Keeper of the Lost Cities: Forgetten

Chapter 14

Sophie used her telekinesis to keep Keefe from hitting his head on the solid ground and carefully moved him so his head would lie gently on the grasses.

"Oh my gosh..." Sophie put her hand last over her mouth and started to pace around. "But how? Why is he here? Why is he..?" She started to think aloud.

A small groan escaped from Keefe's lips and Sophie stopped pacing to stare at him. Sophie felt like her face was burning as her eyes skimmed over Keefe's exposed torso but she would cringe everytime she saw one of the cuts on his body.

Sophie felt herself going closer to Keefe as if knowing she should care for him.

She used for telekinesis to carefully lift his head up again and Sophie sat cross-legged next to him and gently put his head on her right thigh.

One look at Keefe and Sophie knew something was wrong. His skin was paler. His hair had lost its golden touch. Cuts and slashes spreaded across his back and stomach.

She rubbed her hand and felt the dryness of his skin and saw how much skinner he was.

Sophie couldn't believe this was Keefe.

Her Keefe.

Traitorous tears ran down her cheeks as she caressed his right cheek, which looked so hollow. It was like he was reduced to a skeleton.

"Sophie, where are you?!"

She recognized that voice as Biana's and relief almost washed over her.

"I'm over here!" She called out.

Soon, all her friends surrounded her and stared at the boy they once loved and loathed.

"What's wrong with him" Biana whimpered. Sophie looked up and saw tears pooling around her eyes.

"I think I know." Tam said. He walked over to Sophie and crouched next to her. Sophie watched as his shadow fell over Keefe and a look of horror etched itself onto his face.

"What is it?" Sophie said. The look of horror on Tam's face passed and a mask came up over his face, blocking any emotion from the naked eye. "What is it, Tam?"

More silence followed and Sophie felt her anger rising. "What's wrong? Just tell me!" She shouted. "Tell me now!"

Tam looked down at Sophie and saw as his pale blue eyes seem to turn gray. "I can't be the one to tell you this." He spat and looked over at Fitz.

Sophie looked over too and saw his hands shaking with anger. But also fear. Fitz moved over to Sophie and though she knew her eyes were throwing daggers at him, he looked sadly into them.

"He's broken, Sophie. Keefe's broken."

Sophie felt as if the world had stop when Fitz said those five words. Emotion like no other started to erupt in her body, causing her to feel sadness, guilt, shame, heartbreak and anger.

"He can't be..." She told herself.

"He is."

"No he isn't!" She hissed.

"Sophie, I know you're in denial but he is. Want me to prove it?" Fitz said. Sophie nodded and watched Fitz as he crouched next to her and put his fingers on Keefe's eyelids.

He slowly pulled them up and Sophie gasped as Keefe's eyes came into view. His irises were like broken plates, blue and black at the same time.

"He was forcefully broken by meddler. Whoever did this wounded him intentionally so they could torture him into breaking."