After Stellarlune

Chapter Six

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" SOPHIE ASKED.

"We heard there was a meeting, and thought it would be wise to be here," Councilor Emory told her. "Unfortunately, it wasn't you, the leader who told us, which was what we had hoped," he added, frowning.

"Who told you?" Sophie wondered.

Councilor Emory nodded his head towards Stina who looked extra smug. Sophie gave Stina her dirtiest glare, and then focused back on the councilors, wishing she hadn't just been in a shove fight. Her clothes were soiled with dirt, and her hair was sticking up, and not as flat as she wanted.

"Okay," Sophie said, hoping her voice sounded like a leader. "Well since everyone is here, let's get started. First of all, I'd like to know where Elysian has been staying. I was kind of preoccupied when she left, and I didn't catch where she went."

She glanced at the councilors, hoping they would know. But they were all frowning.

"Actually, Elysian didn't tell us where she was staying," Emory said. "She said she had somewhere to go, but that she would be in touch. But we haven't heard back from her, which is oddly suspicious."

"Do we have any way to communicate with her?" Sophie asked.

"I gave her an imparter," Emory said. "We haven't tried contacting her with it."

"Does it work with anyone?" Sophie asked.

"Yes, I just gave her one of my extras but-"

"Well, I think it might be good to try," Sophie said, reaching for her imparter.

"Wait," Emory said before she could hail Elysian. "Stop, we need to talk about this whole thing first."

"Well I wanted to call her so she could come and participate," Sophie said.

"That... might not be wise," Emory warned. "I think we need to talk without her."

"Why?" Sophie asked. "I trust her, and I think you should too."

"It's not that we don't trust her," Bronte jumped in. "It's that there must be a reason we locked her up. We didn't see the need to lock you up, so we feel there must be a reason."

"We can look into that later," Sophie promised. "But for now, I'm going to call her."

"No need," Elysian's musical voice filled the air, like she was speaking into a megaphone. "I'm already here."

Sophie's eyes widened as she saw Elysian walking towards them. "Are you a vociferator too?" She asked.

"Yes, along with a great multitude of other things," Elysian agreed. "But I too would like to jump into this conversation of great importance, and voice my opinion."

"Okaaay," Sophie heard Stina mutter. But she was too focused on how much of her conversation with the councilors Elysian had heard. She seemed like she hadn't heard much of it, but she could also just be a great actor.  

"Well, okay," Sophie agreed. "We were just talking about... um... what to do next."

"The answer you seek is easy," Elysian said. "Simply let me take care of the rest of that band of rebels for you, and the world you live in will be at peace again."

Sophie frowned. There was no way it could be that easy. But the councilors looked like they had switched to team Elysian, except Bronte, and surprisingly Oralie. 

"Wait, you can do that?" Biana asked. "Just make the Neverseen go away?"

"I can do whatever you wish," Elysian said. "And more."