Author's Note: Hi y'all! I hope you're having a spectacular day today! This chapter is actually going to be a Fitz POV. I know, shocking. But I've decided I need to explain why he makes Alvar look like the better brother. After all, nearly every villain has the backstory of a victim. Ritz Cracker is no exception. Anyway, leave a review and enjoy the chapter!
I glare around my room, looking for something to punch. I've destroyed most of it already. There's a hole in one of the walls, a poster lies ruined on the floor. A pillow is in tatters, feathers littering the carpet. Several shattered bottles of potions have covered the bathroom floor with glass and liquid, and Mr. Snuggles lies discarded in the corner. I won't let the gnomes clean the mess until Sophie is back.
I'm mad at myself, mostly. And Sophie. And Keefe. Actually, mostly Keefe.
I'm mad because, even though he doesn't realize it, she has been his from the start.
From the moment I met her in that horrible human city, I wanted her. I had been attracted to girls before, plenty of them. But she was different. She was an elf with a human heart, a human brain, a human soul.
She was so curious about everything, and it gave me a whole new perspective. And then she met him. I can't believe I was ever friends with him. For my whole life, Keefe has upstaged me. Sure, I got the better grades. Sure, I had the better life, the better family. But people liked him more. His personality drew them in, made them feel. . . something. I'm not sure what, really. Meanwhile, I was never that person. And despite being top of my class, he skipped a level. And aced all his exams without studying.
Lucky bastard.
I enjoyed it when I was the only friend she had. Then she made friends with Dex. He was okay, albeit rather annoying. Marella, too. Even Biana. But Keefe. Suddenly, I found myself taking a backseat. She got kidnapped with Dex, went to have her abilities restored with Keefe, started spending time with Biana. Then we went to Aluverterre. And I watched Keefe fall for her.
Even though she had no idea at the time, she was falling for him, too. Little by little. Heart emotions are different from head emotions. In her head, she knew I was the logical choice. But her heart betrayed me.
Maybe I should have made my move then. I knew she liked me. But. . . he was there. And somehow, that terrified me.
The stupid thing is, I watched how he acted around her. How he trusted her, how he let her rely on him in turn. And I was so, so jealous.
She and I would be a perfect match. The Vacker prince, and the elf with the power to destroy the Neverseen.
Even though she liked me, I watched her choose him. Every. Single. Time.
I didn't really like her. Not the way it's described in stories. I'm not sure love exists, not like that. At least not for me. But Sophie became a prize. Something I had to earn.
Then came the echo. She and I were stuck in the same room for a while, which sounded great at first. But he was there too. Keefe barged in, with his stupid training and stupid pins and stupid mouth. I saw how she acted embarrassed around me, and then the second he walked in, she was smiling and laughing and telling jokes. It hurt, because she was supposed to be mine.
You don't know what it's like to watch the girl you've claimed fall for your best friend.
So, when we got out, I confessed. I told her that the only person I wanted to see on my match list was her, and it was true. Because if she was on my match list, then I had won. She would be mine and there would be nothing Keefe could do about it.
Then the whole mess with registration happened, and she went to him. Not me. Him. And the bastard let her. He flirted and finessed his way to winning her over. But I lied through it, even though it hurt. And she was going to kiss me. She was mine. And then Ro asked me that damned question.
"If Sophie decided she didn't want to find out who her biological parents are—and didn't want anyone else to look into it either—what would you say?"
That was when I lost her. The breakup just added onto it. And then, she had the nerve to go after Keefe. Keefe this, Keefe that. I knew, that night at the sleepover. I saw the way she looked at him and I hated it, because she'd never looked at me that way.
So I did what I do best— I threatened her. And when that didn't work, I told her I'd hurt him. I don't know why I did it. I regret it now. Although, if ever given the choice, I would kill him. I would kill him and force her to drink some sort of love potion, probably. It would be fake, but she would be mine. And Keefe would be dead. Perfect.
After threatening her, they started hating each other. All was right with the world for a while. But something happened. Something happened, and then she was walking down the stairs of my house in that gorgeous dress, and she was kissing him. And even when she pulled away, brushing it off as a dare, I saw that look in her eyes, saw it reflected in his.
I guess that's what true love looks like.
I suppose they fit together. Everyone else can see it. It's like they've all forgotten about me. I was her first friend, I am her Cognate. And yet she chooses him. She will always choose him.
Before I knew it, they were gone. Captured.
And here I am. I will get her back, even if I destroy the world doing it. I'll take down the Neverseen on my own, if I have to. I'll help her escape.
And if Keefe doesn't get caught in the crossfire, I'll snap his neck myself.