Keeper of the Lost Secrets

CHAPTER EIGHT: Sophie Fails to Kill a Councillor (Darn it)

Silence took over the room as Sophie concentrated. I shifted my weight from one foot to another awkwardly, waiting for something to happen, and I predicted it to be bad. I knew full well, that no matter how gifted Sophie was, she was no match for Bronte's grumpiness.

I found myself rooting for Sophie over Bronte. It's not that the councillor had picked on me particularly, but there was a confident air to Sophie. She confused it with arrogance, but when she focused solely on herself, she was one of the best people I knew.

"You're thinking you're the only one at this table with common sense," Sophie said, looking up. A shadow of a smirk relaxed her features. "And you're sick of watching Kenric stare at Oralie."

Oralie promptly burst into a fit of giggles, which she, not so swiftly, covered up with coughs. There was a blush on both of their cheeks, Oralie's matching the pink of her dress, and Kenric's the same red as his hair.

"I take it that's right?" Alden said.

"How can it be? An Ancient's mind is almost impenetrable." Bronte's voice struck the room.

"The key word is almost." Aldren corrected. "Sophie's a clear exception. She also breached Fitz's blocking."

Shame burned in my throat. I swallowed my feelings and nodded. Bronte grinned at my father. "Alden's Golden Boy isn't so infallible now, is he?"

Guilt tugged at my conscious. I was meant to be the best Vacker. I had no excuse to not beat Sophie. I was raised in Everglen, and my schooling was Foxfire. I had all my chances; how could I fail? I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

Sophie looked at me with pity. The idea alone made the heat in my cheeks spread across my face. I huffed and looked at the floor.

"It's more likely that Sophie's exceptionally special," Alden said. "Fitz saw her lift almost ten times her weight in telekinesis."

Kenric's eyes widened. "At her age? Now that I must see!" He sat, smiling so much it looked like it hurt. I knew the feeling.

"It was an accident last time," Sophie argued. "I've got no clue on how to replicate it."

"Tick-tock, Sophie," Bronte said with a smirk. "We want to end this test today, right?"

Before Sophie could lunge at anyone, my father stepped in. "Why don't you try something small first?" His kind eyes seemed to pull Sophie out of her anger. She focussed on an empty goblet. Sophie raised her arm, looking like a sorceress. The goblet lifted a few feet in the air, before dropping on the table with a bang.

Sophie smiled. "I did it."

"Hardly," Bronte said. "It was a goblet. That isn't worthy of a pass in my eyes."

"Sophie was just warming up," Alden said. "Why don't you try something more?"

Sophie glared daggers at Bronte but said nothing. For a moment, she stood in silence. I waited with bated breath for something to happen.

Sophie raised both her arms and lifted three chairs. And not any three chairs, three chairs of the councillors. I almost fell to the floor with how much my knees were knocking.

"Incredible," My father breathed.

But something in Sophie let lose. Her hand dropped to her sides, and suddenly, three chairs were crashing to the floor.

Bronte's chair was the only one that fell backwards. Kenric and Oralie's chairs had miraculously landed on their feet, but Bronte fell on his back. The drink he was holding spilt all over his robes and face.

For a second, silence enveloped the room. When Bronte hollered for someone to help him up, the entire room burst into a laugh.

Sophie was the only one who stayed silent, but a small smile settled on her features. I had a feeling Bronte falling was on purpose.

Kenric clapped Sophie on her back. "I've never seen such raw talent! You're even a natural at our language."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Kenric smiled. "You haven't noticed? Your accent is almost as perfect as the Vackers."

"It's true, Sophie," Alden said. "You're speaking Enlightened. It's instinctive, meaning you've been speaking it from birth. You must've been an interesting baby."

Sophie suddenly gripped the table. "Is there a word in this language that sounds like 'soybean'?"

"Soybean?" said Alden.

"I used to say it as a baby. My parents would tease me all the time about it." A hint of sadness sparkled in Sophie's eyes.

Kenric shook his head. "Can't think of anything."

Oralie flashed an easy smile, but Alden looked pale.

"What is it?" Bronte brushed some dust off his cape from his fall.

"Nothing important." Alden waved away the question.

"I will decide if it is nothing or not," Bronte said, his face morphing into one of a stern teacher.

Alden sighed. "It's possible she was saying 'suldreen', but it's a stretch."

Bronte's mouth tightened into a line.

"Suldreen? What's that?" Sophie asked quietly. I wasn't used to seeing her quiet.

"A proper name for a species of bird, usually known as Moonlark." My father and Bronte exchanged worried glances. I shifted on my feet.

"And that's bad because?" Sophie asked.

"Not bad," Alden said, but the uncertainty in his voice said otherwise. "Just an uncomfortable coincidence. But it most likely you were saying your name. Repetition is normal for a baby."

The way Sophie looked at me, I knew we had the same thoughts: Sophie was far from normal.

"Well, I've made my decision," Bronte said. "I find it downright absurd to let her go to Foxfire. It's a fail from me."

Sophie's calm demeanour fooled my father, but I didn't miss the face of worry that everyone else had.

"I for one think you're being ridiculous, Bronte," Kenric said. "It's a pass from me."

All eyes fell on Oralie. She reached out her hand. "May I?" she asked Sophie.

"Oralie is an empath." My father explained. "She can feel emotions based on touch."

Sophie nodded and extended her hand. Oralie placed two fingers on her palm.

"I feel fear and confusion," Oralie whispered. "And perhaps a bit of arrogance." I had to fight a laugh. "But enormous resilience. Enough to raise an army. I vote for a pass."

"Fools," Bronte stood up from his seat. "I invoke my right as Senior Councillor and demand a probe."

"I planned as much," Alden sighed. "I've arranged for Quinlin to probe her."

Sophie nodded assuredly at the crowd. She then leaned to me and stage-whispered, "I have no idea what that is."

"Just a different way of reading minds," I explained. I leaned closer to her. "Bronte is a pain. It's not surprising. Probing is common, especially for telepathy training."

"Well, Fitz, Sophie, you'd better change. Can't have you wearing human clothes where we're going." Alden clapped his hands.

"Where?" Sophie said.

My father smiled. "How'd you like to see Atlantis?"