Moonlark Turned Evil

21: A Healing

My Mr. Forkle is kinda a work on progress. Doesn't really sound like him at all.

Anyway.

Mr. Forkle met them at Havenfield, Tiergan in tow.

"I'm guessing there's no good news."

Forkle nodded. "Correct, Miss Foster."

"Alright, we'll take the bad news then," Dex sighed.

"Chronological order," Keefe added.

"I'm sure you already know this," Tiergan said when Forkle didn't respond, "but Dame Alina is dead. She was murdered, in fact."

"Murdered?" Fitz asked. "By who?"

"Probably the Elys," Forkle said.

Keefe raised an eyebrow at her, and she pretended not to notice.

"So are you in the Black Swan or something?" Dex asked Tiergan.

The Telepath nodded and didn't elaborate.

"This morning, the Elys attacked Eternalia and destroyed over half of the city," Forkle continued. "The Council is still assessing the situation, but we have calculated that over two hundred elves have died."

Biana covered her mouth.

"Is there anything else?" Sophie asked cooly.

"Alden Vacker . . ." Forkle started. He faltered, and Tiergan finished for him.

"Alden's mind broke. He was in charge of overseeing Eternalia's security, so we suspect it's because of guilt."

There was a heavy silence that weighed on the room.

So that was why Grady and Edaline were so gloomy, Sophie realized.

She didn't feel sad, really—in fact, one of the Black Swan's potential supporters becoming unable to do anything except stare into space was quite convenient for her.

Beside her, Dex appeared to be thinking (almost) the same thoughts as her. 

Sophie internally smiled as she saw him place his hand on Biana's shoulder and murmur something in her ear.

Fitz seemed to be debating whether he was supposed to cry or break something or both.

Sophie looked to her right—and felt her heart break at Keefe's expression.

Did Alvar look the same right now?

She knew he blamed himself for his bad relationship with his father.

"And so, Miss Foster."

Sophie glanced at Mr. Forkle. "Yes?" she asked hesitantly, knowing what he was going to say.

"We need you to heal Mr. Vacker's mind."

She stared. And blinked. "I can heal minds?"

"We designed you with special features." Improvisation time, Moonlark. Can you act your way out of this one?

It was written all over his infuriatingly calm face.

Keefe and Tiergan were the only ones who picked up on the tension.

Sophie grit her teeth and resisted the urge to punch him in the stomach. "I don't know how it works, though," she protested. "How am I supposed to heal Alden?"

"You can leave that part to me," Tiergan promised.

"It's way to sudden, though," Fitz said, coming to her rescue. "I mean, yeah, if my dad can come back I'd be really happy, but I don't want Sophie to feel too much pressure."