The Neverseen's Last Resort

68

Fitz

Chatter rang in the back of Fitz's mind. Marella was showing Linh and Wylie some trick she'd learned, while Tam hovered close behind and Maruca distracted herself with a flower crown. Meanwhile, Dex, Keefe, and Stina, just sat among the group in silence. That included Fitz too, of course, but Fitz wasn't moping about Biana or anticipating the meeting. He also wasn't doing whatever Stina was doing. Probably brooding. 

Fitz dove into that thought a moment more, amused. He quickly refocused his priorities on the coming meeting, though, as he remembered Sophie was the entire reason for his sister's disappearance. And he'd be meeting with her. Talking with her. As if nothing had happened. 

Fitz raged internally at that. His sister's kidnapper would be coming there, pretending as if she were innocent. Using her "amnesia" as an excuse for innocence. If it were up to him, she'd be exiled---not only for kidnapping his sister, but for destroying an entire city and harming many people in the process, him included. 

"You good?" Fitz looked up, suddenly feeling a hand on his shoulder. Huh. Fitz hadn't even noticed Keefe sitting there. "The tension was a bit thick so I thought I'd check up on my best friend. Y'know?" He tried a smile. Fitz refused to return it. Sophie would be arriving soon, and he needed to be prepared for any lies she might feed them. 

"You think she's genuine?" Fitz asked, disregarding Keefe's question.

"Huh?"

"About her amnesia? Do you think she's genuine?" His voice rose with his irritation, while Keefe kept his hand on Fitz's shoulder. 

"I'm... I'm sure she's telling the truth. Otherwise, how could she..." Keefe hesitated a second time, leaving Fitz wondering what his friend was thinking in that moment. He stopped trying to figure it out when he noticed Keefe's eyes had turned glossy with tears, and a strained expression telling Fitz that Keefe was doing his best to withhold them.

Sophie. 

She'd kidnapped Biana, and now she'd hurt his best friend. How had he ever liked her? Maybe she did have the most unique, sparkling brown eyes and bright, golden hair. Maybe Fitz once liked the way she'd lit up when she'd first set eyes on the glittering city of Eternalia. He might've once admired the way she was so raw with talent even after just learning about the elven world. Her love for animals and her overall personality had once been golden in Fitz's eyes.

Maybe Sophie had once been as amazing as Fitz had thought her to be. But now? He saw nothing more than a lying ally of the Neverseen. An imposter. A freak. Sophie was a liar, but she was right about one thing in Fitz's mind. She was, always had been, a freak. He'd just been too foolish to see it back then. It was crystal clear now, though, and Fitz refused to let his best friend hurt himself for her any longer.

From that point on, Fitz would do for Keefe what he hadn't been able to do for Biana: protect him. Even if it meant ending her---

"Is that her?" The voice belonged to Stina, and she sounded just as annoying as ever. Fitz followed Stina's finger and saw two figures approaching from Havenfield, both in green. 

It was as though the entire property were holding its breath, not an animal sound in the distance, nor singing breeze could be heard as everyone caught sight of the blonde dressed in green attire nearing. 

She wore boots, Fitz noticed. Obviously because she hated heels, but at the same time... only the old Sophie remember her preference on heels. She definitely remembered everything.
The liar.  

Finally, Mr. Forkle and Sophie came to a stop a good eight feet from the tree. Fitz locked eyes with her, making sure to send his coldest glare in warning before she looked away. Coward, Fitz thought.