CASTAWAY 'ˎ˗ kotlc

~FOUR~

Sophie looked into the cruel eyes of her enemies. Fintan stooped down to her level, and she could feel his putrid breath on her face.

"Well, well little Moonlark." crooned Fintan. "Looks like we've caught her and her little friends in a trap!" his voice went down a bit as he whispered, his breath tickling her ear. He gently pushed back her hair to whisper. "Don't worry little bird. We'll let your friends go. We want you."

A/N: Hahaha! This would be the perfect place to end a chapter, but... I'm not as cruel as Adira. I'll humor you. Let the story continue!

Sophie recoiled, "What do you want!?!" she screamed and raised her hands to begin to inflict.

"Uh uh uh!" Fintan singsonged, shaking his finger like Sophie was a naughty child who ate the cookies.

"I don't think you'll want to do that. Unless you want a repeat accident with the shadow flux?" Sophie glared and gritted her teeth.

"I don't care what you do to me. I will never give in to you!"

Fintan cocked his head. "Really? Because it would be a shame if your friends had to watch it happen! After all, their little minds might break from guilt."

Sophie scoffed, "They won't break. None of this would be their fault!"

Fintan laughed, "Oh! But if this one," he tapped Keefe on the head, "Had walked a little slower, then he might have entered behind you and would have been able to save you. And this one," this time he pointed to Biana, "If she had vanished when she saw us, she might've been able to save all of you." He went down the line pointing at each of my friends and Sophie watched their faces fall. She tuned in to hear their thoughts.

He's right, I could have stopped this.

If only I'd used my ability...

If they hurt her it's all my fault.

The most heartbreaking of all was a thought from Keefe's mind.

Why do I keep letting Foster down? I don't deserve her trust.

She sent them a message telepathically.

Don't worry, it wouldn't be your fault.

But they didn't believe her. She could tell. She couldn't let their minds break. She had duty, as the moonlark, yes, but she also had a duty as a best friend.

"Wait!" a smile curled at the edge of Fintan's lips.

"Yes?" he answered

Sophie swallowed.

"I'll go with you. Of my own will. But you have to release them. And I won't come with you until I KNOW they are safe, with unbroken minds, back at Havenfield."

Fintan raised his eyebrows, "Bold demands from a prisoner. Fine. I'll humor you." He raised a hand. "Ruy, release them." Ruy lowered the force field. Her friends didn't move.

"We aren't leaving here without you Sophie." Fitz said. Her friends nodded their heads.

Fintan smiled and rubbed his hands together, "I thought you might say that. Ruy!" he called, "Can you get Magnific in here?" Ruy nodded. Ruy turned to the stone walls of the cave and sharply knocked 3 times.

A woman's voice called, "Oops! That's my cue!" And a black cloaked, hooded woman emerged from a hidden door in the wall.

Fintan turned and smiled at Fitz, Biana, Keefe, and Dex. "Meet our newest recruit. Meet Magnific. She has two powers. You only need to know about one of them. She's a mesmer." Magnific gave a cheery little wave.

"Fintan, what do you need done?"

Fintan gestured to Sophie's friends. "Convince them to go back up to the surface and leave the moonlark."

Magnific sharply nodded in reply. "Ok... ummm... like this?" she asked as she stretched her hand out, palm down, fingers splayed towards Sophie's friends.

"Perfect." Fintan answered, "Now get on with it."

Magnific began to mutter under her breath until finally she screamed, "LEAVE THIS PLACE!!!" Sophie watched, shocked, as her friends trudged out the door, a blank mindless look in their eyes.

Sophie turned to her captors, "I'm not coming with you until I'm sure you didn't hurt them. Do you have a spyball or something I can use?"

Fintan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle. "I have no intention of getting you a spyball nor confirming your friends are ok."

Sophie backed away, shaking her head furiously, "But I'm not coming with you otherwise." Suddenly, she felt strong meaty hands grab her by the arms.

Fintan chuckled as he stepped towards her, "I don't need you to come with me of freewill." He carefully forced her mouth open with his black gloves ignoring her struggles.

"This is a kidnapping."

He then poured the sedative down her throat. And a sinister laugh was the only things she remembered before everything went black.