User blog comment:Lemons814/What I think (or hope) Book 9 will be like/@comment-44964436-20200202181606

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Chapter 2

'''   “Ah, Sophie Foster,” Elwin teasingly acknowledged as Sophie stumbled into the Healing Center. “Welcome back. To what do I owe the pleasure?”'''

'''   “Where’s Keefe?” Sophie asked. '''

'''   Elwin’s smile faded from his face. “He’s on the cot over there,” he said as he jerked his chin in the direction of a cot in the far corner. '''

   “Is he-” Sophie started to ask.

'''   “No,” Elwin cleared his throat. “He isn’t awake. Yet,” he quickly added when Sophie started to blink really hard. '''

'''   “Hey, take it easy,” Elwin said as he walked over and placed a hand on Sophie’s shoulder. '''

'''   “But he hasn’t been awake since. . .” Sophie’s voice drifted off. '''

   “He hasn’t been awake for a few days.” Elwin finished for her.

'''   Shrugging Elwin’s hand off, Sophie walked over to Keefe’s cot. '''

'''   Sophie choked back a cough. '''

'''   Keefe was lying in bed, still unconscious. The blankets were tossed off to the side, and Keefe was wearing a tunic covered with gulons. In his arms was Ms. Stinkbottom, with her big shiny eyes staring straight at Sophie.'''

'''   Sophie reached out and placed a hand on his forehead. '''

'''   It was burning hot. '''

'''   “Elwin, I need a cloth. And some ice cold water,” Sophie asked as Elwin quickly set up another cot beside Keefe’s and placed a bucket and a cloth next to her. '''

'''   “Thanks, Elwin,” Sophie said. “I don’t know where I’d be without you.”'''

'''   “Your welcome, Sophie,” Elwin’s eyes got glassy, and he turned away and walked over to his office and shut the door. '''

'''   Dipping the cloth in the cold water, Sophie winced at how cold it was. She pulled it out and neatly folded it in her lap. She then put it on Keefe’s forehead, and it eased the heat immediately. '''

'''   “Keefe?” Sophie asked into the empty room. '''

'''   He didn’t reply. '''

'''   Peeling off her glove, Sophie held his hand, which was burning as well. '''

'''   Keefe, She transmitted, I miss you. Please, come back. Please.'''

'''   She repeated the plea multiple times until she realized she could bring back at least some of his consciousness. '''

'''   Reaching into his mind, Sophie tried to remember the last time that they had been together, for a good reason. The first one that popped up into her mind was when they’d been sitting on the stairs of Havenfield, and she’d told him that he mattered. '''

'''   Focusing on the memory, she inflicted happiness on him. '''

   She remembered all the good times that they had.

'''   She remembered all the times when they had been together. '''

'''   And she repeated, Keefe, come back one last time. '''

'''   “Sophie?” A crisply accented voice asked from behind her. '''

'''   “Fitz?” Sophie turned around to find Fitz, Biana, and Dex looking at her. '''

'''   “Hi Sophie,” Dex and Biana said at the same time. '''

'''   “What are you doing here?” Fitz asked. “And don’t say nothing, because we both know that isn’t the reason.”'''

'''   Fitz’s teal eyes sparkled, and Sophie’s heart did a few flips. '''

'''   “I was. . . umm. . . checking in on Keefe.” She replied. '''

'''   “Same here!” Dex said. '''

'''   “How’s he doing?” Biana asked, pushing past Fitz and looking down at Keefe. '''

'''   “Go ahead and see for yourself,” Sophie stood up and let the others look at him. '''

'''   Even from a distance, she could see them shuddering. '''

'''   “Now what? More visitors?” Elwin joked as he walked back into the main room. In his hand was a couple of vials on a tray. '''

'''   “Hi Elwin.” They all said in unison. '''

'''   Elwin chuckled as he walked over to Keefe’s cot. '''

'''   Then he frowned. '''

'''   He put down the tray and started flashing orbs of light all over Keefe’s chest. '''

   “Is something wrong?” Sophie and Fitz asked.

'''   “No, actually.” Elwin said, finally stopping the orb flashing. “He’s doing so much better than he was yesterday. A really big improvement.” '''

'''   “I. . . well. . . inflicted happiness on him.” Sophie confessed. '''

'''   “Sophie, now, we don’t know how this inflicting works. This time, it did well. But next time, make sure you ask before you do something.” Elwin warned as he poured some of the vials’ contents into Keefe’s mouth. '''

'''   “Ok,” Sophie relaculantly said. '''

'''   “Wait a second,” Biana said, touching Keefe’s hand. '''

'''   “What?” Dex asked. '''

'''   “His pulse is quickening,” Biana replied. '''

'''   Elwin grabbed Keefe’s hand and nodded. “She’s right.”'''

'''   “Does that mean he’ll get up?” Sophie asked. '''

'''   “It’s a maybe,” Elwin started flashing orbs again. After a few minutes, he looked at them again, “Actually, now it’s a might.”'''

'''   “What’s the difference?” Biana asked. '''

'''   “Might is a little more yes than maybe,” Elwin continued to flash orbs. '''

'''   Suddenly, Keefe screamed. '''

'''   “Keefe!” Sophie screamed and she transmitted happy memories. '''

'''   He fell back into bed with wild, bloodshot eyes. '''

'''   “Sophie?” he groaned. '''

'''   “He finally woke up!” Elwin exclaimed. '''

   “Keefe!” Fitz ran over about to tackle Keefe with a hug before Elwin stopped him.

'''   “Not yet. He still needs treatment,” Elwin said and started to pour more vials into his mouth. '''

'''   Keefe was looking at everyone, and he finally looked up at the ceiling. '''

'''   “Ms. Stinkbottom missed you!” Biana held up the fuzzy green gulon and smiled. '''

   Keefe smiled as he reached out to grab the gulon.

