Guys! I'm the most sorry any human being's ever been for making you wait this long!

I really wanted to write more and make this longer, but I figured you guys needed something to sustain you in this unbearable wait.

So enjoy! But be warned...major cliffhanger. Side affects can vary. Proceed at your own risk ;)

Fitz

As the paper slipped from Fitz's grasp, Dex caught it and held it out for the others to see more clearly.

But Fitz had seen it. Crystal clear.

This was wrong. Sophie was supposed to follow the plan, and then come back to him safely.

He'd trusted her, and she'd-she'd...

She'd sacrificed her own well being for the rest of them.

Fitz glanced at Sophie.

He wanted to blame her. Blame someone. He needed to be angry. It was just his nature.

But when he took a look at her, he knew he couldn't. This was hard enough for her.

He could tell she was holding back tears, and the way she had lied to everyone must've come close to breaking her.

Fitz was helpless.

Sophie had put them in between a rock and a hard place. What could they do?

The options were running thin.

But...Fitz wasn't going to except that the goodbye he'd just staged was real.

He came to a decision.

He wasn't going to let her go. Even though there was nothing they could do, there might be something he could do.

Fitz owed Sophie that. And if she could do it, than he could do it too.

Only problem: he had no idea what to do.

Grady stepped away from the group huddled around Dex. "Sophie, I understand you're doing this with good intentions. But there's a better answer! Sometimes it takes time-you taught me that."

Fitz could tell Grady was close to mesmerizing the entire population just to get Sophie back on their side. This was exactly what Grady had wanted to avoid.

Sophie looked at him with loving eyes. "I know, dad. But I don't want a temporary fix. No one else has come up with a better answer, and this was my solution." Her eyes passed over the mass of species that had gathered to fight for justice. "This is so much better than losing any one of you. Not one of you can tell me you'd rather this than massacre." She found Grady's eyes again. "Let me fix this, dad. I finally found my purpose-and I'm ready to fulfill it."

Grady shook his head. "This isn't it."

But Sophie wasn't listening. Her mind was made up.

She turned to Lady Gisela. "I've done my part, now it's your turn."

All eyes landed on Gisela. She smiled. "What're you talking about? You've got your twins, there's nothing more to it."

Sophie's jaw clenched.

Then Keefe came up behind Fitz. "Mom!" Oh boy. "Sophie is doing so much for you, and you can't even make a freaking vow to stop harming p-"

Sophie interrupted him. "Lady Gisela. You're a mother. You understand what it feels like when your own blood is in danger, don't you?"

Keefe gasped as Bo came up from behind him with a knife to the throat. "What the-"

Gisela's fist clenched.

Sophie continued. "Bo! What're you doing?!"

Bo's grim response was, "I'm helping. Make the vow, Gisela, or your son won't live to see another day."

Gisela scoffed. "It's all an act! You're on their side, a mere servant."

Bo growled. "Wanna bet?" he asked, applying more pressure to his dagger. Keefe gasped.

"Bo!" he croaked. "What the heck!"

Fitz watched intently as the situation unfolded. Bo was up to something, but even if it was just an act, the thin trail of blood on Keefe's chest sure looked real.

The other bodyguards advanced towards Bo. "Stay where you are," he stated calmly.

Nothing more needed to be said.

Sophie was watching Fitz, no doubt wondering what he was doing.

He had slowly started inching towards Bo and Keefe, and so far, no one had noticed besides Sophie.

Or so he thought. A heavy hand was placed on his shoulder and he was yanked back.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ro hissed. "Are you trying to get my charge killed?"

Fitz shook his head. "I'm doing something. Besides, I'm pretty sure Bo is working with Sophie. Keefe's fine."

Ro rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Captain Obvious. But you don't know Bo like I do. One death means nothing if he helps save an entire population."

Fitz glanced at Keefe. Maybe Ro was right. But he would not stand there and do nothing.

Sophie

Sophie was sweating.

On the inside, she was running around in circles, screaming that her plan was not going quite as planned.

On the outside, though, she kept it calm and cool, keeping an eye on everything. This had to be timed perfectly.

Calm down, she chided herself. She needed to analyze her situation.

Keefe had a knife to his throat. Bo was the one holding the knife.

Lady Gisela wasn't buying it, and to be frank, neither was Sophie.

But there was one thing that really had Sophie worried.

Fitz.

Fitz was going to do something.

She could see it in the way he too was analyzing the situation, and the way he kept looking at Sophie with determination.

Sophie desperately wanted to transmit to him and tell him to stay put. But she couldn't risk it.

So instead she attempted talking with her eyes. She sent a silent message, looking straight into his gaze.

Don't. Move.

And...then it all went wrong.

Dun, dUn, dUuUuUn!

Comment what you think is gonna happen →

Stay amazing and thanks so so so much for your patience!

Love ya ️