after unlocked: a sokeefe fanfic

Chapter 40-Keefe

Sophie's face came into focus.

"Oh thank God," she murmured, slumping against the rocks next to them.

Keefe groaned as he sat up. "What happened?"

"You faded," Sophie said.

"I faded?" He asked incredulously. "How?"

"I don't know," Sophie held up a small bottle, that was now empty, one of the bottles previously slung around her neck. "Your concentration must have been split when you grabbed onto me."

"Good thing I did," Keefe muttered, pulling himself up. He gazed around. "Where are we?"

"Arcadia, I assume." Sophie wiped her forehead. "It's too hot here."

As she said those words, he became aware of the stifling heat and humidity. The sun blazed down on them, glinting off the treetops, and heating the rust colored rocks they sat on. Sweat trickled down his spine and he tugged at his collar, which already felt like it was choking him.

In moments, he had discarded his cloak, untucked his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves. Keefe dumped his outer vest on top of his cloak. "Should we get going?"

"Where?" Sophie asked. "We don't know where we are." Though, she stood up, glaring with a squint at the sky.

"I do," he said grimly.

That caught her attention.

Frowning thoughtfully, Sophie turned her gaze to him.

"You're remembering?"

"I remember right here," he motioned to the path the stood in.

Rust colored roads, gravelly and dusty, not helping with the already muggy air.

The sides of the path was framed by trees, talk oaks on either side of them, casting shadows below them, along with a steep descent behind them.

But what really caught on his memory was the tunnel ahead.

"That's how we get wherever we're going." He said and pointed to the darkness.

Sophie stared ahead.

And sighed.

"Well, let's get walking."

As soon as they stepped into the shadows, frigid air hit his face.

"Oh that's amazing," Sophie groaned, stopping for a moment.

"Yeah," Keefe agreed.

Minutes into the tunnel, and the cold had crept past his now thin layers.

Sophie shivered. "Okay, I take it back. This sucks worse than the heat."

"I think we're almost out," Keefe said, still walking.

But several minutes later, he stopped. "How is this so long?"

He squinted at Sophie in the barely lit darkness, who was silent.

Keefe cursed under his breath when he saw her trembling body, her lips blue from the cold, and her eyes unfocused. Stepping closer, he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her gently, but steadily, attempting to get her blood moving.

"You okay?" He asked.

His own teeth chattered.

"I-I'm good." She managed.

He cursed again, regretting leaving their cloaks in a pile behind them.

"Clearly, you're not," he told her, "I didn't think it would be this long. Or cold," he added, resuming the rubbing.