Keeper of the lost cities: secrets revealed

Chapter four

"As ready as I'll ever be." I mumble underneath my breath. I didn't mean for Tiergan to overhear but obviously he did because he said, "Do my ears deceive me, or is the famous Sophie Foster nervous for a...cognate test?" he laughs slightly. "You've battled the Neverseen, flirted with death numerous times, and has gone through so much through the years, and your nervous for a test?" My face is bright pink by now and both Fitz and Tiergan are looking at me, as if expecting me to tell them why I'm nervous. Obviously since I definitely was not, he continued, Anyways," he said, clapping his hands together. "Time to get you ready for your test!" He makes us sit down at a small table, facing each other. We both put our hands up and our cognate rings makes them snap together. "Ok. The test is simple. You have to both open your minds up completely, don't cover anything up, and don't hide anything. If you keep secrets, you won't be able to move on to the next level of training. See? Easy. Do you understand?" We both nod, but Fitz adds, "So wait, that's all we have to do? Just open our minds and not keep any secrets?" When he says secrets he glances in my direction. "Yup. That's all. Ok. You'll have an hour and a half to finish, and we will see your results afterwards." I take a shaky breath. "Ok. On the count of three, you open your minds to each other. Ready? One. Two. Three!"
    "Ok," Fitz's voice says. "Will you tell me about your dream now that we're in telepathy?" I slightly nod my head.
"I was surrounded by the Neverseen. Half of them were pointing meadlers at me, so I couldn't move. This figure stepped up to me and when she started talking, I realized it was Umber. She said something and then she started to wrap me in these shadow-like fingers and-" "was it shoadowflux?" Fitz interrupted. "No. I've never seen it before. It poured out of her hands like the Shadowflux did, but it felt...different. Sophie remembered watching the Shadowflux pour out of Umber's hands and creep towards Fitz, entering his leg and heart, ripping muscles and tissue, shattering his bones. She also did it to Sophie's hand. It left Fitz with a slight limp and Sophie with a weak hand. "Hmm. Maybe we should ask Lady Zillah about it." Fitz suggested. "Maybe. I reply. "But...I don't want anyone to know. At least not yet. Oh! I haven't finished telling you yet. So where was I? So they wrapped around me, and they were solid. They started dragging me down, and I couldn't do anything. I tried transmitting, but it wouldn't work. I couldn't inflict or anything. It's like they blocked my abilities." Fitz's eyes grew wide. "But your the most powerful elf in the lost cities. How can a shadow stop your abilities?" Sophie leans back in her chair, rubbing her hands down the side of her face. "I don't know Fitz!" With Just a hint of frustration appeared in her voice. "I don't know." She repeats softly. "Oh. Well then can I see it? The dream? Fitz asks. I reach into my mind and wrap my conscious around it, mentally pushing it from my brain to Fitz's. He sat there watching it for a few minutes, his expression changing throughout. After a few minutes, he shook his head and said "Wow. That was intense. I can see why it freaked you out so much. What does it mean?" I was just getting ready to say that I didn't know when Tiergan interrupted. "You have five minutes left." I look back at Fitz. He looks at me expectantly. Oh no. Now I have to tell him my secret. Ok. I think to myself. You can do this. I take a deep breath in. And transmit to Fitz, "Your not gonna let me get by without telling you my secret are you? He flashes his movie star smile and says, "Nope!" I frown at him and take another deep breath. "Ok. You promise that no matter what I say, it won't ruin our friendship?" He takes his other hand and places it over our already clasped hands. "Sophie. I promise that there is absolutely nothing in the whole universe that will ruin our friendship. Nothing." I nod and barely hear Tiergan say one minute left. I take another deep breath and take moment to calm my breathing heart. "Ok. Just remember your promise. Alright?" Fitz nods eagerly. "Thirty seconds left." Tiergan says. "I...I...Imaybehaveaslightcrushonyou."   "Come again?" Fitz says. " I have a really bad crush on you. Ever since the day I met you I've had one." I pull my hair around my face, using it as a curtain to hide from him. He just sits there. "Ok." Tiergan says. "Your finished! But I won't be able to see you for the rest of the week because I have to some work for the council, but I'll see you next Monday, and we'll go over the results. if you would like too, you guys can practice while I'm gone. Anyways, your free to go!" Fitz mumbles goodbye, snatches his backpack and hastily walks out the door, and a feeling of dread overtakes Sophie.
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