Because There Is a Future

Chapter Seven

"Mama? What are you doing?" Charlotte said, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Shh, baby, it's alright. We're moving, that's all." Sophie cringed at the lie. It was not all. Charlotte was human. There was no way she would fit in at the Lost Cities. But Sophie was determined to make it work. After all, the only other option was letting her stay in an orphanage (Fin's place was not an option. Don't ask why.) and Sophie had developed a special bond with her.

"Charlotte, you know about the elves right?" Of course she did. The people who worked at her daycare blacked out for a minute, waking up screaming about elves, right after the toddlers had the same vision. Not to mention Sophie had told her everything about them when she manifested her new Conjuring ability.

"Yesh." Charlotte's eyes cleared, replaced with a new happy gleam. "Why, are we moving there?"

"...Yes." Sophie said. She picked Charlotte up, after sending all her belongings into the void. She got her letters ready (one for her boss, one for each of her colleagues, one for Amy, and Fin) which explained why she had to go. Well, they were all lies except for Amy's. She hated lying to people but sometimes, there wasn't a choice.

"Are we gonna do the twinkly light leapy thing?" Charlotte squealed.

"Yes, but let me put on a nexus first. Give me your hand, Char." Sophie took out her old nexus and clasped it onto Charlotte's. She was positively beaming now.

"Will I be able to shee Keefe? Will I? How about Biana? Can I kick Fitz until he bleedsh? And Tam! Can I talk to him and Linh?"

Sophie rolled her eyes, wondering why Charlotte wanted to kick Fitz.

"Let's go, it's still 6 in the morning, you should still be asleep." Sophie said, and dug out her home crystal. When she came to the Forbidden Cities, she debated on throwing it away, but decided against it.

It lit up to life.

This was it.

One step, and she would be home. But also a place where she had done a terrible thing.

Something that should never be forgiven. She didn't even know if they would accept her.

"Mama?" Charlotte asked, ruffling Sophie's hair. "C'mon! Lesh go! Lesh go!"

Her legs were all wobbly. But her heart and mind were for once syncing and moving as one.

And it pointed only to one direction.

.....................................................................................................

The sun blazed onto Sophie. God, she had forgotten how sunny it was in the Lost Cities.

Havenfield was as gorgeous as ever, and Charlotte gaped at it. Sophie laughed at her reaction. But Grady was no where to be seen. Neither was Edaline.

She walked over to the house (with an insane Charlotte screeching her head off) and knocked.

No answer.

Now quite alarmed, she pushed the door open (it was unlocked) and ran inside.

The room was messy. But not with garbage. It was with clothes. As if Biana had had a whole fashion show here.

"Meshy." Charlotte crinkled her little nose as if she was smelling something odd.

Sophie kept moving forward. She kicked something accidentally, and reached down to pick it up. It was a phoenix-like-bird with it's wings spread out.

Mr. and Mrs. Endal. It said. Slightly above, in tinier fonts, Linh and Wylie was carved out in cursive.

Sophie let out a tiny shriek. They were getting married!