each of you take turns retelling me the story from your separate perspectives? Perhaps then we'll be able to form a bit of a theory." He studiously eyed Sarah, and then Keefe. "Who wants to go first?"
Keefe and Sarah's heads snapped at each other. "He will," Sarah said at the same time as Keefe declared, "I will."
Sarah flushed. "Sorry Keefe," she mumbled in embarrassment.
"So you wanna go first?" Keefe eagerly read out.
"Nope!" Sarah shook her head. "No regrets! Tell 'em, Keefe!"
Keefe grumbled something about his heartless sister, but after Alden's sad gaze, he quickly scrambled to start.
A/N: Yikes, been awhile since my last update. O.o but you can (maybe) expect more updates bc of the coronavirus and my boredom. Okay, now that it's nearly midnight I better hit post and go to bed XD.
