I'm baaack! Sorry about the long wait, but, tbh, I need to find motivation to even write this, I've been writing other things. On to more important matters, though, I dooo know how she's gonna get Dex to make those gadgets, so whatever happens in this chapter, we all know the truth. Dexy don't. :) Side note, I know the whole 'legacy' thing isn't technically supposed to be mentioned yet, but I'm taking artistic licence. - CL
This day is awful. Sophie talked to the shade, apparently his name is Tam. Kara still refuses to tell us anything. Forkle took all of us to Tam and Linh's forest place, and now they're living with the dwarves. Forkle sure has a lot of dwarven friends, doesn't he? But then things got ten times worse.
I'd walked into my room, and picked up this note. I can't believe this is happening. I just can't! I read it again inside my head, knowing full well this is serious. 'Dear young Mr. Dizznee, I know you know who is writing. You'd better not tell my son about this. Or my niece, for that matter. Or Sophie, or Fitz, or Biana, and especially not that fat old man who calls himself your leader. I require a gadget, that I need you to build. And if you tell anyone about this, my son will face his legacy sooner than ever. I need you to make me two bracelets, one for each wrist, as it seems. They will be designed to let water or air or earth or even fire move freely from them, as if thin gloves that can be managed as such. If you tell anyone, or question this, someone will get hurt. Leave them in the woods in three days, inside the hollow tree near the second clearing. Sincerely, Gisella.'
I drop the paper in disgust, head tumbling tumultuously. I don't know what to do with this, I don't know what to do. I just have to make the gadgets, don't I? I do, don't I… But Forkle is going to find out when he sees how nervous I am, and he'll read my thoughts! Or Sophie and Fitz will! Or even Kara might! This is bad, this is really really bad.
I'll just start. Right now. I'll just make them as fast as I can, and forget about this. Hopefully these won't be used for anything dangerous, and I'll add in an extra powerful protective measure, in case one of the pyrokinetics gets them. If you add water, it'll block all fire. If you add fire, it weakens it. That's the best I can do.
I pull a toolbox out from underneath my desk, and get to work, hoping nobody sees the light from underneath my door. The small gears piece together easily, but this is a weird gadget to request.
It's almost two when I finish the bracelets, and I wrap them in a small piece of extra cloth before I try to figure out a way out of here. If I put them in the hiding space early, I never have to think about them again. So I slip into my exilium uniform and shakily levitate off the balcony, drop to the hard ground, and dart into the trees, placing the wrapped up package in the first hollow tree in the second clearing I find. Now I go back to work on the twiggler. But…
What if Keefe's mom saw me leave? She obviously knows where we are, if that note is taken in any consideration, so maybe she'll come and get it early. I'm already dressed for school, so when Sophie transmits to ask where I am, which I'm sure she will, I'll just tell her that the Neverseen did something, and I can't tell them or someone will get hurt. Then I'll let Mr. Forkle read my thoughts and see my memories. Simple as that.
So I wait, but nobody comes. Eventually, Dex, where are you? echoes around my head.
The Neverseen did something I can't tell you about, or some will be hurt, I think, as hard as I can. Have Mr. Forkle, or you and Fitz, check my memories at some point today.
What's happened?
I can't tell you! Just check my memories.
Doesn't that count as telling?
Not if I pretend to be unwilling.
Just answer me this one question, she transmits, after a short pause. Was it Keefe's mom?
My silence tells her everything she needs to know, and she tells me to go to Exilium, they'll meet me there. They do, and we hold a quick telepathic debate, with Kara slinking away in true Exilium fashion, much to the appreciation of the coaches.
So, we're allowed to check your memories? Fitz confirms, seeming to glare at Kara before turning back towards me. I'll admit, it's ridiculous she won't share what happened, and the fact that she can at all, but it is a privacy thing, and I think we mostly all still at least partially trust her.
I nod, and they reach for my temples, Biana and Keefe standing guard in front of us. At this point, the coaches don't even bother us. I think they're dealing with something else. I focus on my memories from that night, and that morning, and shove my other thoughts away. I've never really done this before, so I'm not sure what the heck I'm even doing, but I think it's working, because Sophie and Fitz concentrate without saying a word.
After a few minutes, Sophie turns to Keefe, then back towards me. Keefe says that isn't his mom's handwriting.
And how would she have even gotten here? Isn't she in an ogre prison? I add.
It doesn't matter, Sophie says quickly.
Okaaay… But what are we going to do? Who would have actually sent the letter?
I think Kara has something to do with it, Fitz announces, glaring at her again. She shoots him the middle finger, and turns away. Was she eavesdropping? Couldn't she not spy on Sophie? Or was she reading my thoughts?
She probably was. And I remember Sophie's still in my head. Yeah, I am still in your head.
It's a little weird, I'll admit that much.
I know. But we need to talk about this later. The coaches are staring.