Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-44544645-20191211195811/@comment-44544645-20191229013727

Hi! Sorry that I'm a little late with this chapter. I'm feeling a little iffy about it, but hopefully you guys like it!

Fifteen

'''“Clearly, we all need snacks.” Ro smiled. “This is going to be gooooood.”'''

'''Keefe ignored her. “Foster? You okay?”'''

'''Sophie nodded, fighting the strange feeling in her chest. “I’m fine.”'''

'''“Are you feeling weird here?” Keefe asked, tapping his heart. “I am, too. I think my dad actually had a point with his stupid book.”'''

Lord Cassius had published a book on his theory that the heart and the head held different emotions.

Could it be that she had only liked Fitz in her head, but Keefe in her heart?

Maybe.

“So…..what do we do now?” she asked.

It came out in a whisper.

'''Keefe smiled. “Up to you.”'''

'''“Why don’t we just blurt out what we’re thinking?” Sophie suggested. “Three, two, one—”'''

Keefe said “I’m not sure we should be dating right now” at the same time Sophie said “I love you but I don’t need more stuff going on.”

'''They looked at each other, and smiled. '''

It felt good.

Right.

No stressing or worrying or arguing.

None of them had even mentioned that she was ‘unmatchable’—and Sophie knew Keefe didn’t care about that at all, either.

'''“It feels good having this out in the open,” Keefe continued, grinning so widely it looked like his face was going to explode. “After this whole mess is over—and the Councillors build a few statues in our honor because come on, we deserve it after what we’ve been through—I’m ready if you are.”'''

'''Sophie smiled. “I’m ready, too.”'''

'''Keefe turned back to Ro. “Thank you for punishing me!”'''

'''Ro growled. “That was not how I expected this to go.”'''

'''Keefe smirked. “Hey, Foster, want to hear some of The Ballad of Bo and Ro?”'''

'''Sophie knew this would not earn her any points with her ogre bodyguard—but she also couldn’t wait to hear the epic poem Keefe had been composing. “Sure.”'''

'''Both Bo and Ro snarled. '''

'''King Ditmar, Ro’s father and the ruler of the ogres, had arranged a betrothal between the two of them. Once the ruler of the ogres died or surrendered, any ogre who wanted the seat of power had to compete in a battle to the death to earn it. King Ditmar didn’t want his top warriors killing each other, so he had made them marry, in the hopes that one of them would fight and win, and the two of them could rule together.'''

'''Currently, they seemed like an ultimate deathmatch would suit them just fine—or, at the very least, a divorce. '''

'''Keefe pulled out a sheet of paper. “The day they first touched lips, oh what a gorgeous kiss. Now when they’re separate, the other they will forever miss!”'''

'''He continued. “Snuggling and snogging all over, and not fighting for the crown, Bo and Ro are the two cutest warriors ever in sparkle town!”'''

'''Ro glared at him, looking like she would like nothing more than to hold a dagger to his throat. Bo’s stare was equally vicious. '''

'''Sophie couldn’t hold it in anymore. She collapsed on Keefe’s bed, lauging until her stomach started to hurt.'''

'''Keefe smiled. “Knew that would help.”'''

'''Sophie stood up with a jolt. “I have to go!” “Foster, what’s wrong?”'''

“I promised Team Valliant that I’d meet them an hour after school today.”

'''Keefe nodded. “See you tomorrow?”'''

'''Sophie held her home crystal up to the light, and her bodyguards clustered around her. She wrapped her concentration around the group as she told him, “Of course.”'''

***

'''Sophie made it home in time—none of her friends were there yet. She quickly changed out of her Foxfire uniform and into normal clothing.'''

Both Edaline and Grady were waiting for her under the Panakes tree.

“How’d it go?” Edaline asked, shooting her a sappy smile that was every teenager’s nightmare.

'''“Fine,” Sophie said. “Keefe sang more of The Ballad of Bo and Ro. I’m pretty sure both of them are plotting to murder him in his sleep now.”'''

'''She wasn’t ready to share the other stuff that had happened. Not yet. Not now.'''

'''Grady narrowed his eyes like he suspected there was another thing going on. '''

“Hey, Sophie!” She turned around to see Biana rushing up to her.

Perfect timing.

'''“Hi!” Sophie called, rushing to greet her friend. '''

'''Biana held up a box. “I made ripplefluffs.”'''

'''“Wow, thanks! What flavor?”'''

'''Dex, Stina, and Wylie showed up a few minutes later. Once they were all munching on Biana’s chocolate-raspberry ripplefluffs, which were amazing, Grady said, “Let’s run some numbers. We know that thirty dwarves went over to the Neverseen. How  many dwarves did they have at your attacks?”'''

'''“About a dozen on Mount Everest,” Sophie said. “And…”'''

'''She didn’t want to recall the events in Loanmore, but she needed to. Ro, Sandor, Bo, Flori, Maruca, Marella, Keefe, Linh, Wylie, herself, and three Councillors had each been held captive by a dwarf— “Thirteen in our part of Loanmore. Actually, probably more fifteen, like given that there were some chasing me when I was getting Keefe to the Healing Center.”'''

'''Biana nodded. “There were seven in the marketplace.”'''

'''“So that makes twenty-two dwarves at most, and Lady Gisela surely pulled out all the stops for this,” Grady summarized. “What about the other eight?”'''

Oh, no.

NO.

'''It was Wylie who said it first. “You think the Neverseen were experimenting on them, like what they did to Keefe?” He carefully avoided saying ‘stellarlune.’'''

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking,” Grady nodded.