what happened after unlocked

chapter nineteen ~ keefe's pov

Once Keefe arrived at Havenfield the following day, intending to apologize to Sophie and admit what he'd done and hope she'd forgive him, he saw someone else with her.

She and Biana were engaging in hushed conversation beside the main house. Keefe crept closer. He could see Biana's expression changing to fear as Sophie continued, but it was fast replaced by a look of absolute terror.

They must have been talking about Fitz kissing Sophie.

Keefe had seen it, of course.

And so had Grady.

But...Grady honestly didn't mind.

After Fitz ran off to find Sophie, he and Grady talked about what had just happened...and Grady seemed to know what his daughter had wanted when she ran off, but he didn't say what.

Keefe knew it was stupid to think that Sophie had bolted right after her and Fitz kissed only because she didn't like Fitz in the way he liked her anymore.

But some tiny section of his heart just had a hunch that she didn't love Fitz, she loved someone else – but it might not be Keefe, obviously.

He shouldn't be getting his hopes up.

It could be Dex again.

Or Jensi.

Or even Biana or Linh!

But not him, there was no way.

Keefe was so caught up in his own thoughts that he barely registered someone standing a few feet away from him. He stalked away as stealthily as he possibly could to avoid the figure.

The elf was unrecognizable, because they were concealed by the shadow of the tree they were standing behind. But Keefe knew that they were definitely focused on the two girls by the Havenfiled mansion.

It was the man from New York City.

The one holding the blue Walmart bag with the long white beard. The shadows weren't hiding him any longer.

And somehow in the last minute, Sophie and Biana had gone quiet, as if they had sensed that something wasn't right.

The man slunk further into the shadows.

And so did Keefe.

"I think we'd better go now," Sophie said loudly, scanning the pastures. "Come on, Biana."

Both girls were smart enough to fool the man into thinking they had leaped away and weren't coming back – but Keefe had seen Sophie teleport them after they'd both sprinted off, and he knew they'd just go right back to where they'd been before.

Sophie was clever not to show the intruder her ability.

The silver-bearded man slumped, silently lifting a blue crystal to the light. Keefe rushed forward, but he was far too late.

Who was that man?

Was he a human or an elf?

Why was he at Havenfield?

And why did he leap away as soon as he realized Biana and Sophie had gone?

There were so many questions that Keefe desperately wanted the answers to, but how would he ever figure it out unless he had the chance to follow the man?

"Keefe?"

It was Sophie's glorious voice, vibrating through the fields and making Keefe's heart levitate. He sometimes wished there was a way to turn off that way that Sophie made him feel, because he knew she didn't reciprocate it, but it was completely and utterly hopeless.