Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-43589463-20190825003309/@comment-43589463-20191015151400

"I don't know what to think anymore," Fitz said, tearing down a branch from the tree above them.

"Whoa, easy, easy," Dex said, grabbing Fitz's hand. "I understand what we're all feeling better than anyone. I mean, Rex is my brother. I don't want him to die. But I don't want to learn either."

"I meant about Linh," Fitz said, sighing. Sophie was secretly a little pleased that he didn't know what to think about Linh - although she wasn't thrilled about the turning-evil part.

"Maybe she's playing games," Biana suggested hopefully. "Maybe she's just tricking the Neverseen."

"Or us," Fitz grumbled. Sophie sighed - she hated it when Fitz got like this.

"Fitz." Sophie put a calming hand on Fitz's shoulder. "We don't know if Linh is working for the Black Swan or the Neverseen or just herself. But there's a problem that needs solving, and fretting isn't going to get us anywhere."

Fitz smiled. "It's like magic how you calm me down like that." Sophie smiled back, and it would have been really nice if they were alone.

"Awww, that might be the sweetest Fitzphie moment they've ever doen in front of us!" Keefe cooed. He laughed when ne noticed Sophie's and Fitz's red cheeks. "I love it when they blush!"

Fitz shook his head. "No, I don't mean like that," he said, although his sideways glance at Sophie told her otherwise. "I mean, maybe she manifested again ad a Beguiler.

"I mean, knowing Foster, that's totally possible."

"Maybe," Biana said doubtfully. "But then couldn't she just use that on Linh?"

"Maybe Councillor Alina's with the Neverseen and used it on Linh," Dex suggested.

Sophie highly doubted she's manifested again, and she didn't want their plans riding on a far-fetched theory born out of an embarassing moment. "Listen guys, I don't think so."

Keefe sighed. "See, but I do think so."

"It doesn't matter what you think," Sophie retorted.

"Any more than it matters what you think," Keefe returned.

"Hey!" Biana chided. "No fighting. Fitz was trying to get you to lay off the Fitzphie comments."

"Biana's just teasing me," Fitz said quickly.

A slight vibrating, slightly ringy noise began to sound. Dex sighed. "If it's Linh, I swear..."

Sophie and the others crowded around Dex to see what was on Dex's Imparter. But it wasn't Linh.

"What the heck? Who is that?" Dex asked, bewildered. Everybody else was similarly confused - except for Sophie and Fitz.

They'd been inside Prentice's mind.

"But isn't Jolie dead?"