Reign of the Neverseen

Chapter Sixteen

Unedited.

"So, technically this massive demon comes stomping up to me." Harley said as he started swaggering after a squealing elf. He caught up the elf and lifted her off the ground. "I dodged right. I dodged left." Harley said swinging the girl around, "and you know what happened?" He asked letting the girl free.

"What?!" The kids echoed, bright eyed. "It runs head first into the healing center, it's horns caught in the building." Harley exclaimed, making the kids laugh. Sophie was leaning against the door way, her arms crossed as she watched Harley entertain the scared kids. Harley stood and walked over to her, "I'm guessing the trip didn't go that easy." Sophie said lowly. Harley became serious and shook his head, as they walked away from the room full of kids.

"No." He said simply. Sophie sighed, "You're okay though?" She asked. He nodded, "I'm alright. Just...shaken up I guess." He said holding his hand out in front of them, showing it shaking. Sophie took his hand in her own. "It-...it's different up there." He said squeezing her hand. "How so?" Sophie asked. Harley glanced around the empty tunnels before pulling her only a step closer so he could lower his voice so no one else could hear.
"Buildings are destroyed and smoking, Kesler and the other alchemist got everblaze out but..." Harley shook his head sighing. "It's different, those...those things are everywhere, and there is a huge crevice in the middle of the city where they came out from." He paused.

"You're gonna fix this right?" He asked. "I'll do as much as I can." Sophie promised. Harley smiled, "That's good enough for me." A throat cleared and they both looked up. Sophie met angry teal eyes. "Eliza." Fitz said slowly. "I need to talk to you." He said. Sophie squeezed Harley's hand, and he smiled. "See you later." He promised before turning down the tunnel and going to the main meeting room. Sophie looked at Fitz.

"What is it?" She asked softly. Fitz glared after Harley before looking back at Sophie. "There isn't enough room." He said. "Atlantis is crowded to full capacity. So is the sanctuary." Fitz said. Sophie looked around the tunnels. "How many are left?" She asked. "Only two chambers and three families." Fitz said. "Who are the families?" Sophie asked as they started walking. "Parks, Mistles and mine." Fitz said. "Yours?" Sophie asked stopping. "We're not taking any special treatment. Biana is going to stay with the Dizznees and bunking with Bex, I had Juline promise to keep an eye on her." Fitz said. "So that settles just for a you, and your parents, Harley and his parents-"

"The Mistles  are a family of four." Fitz said. "How many beds are there?" Sophie asked. "Four queen sizes and two twin." Fitz said. "We'll move Mr. And Mrs. Parks in with the Mistle family, in one chamber, and you and your parents can stay in the last one, Harley and you can take the twin beds in the second chamber." Sophie said as they walked around the corner. "Where will you stay?" Alden asked, as he heard the last part of their conversation. Sophie opened her mouth to speak before she stopped short. She had forgotten to reserve a place for herself in the sanctuary.

The last of the families stood together in why everyone was calling the main hall. Ambra had her arm around her younger sister's shoulders. Her Dad and Mom stood together, touching their daughter's shoulders. Harley stood beside his own parents, Sophie counted the beds, her mind adding the math up quickly. She'd have to double up with somebody. She'd have to double up with Fitz or Harley.

Suddenly nervous Sophie stepped back. Everyone seemed to do the math, and Harley stepped forward. "You can bunk with me, I don't kick." He grinned teasingly. Fitz's hand clasped on Sophie's arm, Sophie looked up at him surprised, his hands were warm again. His eyes bore down into Harley, like lightning striking the ground. "That's fine, I think her choice is already obvious." He said. Had Sophie been herself, she knew her face would have been burning red. "I'll bunk with Fitz." She said quickly. "Alden, Della, you'll be in the chamber with us and Harley. The rest of you, will take the last chamber." Sophie said.