A/N: Hehe, I'm so proud of myself! Updating two days in a row! Most ppl can only dream of achieving this glory! Haha. Anyways, hope ya enjoy! I poured a lot of my heart into this chapter AND there's even a bit of Sophiaaaaana ;)

IStillHopeForSophex: Hi! Omg, thanks SO MUCH for reviewing! 'Twas you that inspired this update. Haha, yes. I do so love GT's being tortured. But then again- WHO DOESN'T?! Thank you :) I hope you'll keep reading on.

Chapter Four

Grady's blond head poked through the door, eyebrows furrowed suspiciously. "Sophie? Are you... feeling all right? I heard some... er, jalapeno words, and I-"

"Yeah," I giggle morosely. Jalapeno words was something Grady, Edaline, and I called cuss words. They were mostly something of the human culture but elves knew them and though it was much more rare in the Lost Cities, it wasn't something completely unbeknownst to them. "Just that stupid boy," I hiss under my breath.

For a second Grady looks triumphant. I was honestly intrigued to peek inside his mind. He was probably thinking something along the lines of, Yes yes yes! Finally! Eeeeeee! Now that Sophie broke up with that weirdo boi and she realizes Traitor's true colors, Sodex Supreme will rule! Yassss! and unleashing his inner fangirl heart.

It wasn't exactly by subtle movements that Grady had been encouraging me and Dex to get together. And I mean it's kind of gross and annoying- we're freaking cousins by adoption- but Grady totally shipped us hardcore.

Haha, yeah that was probably what he was thinking.

Then the ends of his mouth fall and he stops his imagining of Dex and me skipping slow motion on a beach together. "Oh, what did That Boy do now?"

I pull my knees up to my chest and rest my chin on my kneecap.

Grady takes the Imparter from me and frowns. "Sophie," he warns. "You're not about to go gallivanting on some rescue mission or-"

"No," I shake my head softly and close my eyes. "No. H-h-he's made his decision," I choke out, "and I think now this is always what was meant to be. He- no, he was never supposed to be a part of the Black Swan. He wasn't supposed to love me-" My eyes jolt as wide open as saucers when I realize what I accidentally said during my ramble. Oh crap, crap, crap. Grady slowly gets down next to me with wide eyes.

Oh my gosh, what did I say? And to Grady of all people. Oh I was in some deep trouble now.

But instead of lecturing me about getting attached or something he did something unexpected- opened his arms. I willingly crawl over to him. I don't feel as alone with my adoptive dad hugging me.

The next day at Foxfire, I walk in a zombielike trance to my locker, automatically lick the sensor like a robot- it didn't even register to me what the flavor was- and shove the books into the bookbag hanging off my shoulder.

"Sophie?" a concerned sounding voice echoes to me in the distance. It was beautiful, like the soft chime of an ornate bell. It was like you could hear chocolate. A gentle stream of a waterfall- rushing and very much alive as it trips over the rocks as a warrior would.

I blink, confused as to why I was suddenly so awake. I tilt my head to the side and realize Biana's staring expectantly at me. "Are you okay, Sophie?"

I bite my bottom lip and scowl, kicking the locker fiercely. "No I'm not, Biana! That idiot with the good hair left m-" I correct, "-us, AGAIN!"

Biana offers a sympathetic but also slightly strained smile in return. "I know," she whispers sadly, pushing a dry strand of her usually velvety and luscious dark brown hair out of her unlit, dim teal eyes.

Bemusedly, I arch an eyebrow.

"Come with me," is all she says.

Elwin's slumped over on a cot, hand held to his forehead and the other with a half empty vial of a weird alien like purple substance. Livvy's standing by the counters, grinding her teeth mercilessly as she works at mixing some liquids and pouring unrecognizable gunks from beaker to beaker.

"Oh hi," she says, not brightly like she usually talks. Instead her tone was foreboding and grim, suggesting the darkness of the cosmos and the depth of the ocean. She didn't have the glittery jewels embroidered into her hair like she normally would. Her hair was pulled up in a fast and hasty ponytail and she wore a too-big white lab coat with the sleeves rolled up and tainted green. "Care to help us with any sort of clues?" Livvy asks, motioning with her hand for us to come to her.

Biana slips her hand into mine and gives me a small smile, gently squeezing my hand reassuringly as she guides me over to the countertops. I gratefully nod at her and let go. Her smile fades and she clears her throat, nervously fidgeting in her stance.

"All right," Livvy begins in a quiet tone, and I raise a hand. Livvy chuckles and nods. "What is it, Sophie?"

"Uhm, is Elwin okay?" I grimace as all our heads turn in synchrony to look at Elwin.

His rainbow orb spectacles were haphazardly balanced on his face. Obviously he was immensely tired by the lack of effort put in the light round his eyes.

Elwin's a Flasher, which means he can bend and twist and form light, basically controlling it.

Usually it seems to effortless for him but now clearly even the smallest of efforts were too much for him to handle.

Livvy nods resignedly. "He'll be fine. He's just tired from- well, I'm going to explain this as clearly as I can. Keefe, well, as you know, escaped from the Healing Center last night-" she paused for a respectful silence, which caused tears to ram up in my eyes. This wasn't a funeral! He wasn't dead! Biana beside me purses her lips and shuffles her feet, staring down at them. "-but what you didn't know was that he manifested another ability."

Both my head and Biana's snapped up with full attention.

Pleased that we were all ears, Livvy paced around the lab section of the Healing Center, hands linked behind her back. "And now." Livvy sighs deeply. "Now- I'm quite afraid for our lives."

A/N: Hahaha, cliffhangaaaa! Betcha didn't see that coming! Ha no who am I kidding, you could see that a mile away. But at least I tried! *shows up at Grammys* *walks past the camera flashes* Thank ya, thank ya! *takes trophy that says, 'At Least She Tried.'* *bows* *blows kisses at crowd* Now first I'd like to thank everyone who read my fanfictions-

Lol. But anyways, this chapter is twice as long as the previous ones, WHICH MEANS TWICE AS MUCH EFFORT WAS PUT IN! So, um, *clears throat and stops looking like a maniac* if you have the time and if you can, I would LOVE IT and appreciate it SO MUCH if you could review. Like, it could be negative, positive, whatever. Constructive criticism is much loved also. But even if you don't, thanks so much just for reading! :)