Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-2601:647:4000:5CE0:B4BD:4BD8:218D:2B1A-20191021195908/@comment-2601:647:4000:5CE0:9434:3616:4079:F2D2-20191021223706

Chapter 3

Sophie's head spun as she grabbed the memory log, projecting an image of Sophie's human mother right next to the stunning sketch Keefe had drawn. Keefe's drawing was a little younger, but there was no mistaking the resemblance, the curly hair, the curve of the eyes, the cheekbones, and everything else. Keefe had shaded in the eyes, and the light that caught them was almost identical to the way Sophie remembered her mother. But that was impossible.

Why her parents? Why did they have to be involved again?

Why did Amy have to be involved again?

Sophie's stomach heaved as she thought about her parents, when she had found them broken and bruised and bloodied at Nightfall. And Amy, her green eyes darting from side to side, her thin arms wrapping around herself.

Saying- ''Sophie- please! Stop!''

Sophie shivered as her friends drew close. "They were trying to recruit my mother, then," she said numbly. "Why? I knew there was another reason Mr. Forkle chose them for my family." And after she said it, she felt so. Much. Worse. Keefe took back the memory log and drew the scene when Lady Gisela was giving Keefe the envelope. And right there, Sophie realized that inside the envelope, a sliver of something round and smooth stuck out.

A starstone.

"We need to find it," Sophie said, snatching the log away and circling the sliver of the leaping stone. "I bet Ro would be happy to trash Candleshade to look for it," Keefe offered. Sophie shook her head. "I think we need to hail Lady Gisela," she said.

Of course, there was the heated argument of who was going to Havenfield.

They ended up with Keefe and Sophie- and Fitz did not look happy about it. His glare was focused on Keefe's hand, which was entwined with Sophie's as Sophie held up her home crystal to the golden rays of sun. "We'll be back soon," Sophie promised as they glittered away. She felt the feathery warmth rush through her and they reformed on the path to Havenfield, where Grady was working with Verdi. He was knee-deep in T-rex food that look like it had been chewn on, and then spit out several times. "Come on, girl!" Grady yelled, flinging a handful of what looked like enormous pellets. They flew into Verdi's mouth. Verdi crunched on them before spitting them out, and Grady just barely avoided the spit. He swivled around, and his eyes narrowed when he saw Keefe.

"Home so soon, kiddo?" Grady asked, wrestling with the rope around Verdi's neck. "Long story," Sophie replied, dragging Keefe into Havenfield, and shouting to Edaline that she came back to Havenfield for a quick thing. And she definetly didn't notice the sappy smile Edaline gave when she noticed Sophie and Keefe together. "SANDOR!" Sophie yelled, storming up to her enormous bedroom. Sandor unfroze from his post at the door opened the door for Sophie to go into. He was accompained by Tarina and Bo, and Sophie was sure Flori was somewhere close by. "The imparter," Sophie said, holding out her hand. Sandor reluctnatly gave up the silver gadget. "Does that mean I get to stab Lord Hunkyhair?" Ro said, trailing in. "What are you doing here?" Keefe asked. "I had some stuff to discuss," Ro replied, "So I followed you here. You are so gullible." Keefe scowled but allowed Ro to jab his hand with a small dagger. Gritting his teeth, Keefe swiped his palm on the imparter.

"Hello?" a crackly, garbled voice asked from the still blank imparter. "Keefe? Sophie?"

"You," Sophie nearly spat. "Since when are you on good terms with the Neverseen?"

"Relax," Lady Gisela said. "Your boy is perfectly safe with us."

"MONSTER!" Keefe snapped. "You're lucky Silveny and Greyfall are getting better."

"Perhaps," Lady Gisela said in tone that hinted she agreed completely with Keefe, and was proud of it- the monster part, at least. "Let me guess- you're here to make another trade."

"What else?" Sophie snapped. "Tell me where the starstone you tried to give your human recruit is."

"Why, you know about that?" Lady Gisela said in a mocking tone. "I'm shocked. Not really. And what if I want something in return?"

"You have Tam!" Sophie said impatiently. "Yes, and you have another antitode to soporidine. That doesn't make us even." Lady Gisela retorted.

"You have all the secrets the Black Swan told Tam!" Sophie practically yelled. Tarina, Sandor, and Bo winced at her tone. "Give it up, mom," Keefe added. "We'll find it eventually."

Lady Gisela sighed. "I'll give you a hint," she said. "You just need to know that it's where the shore is grey."

The imparter clicked off.

Keefe screamed with impatience and took the imparter, flinging it across the room. Ro caught it just in time and handed it to Sandor. "Easy, Lord Hunkyhair," she said, patting Keefe on the back. "You might want to tell your fancy friends."

Sophie nodded. "We should go back to Everglen,"

But thoughts still raced in her head as they trudged up to the Leapmaster.

Shore is grey, shore is grey, shore is grey.

And it finally clicked when Sophie told her friends the clue for the twentieth time, in Everglen's fancy dining room.

"I know where the clue is!" she said, stumbling to the Leapmaster.

"SHORES OF SOLACE!" Sophie called down. And she held the crystal up to the light.

"I'm coming," Keefe grabbed Sophie's hand. "So am I," Fitz said. "And me," Biana added. "I think the rest of us should stay," Marella offered, lifting a weight off Sophie's back.

The four friends glittered away.