After Stellarlune

Chapter Sixteen

"I'm going to Ravagog." 

Sophie and Keefe had both insisted on visiting Ro at her ogre palace, even though Grady had warned them it would still be dangerous, and they still weren't that friendly with King Dimitar. 

But Ro was in critical condition.

A group of scout ogres had found her somewhere in the forbidden territories. She had found Cadfael's group, and managed to kill some of them, but Cadfael and one other had gotten away. And it looked like they had overpowered her, and left her to bleed to death.

But luckily, the scout's had gotten there in time to bring ogre medics to stabilize her enough to move. 

They hoped she would be able to make a full recovery, but she was still unconscious, and from the last update, they weren't sure if Ro was going to survive.

For all they knew, Ro could be dead already.

So Sophie knew she had to go.

So did Keefe.

"We have to help her," Sophie insisted. "Who knows if we'll ever see her again."

Grady sighed. "She's not going to die Sophie. Ro's a fighter. She would never let Cadfael beat her. In fact, she's probably awake and doing just fine."

"We still have to check on her," Keefe insisted. "She's probably going to kill you," Sophie told him. "You know, if she isn't..."

She trailed off. She knew Ro would probably be okay, but that didn't stop her from worrying. Because she had learned the hard way that people died, even when you thought they would be okay.

"It'll be okay," Keefe said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it, probably feeling her emotions shifting downwards. But Sophie could tell that Keefe was worried too. More then he wanted to be.

"We need to go," she repeated. "We have to."

"What do you think?" Grady asked Cantiss, who was watching from the shadows of Sophie's room.

"I think they should go," Cantiss said quietly, making Grady frown. "Ro is their friend, and they can probably help her. The ogres won't be any danger to them if they are helping the princess."

"Exactly," Sophie exclaimed, looking at Grady with pleading eyes. Hopefully they looked desperate enough.

And maybe they did, because Grady sighed and said, "Fine. But you have to be safe. No setting off the ogres." He glared at Keefe for the last one.  

"Don't worry," Keefe said. "I would never dream of insulting an ogre. Foster and I will be perfect."

"Somehow that makes me less reassured," Grady said. But he sighed and added, "I'll call Master Cadence, and ask her if she would be willing to give you a ride."

"Not the boat again," Keefe groaned as Grady left the room.

"It'll be worth it," Sophie said. "If we get to see Ro."

"I don't know Foster," Keefe complained. "She's probably going to want revenge. I think I'm in for a rough night."

"It'll be okay," Sophie said. "I'll protect you from her." 

"Really?" Keefe asked, his eyes gleaming. 

"To an extent," Sophie decided. "I won't protect you if you deserve it, or if it means I get some of Ro's punishment."

Keefe gave her an over exaggerated sad face, but it quickly changed back into little worry lines that Sophie had seen more than she liked, as they paced around the room.