Sophie's POV:

I held the Leaping Crystal Athena had given me to the light, ready to go back home to the Lost Cities.

A few seconds before the light swept me away, I waved at Annabeth and Athena. Even if I had hugged Annabeth about a million times, and that I knew I would see her again in a few days, I couldn't help but feel like I was leaving her forever again.

"I'll reach you telepathically!" I said, before I stepped into the beam of light and glittering away to my home.

The last thing I saw was Annabeth nodding her head with a smile on her face.

I closed my eyes happily. I had seen Annabeth again.

I felt my feet hit the hard ground. I opened my eyes to see the familiar Healing Centre I had been to so many times.

"Sophie?" a familiar voice croaked from the other side of the room.

Keefe was standing next to one of the numerous white beds of Foxfire's infirmary.

"Keefe?" I asked, worried at his surprised tone. "What's going on?"

I hadn't been gone for long, or at least I thought I hadn't.

Suddenly, a grin illuminated Keefe's gorgeous face. He ran up to me and held me up in his arms.

I bent my face down with a smile and pressed my lips against his. The kiss lasted a few moments too long.

"Well, as much as I like Sokeefe moments, I'm going to have to say it; just get a room." someone said after lots of coughing were heard.

Keefe and I broke apart, blushing a deep red.

I brushed my blond hair in front of my face, trying to hide my crimson cheeks.

Someone forcibly cleared their throat.

"I'm sorry I have to ask this, but... Where were you, Sophie? Keefe told us you disappeared because of a Leaping Crystal that glowed ten times more than usual." Biana said, walking over and placing her hands on my shoulders.

I stared at her in utter confusion.

"I did?" I asked.

A Leaping Crystal had taken me to Olympus?

Suddenly, I remembered Athena's order.

'You and the friends of your choosing will be attending 'Littlerock Secondary School', to try to seek what is wrong in the area.'

How could I have been stupid enough to forget that? I guess seeing Keefe sad made me forget it.

Biana seemed hesitant for a moment before speaking up.

"Uh, Sophie, you look like you're going to go unconscious any second now, are you sure you're okay?" she asked, worry filling her voice.

She tightened her grip on my shoulders, which shook me awake.

"Ow, Biana, what was that for?" I exclaimed.

Biana just smugly smirked at me.

"Now you're awake." she said, before skipping off next to Tam, who's cheeks heated up, almost as much as mine.

I decided to ignore it and I cleared my throat.

"Guys, we have to call a meeting with the Council and with the Collective, it's the reason I disappeared." I said, dead serious.

Fitz's POV:

My confusion was like a cloud in my mind as Sophie explained what happened to her during her absence.

The gang and I had left in a hurry to Eternelia after hailing the Black Swan and the Council.

Sophie had apparently met her childhood friend -Annabelle or something like that-, and had met a goddess, what in the world was that?

All that I could harness was that Mr. Forkle didn't want us to go to the Forbidden Cities, saying he hadn't gotten any signals from the Black Swan's cameras all around the world that there was a disturbance, and definitely not in San Diego, that it was the 'demi-gods' -whatever that was-, problem, and that right now, Sophie and him were arguing.

"Why wouldn't you let me spend some time with my best. Friend? Whom I haven't seen since I was seven! Plus, it's no problem for my friends and I to explore the Lost Cities a little." Sophie was now yelling, she seemed as angry as ever, almost as much as the day we broke-

I couldn't even think about it. It had been the worst day of my life, but now I didn't stand a chance. Sophie was having the time of her life in her relationship with Keefe, and she seemed so much happier. And all I wanted was for her to be happy. But it was still hard, seeing as she was so...

Perfect.

Of course, I had the Chandelier who comforted and understood me like no one, but it wasn't exactly a living being who could hug me and comfort me with actual words.

"Fitz, are you alright?" Biana whispered next to me.

My gaze shifted to her teal eyes similar to my own.

It had been a while since she had spoken a proper word to me. She was still mad at me for killing Alvar.

I still didn't know what happened to me that day, everything had passed in a blur; Alvar in front of me, my knife in my hand, the knife going straight to Alvar's chest.

I have no idea why I didn't feel any guilt. Maybe it was because I didn't calculate anything of that moment.

But I wish I could make it up to my sister. After all, she had supported me my whole life.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." I answered a few seconds later Biana spoke.

She rolled her eyes at me.

Oh.

I messed it up again.

I ran a nervous hand in my hair and looked back to the argument between Sophie and Mr. Forkle, an excuse to not look at Biana.

"-Ms. Foster, the Forbidden Cities are - well, forbidden, and the war with the Neverseen has just finished, do you really want to spend another few years fighting a new enemy? And we're not even sure there's a new enemy!" the wrinkled man exclaimed. "We're safe here, and that doesn't have to change!"

Sophie scowled at Mr. Forkle.

"Don't you care about the lives that will be lost if there is a monster? And can't you just let me reunite with my best friend?" she asked, her eyes filled with tears.

I could tell this friend meant a lot to her. Just like she meant a lot to me.

"I thought I was your best friend." Dex muttered mournfully under his breath.

I looked around the room.

If someone had heard him, they pretended not to notice.

A tear slipped on Sophie's cheek.

"Please Mr. Forkle, I need to spend time with her, I hated the fact she left," Sophie begged, her voice barely above a hoarse whisper.

Emery coughed to get the attention of everyone.

"As for the forbidden part, the Council authorizes Ms. Foster to stay as long as she likes in the Forbidden Cities." he said, with the other Councilors nodding in agreement.

Sophie smiled at them.

"Sophie, this is not my choice to make, if you want to go to the Forbidden Cities and reunite with your friend, it's your choice, though I highly recommend you not to." Mr. Forkle sighed at Sophie

Sophie's eyes sparkled.

"I'll be careful Mr. Forkle, thank you!" she said, before looking at us and smiling. "Guys, we're leaving in six days!"

Mr. Forkle grumbled something under under his breath , but we all ignored it.

All of my friends cheered happily, but I knew that behind those signs of happiness, there was fear.

Fear that the war with the Neverseen would start all over again.

• • • • • • • •

A/N:

And that's another chapter finished, hope you liked it!

Bye! ? ﾟﾏﾻ

~Ellie

Wordcount: 1347