'''   “Keefe, now do exactly as I say. Can you hear me?” Elwin asked. '''

'''   Keefe nodded, then winced. '''

   “He’s going to be okay, right?” Sophie asked.

   “He’ll survive,” Elwin nodded as he flashed some more orbs.

'''   “What are you guys doing here?” Keefe managed to say. “Probably meeting your most favorite person in the world, right Foster?” He smirked, and Sophie tried her hardest to not push him off the bed.'''

'''   “You need bed rest. Lots of it,” Elwin said as he stopped flashing orbs. '''

'''   “Come on, I’m perfectly fine, see?” Keefe tried to sit up, but he slumped back onto the cot after several tries. '''

'''   “You’re staying here,” Elwin finalized. “And that’s that.”'''

'''   “What’s his new ability?” Dex asked. '''

   “That is something that we still have to find out,” Elwin said at the same time Keefe replied, “I think it’s something that’ll help me get a secret or two out of Forkle.”

'''   “You’re a telepath?” Fitz and Sophie asked him. '''

'''   “Nah, that’s Foster’s thing. Here, I’ll show you.” Keefe said. Elwin propped him up with a couple of pillows so that he was sitting upright. '''

'''   “That’s the best tunic that I’ve ever seen,” Dex said. '''

'''   Biana, Fitz and Sophie giggled. '''

'''   Keefe looked down at what he was wearing. '''

'''   “To acknowledge the presence of Ms. Stinkbottom,” Elwin said as he finished off the pillows. “Now, I’m going to go into the office to talk to Lord Cassius about medication. Make-”'''

'''   “Lord Cassius is here?” Sophie asked. '''

'''   “Yes, of course he is.” Elwin said. “Like I was saying, make sure you don’t do anything that’ll hurt too much.”'''

'''   Elwin walked to his office, and Sophie caught a glance of a dark, green cape. '''

'''   “So. . . what’s your power?” Dex asked.'''

'''   “I don’t know what it’s called.” Keefe wringed his hands. '''

'''   “Could you demonstrate it?” Biana asked. '''

'''   “Yeah, I guess. It might not work, though,” Keefe added when an eager look came into everyone’s eyes. '''

'''   Keefe squinted his eyes at the office’s door. Suddenly, Lord Cassius came out. But he didn’t look like himself anymore. He looked like a kid. '''

'''   Like Keefe. '''

'''   Then, Elwin stumbled out. He also looked like a little kid. '''

'''   When both of them saw each other, they started laughing. Then, they started to play tag in clothes that were way too big for them. '''

'''   When Keefe stopped squinting his eyes, they turned back into their original size and age. '''

'''   “What was that?” Elwin asked as he reset his glasses that were dangling from one ear. '''

'''   “A power demonstration.” Dex replied. '''

   “So,” Biana started, “You could reverse age?”

'''   “Not really,” Keefe started. “I could reverse time on specific things. But I also have another ability.”'''

'''   “Two?” Sophie asked. '''

'''   “Yeah. I’m almost as powerful as you, don’t worry, Foster.” Keefe winked as he sat up a little straighter in the cot. '''

'''   “What’s the second one?” Fitz asked. '''

'''   “I’m a mesmer.” Keefe replied. '''

'''   “A mesmer.” Dex repeated. '''

'''   “Like Grady.” Sophie added. '''

'''   “Yeah.” Keefe replied. '''

'''   “Wow,” Dex whispered. '''

'''   “You better get going,” Elwin said after a while. “It’s getting late.”'''

'''   “But we just came here!” Sophie said. '''

'''   “Keefe needs rest.” Elwin replied. '''

'''   After a little bit of arguing, Sophie, Fitz, Biana, and Dex left to Everglen. '''

'''   There, they told Alden and Della that Keefe was awake. '''

   After a few minutes, Grady, Edaline, Marella, Maruca, Linh, Wylie, Tam, Glimmer, and Maruca were gathered outside under Calla’s tree along with Fitz, Biana and Dex.

'''   “Keefe’s awake?” Linh asked. She and Wylie were pretty far away from Tam and Glimmer. Linh glared at Glimmer. Tam and Glimmer were talking as if they were friends. Good friends. Biana joined Linh at glaring at Glimmer. '''

'''   “Yeah,” Sophie replied. '''

'''   “Why’d you call us here?” Marella asked. '''

'''   “You don’t do that very often.” Tam added. '''

   “Yeah,” Dex looked down.

'''   “I just wanted to tell you something.” Sophie said. '''

'''   “What?” Fitz and Biana asked. '''

'''   “You three already know,” Sophie reminded. '''

   “Oh, yeah.” Dex looked up and smiled.

'''   “Keefe has two new abilities.” Sophie announced. '''

'''   “What are they?” Maruca asked. '''

'''   “He’s a. . . a. . . time reverser? I don’t know what it’s called.” Sophie said. '''

'''   “What else?” Grady asked, stuffing a ripplepuff into his mouth. '''

'''   “He’s. . . a mesmer.” Sophie finished. '''

'''   Everyone stopped and stared. '''

'''   Grady muttered something that sounded like it started with “That Boy. . .”'''

'''   “I’m going to the Shores of Solace to check for something,” Sophie suddenly announced. '''

'''   “But it’s already late,” Edaline gestured to the sun that was sinking in the ocean. '''

'''   “I’m going.” Sophie repeated. “And that’s final.”'''

'''   “I’m coming,” Fitz added. '''

'''   “And me.” Sandor said from his post behind the tree. '''

'''   “And us,” Grizel and Flori added. '''

   “Okay, let’s go!” Sophie called as they all held hands and jumped off the cliff.