Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-44544645-20191211195811/@comment-44544645-20191224053230

Eleven

“Wait—why me?” Sophie asked.

'''Oralie smiled. “You’re the most powerful Telepath in our world. You’re working with a Cognate, who will give you even more strength. Luzia has already proven resistant to several telapathy tricks, and this should certainly mix things up.”'''

“But…..I’m only fifteen!”

Sophie realized that that probably wouldn’t matter to Oralie; she had let her daughter be experimented on and raised by humans and all sorts of other crazy stuff.

'''“If it’s too overwhelming, we can select another Telepath. It’s a choice, Sophie, not an order. I have no doubt that you can do this, but if you feel like it’s too much, I’ll try to make the Council reconsider.”'''

'''Sophie wasn’t sure how she felt. '''

'Before, praise from Oralie—a Councillor, an ally, a friend—had made her feel warm, happy, powerful, ''like she’d just drank a cup of cimmacreme. But now? '''

She didn’t know whether Oralie was trying to convince her to do it or letting her know it would be okay if she didn’t do it, whether she actually believed in Sophie or whether she was just passing on a message.

'''Whether she was lying or telling the truth. '''

'''“It would be best to get your descision by tomorrow, but take your time. It’s up to you. And Fitz, of course.” '''

Fitz.

The other person who Sophie didn’t feel fully comfortable around.

“I’ll talk to him, and I’ll give you an update tomorrow morning,” she decided.

'''Oralie smiled. “Thank you. Also…...there’s something else I want to tell you.” '''

'''She took a deep breath, as if the words were hard for her to say. “If you want to tell Grady and Edaline that I’m your biological mother...I understand. You shouldn’t have to deal with all this alone. Just please, keep it to them and only them.”'''

'The infintesimal, super-forgiving part of Sophie wanted to say I’m not alone, I’ve got you. The slightly larger, still-furious part of Sophie wanted to say I’m still not over this. You still lied to me, and maybe you should have thought it through before you donated DNA.'

'''The rest of Sophie—the part that trusted Oralie but still hadn’t quite forgiven her—replied, “Thanks. Seriously.” Then, something else that had been bugging her surfaced. “You said that you pushed for Grady and Edaline to adopt me—why?”'''

'''“Edaline and I crossed paths occasionaly at Foxfire. She was a Level Four when I was a Level One. She would stick up for anyone who was being treated unfairly or teased, no matter what. Later on, after Foxfire, I saw that they were great parents to Jolie, and after she died…..it’s hard being an Empath sometimes. I felt like you guys needed each other. Full credit goes to them, of course. They’re much better parents than I ever could be.”'''

'''That definitely explained it. Sophie didn’t want to get into another biological parent rage, so she just nodded and said, “Yeah, they’re great. I’m definitely going to tell them.”'''

“I hope it helps.”

'The minute Oralie flickered away, Sophie laid down on her huge canopy bed and transmitted, Fitz. Fitz. FITZ!'

Fitz’s mental voice filled her mind.

'Sophie! Everything okay? We were just on a group hail!'

Everything’s fine, she transmitted. I have something to tell you.

Go ahead.

The Council wants us to probe Luzia’s mind.

'Wait, why? We’re super powerful. Why not? I’m up for it if you are.'

That reminds me—your biological parents!

'''Why did Fitz have to bring that up? I’m DONE searching, Fitz.'''

'Yeah, but I’m not. So what if I do some searching on my own? I’ll only tell you if I think you can handle it.'

No! Just NO! 

'Okay, calm down. I’m sorry if I upset you…I just thought it would be a good idea. You want to know, don’t you?'

Actually, I’m perfectly fine not knowing.

'Okay,'' Fitz thought. Anyway, I’m good with probing Luzia’s mind, too.'''

Sophie wasn’t sure if he was trying to pacify her or not, but she didn’t really care. Great.

***

'''Grady agreed to the meeting about the dwarves. When that was finished, Sophie was shocked to realize how dark it was outside.'''

How could the day have gone by so quickly?

She gathered up a pile of pillows and blankets and headed down the stairs.

“Sleeping outside again?” Edaline asked when she saw Sophie.

'''Sophie nodded. “It’s easier.”'''

Outside, by Calla’s Panakes, with the healing flowers, where she could almost hear Calla’s songs.

'''Edaline smiled. “Want me to conjure those outside?”'''

'''Sophie nodded, and Edaline snapped her fingers, making the giant mound of pillows and blankets disappear. '''

'''Edaline and Sophie set up a giant pillow-bed in record time, and that was when Sophie decided to let the news slip. She couldn’t deal with the secret any longer. '''

It felt like it was bubbling up, getting to boiling point, like one day it was going to boil over and she’d release it to the world in a tremor of steam and fury.

Only maybe if she told Edaline now, she’d stop the secret from boiling over.

“Oralie is…”

That was as far as she got.

Edaline’s face clouded with concern.

'''“Sophie, what’s going on? Are you okay? Is—”'''

“Mybiologicalmother,” she said in a rush.

'''It was hard to tell what Edaline was feeling at that point. Shock? Anger? Concern? Worry?'''

Edaline took a long, deep, breath, and then let it out.

“Are you okay?”

'''“I think so,” Sophie admitted. “I just….don’t know if I can trust her. I know why she donated DNA now, because Councillor Kenric was part of the Black Swan and they were in this together or something, but I’m still having a hard time comprehending it.”'''

'''“I get that.” Edaline looked dazed. “I’m having a hard time with this, too. Oralie? We were at Foxfire together…..she always seemed so unsuspicious.”'''

“I guess being underestmimated is her specialty,” Sophie muttered.

'''Edaline nodded. “She certainly has helped you out a lot, even against the wishes of the other Councillors. I’ve always wondered why. I guess I know now.”'''

She seemed lost in thought for a moment, as if she was reviewing her memories.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Edaline asked.

“Yeah….will you stay out here tonight?”

“Of course.”

Edaline conjured up more pillows, making a giant bed under the Panakes tree for the two of them.

They talked late into the night, and when Sophie finally fell asleep, she felt….contented.

'''Oralie was still her ally. Maybe a friend. Nothing more. '''

Edaline was her mother, and nothing could change that.