a/n: ah fuck it, double update for you guys :) this was one of my favorite chapters tbh.

Chapter 17

I couldn't take it anymore.

First Keefe, and then Tam.

The Neverseen targeted two of my friends, both of which had already been in their ranks temporarily before, only to return yet again.

I let this happen.

Tangling my hands in my hair, I pull my head down sharply to stare at my lap.

"Sophie are you okay?" Della's kind intone dragged me out of my overwhelming thoughts.

"Yeah... no," I confess. "Why didn't the Black Swan focus on him after—"

"After what happened with Keefe, we should've all put more concentration into protecting everyone," Biana cut me off, standing up and placing a soft hand on my shoulder.

I found the action somewhat comforting and leaned into Biana's touch, closing my eyes wearily.

"Why don't you take Sophie up to your room to rest?" I vaguely heard Della prompt, and in response, Biana's arm outstretched around my body, fitting me against her like a head sunken into a pillow- perfectly molded into one. Her movements guided me up the stairs and she finally uncurled her grip from me, letting me find my way to her bed.

I crashed into the softness of the mattress and buried my head into her pillow, noting how wonderful it smelled. Kinda like her. Lavender and the fruity shampoo she used, a comforting aroma that floated into my nostrils pleasantly.

I felt something brush my head and realized it was Biana's hand. She scooted over to sit next to me, and slowly rolled her fingers through every strand of my hair.

My eyes fluttered a bit and I found myself gazing at my best friend through the tiny gap between my eyelids for a brief moment before I let them fall again and I tumbled into a restful dreamy sleep.

"Biana?" I asked quietly, and shaking my head, I rub at my eyes with my fists, sitting upright and letting the sheets shuffle over my legs. She wasn't beside me anymore. I frown. It had felt like only moments ago I had fallen asleep, the feel of her hand shifting through my hair.

I slide out of bed, and run my fingers through my pineapple hair with a sigh. I wish I could pull a just got out of bed look while having actually just gotten out of bed. Would save me a lot of untangling and incoherent screams of frustration while I'm frantically pouring coffee on my half asleep face.

I slowly tiptoe across the floor and press my body to the doorframe, moving around uncomfortably.

It had been awhile since I'd stayed at Everglen, and I wasn't even sure what hour it was right now. Did I sleep here overnight? Was it just a quick nap? I wasn't sure. Time was impossible to tell after sleeping.

I beeline for the sleek staircase, my feet clumsily stumbling over the ruby carpet laid over the elegant spin of steps, occasionally tripping and my arms flailing out to grab the railing because I'm an awkward, uncoordinated yeti.

I finally decide to go slowly and wrap my hand around the shined balustrade, descending gradually. I felt like a royal here in Everglen; their staircases were literally the epitome of what royalty would have in their castles. A very clumsy inelegant royal, that is.

Once I get off the stairs, I glance around the empty room. Everyone had left, so it seemed.

"Sophie! You're up!" Della's voice surprised me.

Apparently not.

I yelped, jumping up and skidding my toes against the carpet, nearly crashing into the wall. "Sorry," I mumble, rubbing my eyes.

Della laughed. "It's okay, Sophie." The teensiest flicker of a smile appeared on her face as she observed me. "Slept well?"

"Uhm, I guess so yeah," I reply, nodding. Wait, did I sound rude? "I mean, yeah, I did, completely so," I correct myself, tripping over my words like I fell on the stairs. God, I needed to sleep more often. I snort at the thought. Something I could only dream of getting these days.

"That's good," Della replied chirpily. "You ended up sleeping for quite some time, so we made sure not to disturb you! I let Grady and Edaline know and they agreed to allow you to stay here for a bit longer since you were asleep."

I nod gratefully, and I find my gaze wandering around the room, until I turn to stare at the window of the kitchen.

There were a few rows of carefully clipped hedges, trimmed to shape various elven animals, all of which I was able to identify thanks to my collecting of Prattles pins.

Della glances at the scenery through the glass, her eyes clouding over and becoming misty, a serene smile tugging at her lips. "That's a wyvern," she told me, pointing her delicate nail at the creature who was clipped in an animate stance, limbs spread out tensely as if in battle. "Stands for power and strength. Something we all need these days," she whispered sadly, her finger tracing the air across the room, as if she was touching the wyvern hidden beneath the sheet of glass separating us from the yard.

"We do," I agree quietly, my mouth stiffening into a tight line at the stinging thought of Keefe and Tam, who were both in the enemy's clutches.

Della shook her head, as if casting herself away from her melancholy thoughts. "We may not be wyverns. We're elves. But we are smart and we are many," she stated firmly. "Don't worry about Keefe and Tam, Sophie," she added gently, bringing me into a calming hug that dissolved some of my worries. Della could make anything infinitely better with her hugs. I rest my chin on her shoulder, exhaling a long breath, a wisp of air escaping my lips and releasing a bit of my stress. "The Black Swan are figuring this out, okay? Don't strain yourself over this. Go to school and focus on your studies. Have fun with your friends. Even though you are the Moonlark, you deserve to have as much time as you can being normal. And we'll all figure this out together."