Keeper of the Lost Cities: Elysian

Chapter 40

The horrible truth thudded in Sophie's heart.

The scene played in her head again and again, refusing to stop. Trying to forget was useless.

The memories would forever be branded inside her head.

"I can't believe this," Biana breathed. "Keefe-"

She broke off, shuddering with sobs.

There was a moment of silence.

Biana trembled and her hands clenched into fists. "The darkness is playing with my head again. It's showing me my memories through a clouded perspective. I don't know what's right and wrong anymore."

"What do you mean?" Fitz asked, stepping forward to touch her shoulders.

"It's- it's wanting me to think that... Keefe deserved to die." Her voice held grief and fury. "Show me, Sophie. Please."

Sophie knew what Biana meant.

Trying not to cry, she transmitted the memories of her conversation with Keefe in his consciousness to Biana.

The room of light and dark.

The room changed everything.

Was there anything more painful than the silence?

Biana closed her eyes. "I-"

She stopped.

Again.

There were no words.

Like so many other times.

When words failed. They weren't enough.

"I can't believe this," Biana murmured again, but more bitterly this time. Her eyes held hatred now. A stronger, more powerful loathing.

Fitz recoiled.

"It had to end like this, right?" she continued as if Sophie and Fitz didn't exist. "Keefe's gone now. He's gone."

Out came sobs. Then came hysterical laughter.

But it didn't sound like it was of mirth.

It was an outpouring of bitterness, grief, and rage.

"Biana," Sophie tried. "Are you-"

"Okay?!" she screeched. "Do you expect someone to be okay if you've just told them that someone you've known your whole life is gone? Do you know what it feels like?"

Sophie thought of Mr. Forkle. But thinking about him and his twin brought tears to her eyes.

"I know what it feels like," Sophie answered. "You saw the memory. You know how I was feeling."

She was crying too.

Biana stared at her through a haze of confusion and sorrow. "What if this is all a lie? I'm in some dream... some nightmare. You guys might just be another cruel trick the darkness is trying to trap me in. Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Wait!" Sophie shouted, seeing Fitz's eyes widen in panic. "Biana, please!"

Biana gave them one last horrified glance, then shoved them away with a blast of energy.

Into the Veil.

Sophie couldn't hate Biana. She couldn't, no matter how many fake emotions the Veil was going to plant in her head.

Maybe Biana accepted Keefe's death but the grief was killing her.

Or the Veil was shrouding her sight, convincing her that Sophie and Fitz were just fragments of her imagination.