*Chapter Seventeen*
SARAH TURNED TO FIND ALVAR, leaning against the wall, smirking. "Thought you'd get away with it, didn't you?"
Sarah felt Keefe slip off her back as she fell on the ground, tears forming in the back of her eyes. Why can't we have a single victory in our hands? she thought desperately, feeling a cold tear dribble down her cheek.
"Hey, no hard feelings," Alvar held up his hands, a sad, resignated look of defeat simmering in his cobalt-blue eyes. "If it were up to me, I'd let you off the bar. But if I did, they might... well, you know."
"Kill you?" guessed Sarah, her shoulders going slack as she got up to her feet, wiping her tears away.
Alvar was silent, but he nodded.
"I'm sick of this. I'm sick of it all," Sarah cried, shaking her head with as much energy as she could muster. "Why, Alvar? Why?"
Alvar put a firm hand on Sarah's shoulder, sighing. "I need to be with the Neverseen. You saw my brother, didn't you? Your brother's best friend?"
She nodded, trembling as she quietly waited for Alvar to explain.
"He's the Golden Boy in the family. I was forgotten. Yes, I came to Vacker get-togethers sometimes, but it saddened me to see just how forgotten I was. Mom was kind and all, but she clearly had no idea what I was up to. Dad himself didn't care, either. He just asked to look polite." He paused, silent tears trickling out of his eyes. "To maintain his stupid image!"
Tears flooded out of Sarah's eyes as she clung to Alvar, listening in solemn silence.
"But none of that matters anyway," Alvar continued, smiling now. "Because I discovered I had a different purpose to the world."
Sarah looked up and saw a gleam in Alvar's eyes. "I'm an essential part of the Lodestar Initiative."
"What?" Sarah asked, startled. She pulled away from the crook of Alvar's neck and met his eyes, shocked.
"You see, it wasn't all about Keefe," Alvar delineated. "The Lodestar Initiative was started a long time ago. Vespera had this sudden idea. She thought, what if the elves could reveal themselves once again to the humans, so both species could thrive. She conducted all sorts of experiments to see their emotions and reactions. But she knew she'd need a lead for it, someone who'd know just how to control the humans. In the case of a debacle."
"In case the humans rebelled?" guessed Sarah.
Alvar nodded. "Precisely. However, Vespera was soon caught, imprisoned in Atlantis for so-called eternity." He flashed a half-grimace, half-smile. "Fintan discovered her plans and modified them slightly to meet his needs. He knew we could reach interspecial peace. Vespera hadn't named the process, though. So Fintan dubbed it the Lodestar Initiative. Any guesses why?"
"Because peace clears life and conscience?" Sarah said, thinking aloud.
"Exactly!" Alvar smiled dreamily before he bit his lip. "I'd explain everything, but I need to bring you back. Gisela will eventually trust you if you warm up to her. We can pretend you needed the restroom? I'm sure we can think up a good cover-up story..." He met her eyes hopefully.
"I can't, Alvar," whispered Sarah, shaking her head. She placed her hands atop Alvar's shoulders, her breath warming Alvar's cheeks as she advanced on him. "We need to go. But..." Her voice trailed off.
"But what?"
Sarah leaned forward, her lips nearly touching Alvar's. "But I couldn't leave without doing this." She kissed Alvar, slowly and deliberately. Alvar relaxed, pulling her closer, twirling his fingers in Sarah's wavy pink curls that were fading to blonde. They gasped for breath, smiling at each other. "Goodbye, Alvar," she murmured, pushing him away, wincing as she heard Alvar's audible No!
She grabbed Keefe, slamming her fingers against the wooden wall.
Everglen.
A/N: This was a short chapter, but I wanted to update, sooo.
Legacy is OUT, people! Probably old news to most of you but I had to say it! This is basically a montage of the past year for me:*pre-orders on Amazon months before* *stares at countdown* *dreams about Legacy* *waits at midnight, staring lividly at the phone's screen, watching the countdown tick, tick*
And I read it. Frankly it's kind of a disappointment, but, ah well. I'm just going to continue with this fanfic as I normally would. Legacy or no Legacy.
