after unlocked: a sokeefe fanfic

Chapter 39-Keefe

"Tinker can't translate the runes." Dex plopped down at the table at Idylwood, ignoring their surprised expressions.

"How did you get here?" Sophie asked.

"Borrowed the crystal from Biana," Dex shrugged. He grabbed a slice of Mallowmelt, which didn't seem healthy for breakfast, but then again, who was Keefe to talk? He was literally eating Mallowmelt himself.

And it wasn't like that would be the way his life would end.

Depressing as it was, he had a much higher chance of dying from more gruesome means then overconsumption of a sugary treat.

"At this point, I'm surprised the Neverseen hasn't figured us out and stolen that crystal, Sophie muttered. "So, why can't she?"

Dex shrugged. "Who knows, honestly? It's Tinker we're talking about. All she said was, and I quote, 'An artist drew this?' And I said, 'I don't know, I thought you would know?' Then I realized she was saying a statement, even though it wasn't a statement, and she went, 'Is it true that sometimes only the artist can read what is truly said?' And then I left." Dex finished his ramble, taking a deep breath.

Sophie squinted at him. "Huh?"

"I dunno. I thought you'd know." He plopped the book onto the table. "You guys can try to figure this out. Solve Tinker's riddles. I need sleep."

"We have school in like an hour."

"Then I'll sleep for an hour." He waved on his way out, "See you guys at school."

"Yep." Sophie stabbed her fork into her food. "Oh!" She stood up, following Dex and speaking quickly to him, probably about Cadence.

Keefe slid the book over, struck again by how familiar it seemed.

He flipped the pages over, chewing on his lip as he stared at the first page. He shook his head and scoffed, nearly putting it down.

But then he saw it.

A tiny scrap of paper.

Peeking out from the corner of one of the pages.

Keefe thumbed his way to that page, ignoring the runes for a moment as he focused on the paper.

Initials.

K. C. S.

Then, smaller, a name.

Sencen.

And suddenly, he knew.

He had written in that book.

His fingers trembled as he slid the paper aside.

Eyes narrowing on the runes.

Translating them.

His mind slid into that mode, seeming familiar, yet so foreign.

Arcadia.

"He won't feel a thing,"

All previous tests unsuccessful.

"—numbing applied."

Experiment subject 49.

"No accidents."

Formulated and tested.

"—don't let him manif—"

Patient experienced intense pain.

The screaming.

Lashed out.

"Knock him out!"