Assassins at Dusk (KOTLC FanFic)

Chapter 22- The Swarm

Sophie and her friends left the mess hall from breakfast and started to walk up to their dormitories. It has been two days since Leto has revealed part of Sophie's past to her. He told her that the attack where she was taken by the slave traders was called the Cleanout, indicating how the Neverseen cleaned out the streets of children. Sophie still could barely remember anything after she was taken during the Cleanout. All she was able to gather was one memory. She was sitting at the back of a large cell with irons clasping around her wrists and legs. Her hair was veiled over her eyes, and her hunger and thirst ate away at her body. But she didn't have time to care about her pain it seemed because Sophie saw her younger self observing her surroundings like a diligent fox. She was watching everything, guard patterns, feeding times, rowdy prisoners. She simply sat and observed.

Sophie couldn't remember anything after that. She was starting to become inpatient, but Leto said to just trust him. Sophie has also been too scared to use her real powers, Froster, Charger, and Shade. She had a little practice with her Shade side when uses her ability to hide in the shadows, and Leto could help her on this because he too was a Shade, but it was still hard for her. She was also slowly starting to get used to her Froster abilities, but sometimes it would get out of hand and freeze anything she touched. But the Charger ability, it was one of her father's main powers, and it is also one of the most dangerous abilities out there. Sophie didn't want to advertise that she was even more of a freak, especially a freak with one more deadly power.

"Sophie?" Keefe asked beside her. She snapped back to reality and stared at Keefe blankly.

"Y-yeah?" Sophie asked. Keefe smiled at her, yet his eyes sparkled with worry.

"You have been really... off since you met up with Forkle. What did he say to you?" Keefe asked. Sophie's mind stuttered and froze. What could she say? She promised Tam that she would fill everyone in on her tattoo, but a lot has changed since then, and it may not be the best idea anymore. Only Keefe was talking to her, however, the rest of the group were walking ahead, laughing loudly. Tam seemed to be eyeing Sophie though, monitoring their conversation.

"It is nothing. Just have a lot on running through my mind. Nothing you all need to worry about." Sophie said quietly, trying her best to be sincere. But Keefe looked unconvinced, and he looked slyly ahead to the others to make sure they were still distracted, and then slipped his hand in hers.

"Sophie, we can talk about anything together. We have gone through pain and have prevailed together. I was originally meant to be your enemy and now look at us. If you feel like the others may not understand, just know that I may understand a bit more than the others." Keefe whispered. The gesture made heat rise up to her cheeks, and words fumble around in her mouth. Yes, Sophie had feelings for Fitz, but she couldn't deny that Keefe sometimes made her heart jump into her throat. He was always there for her, and he understands what she has gone through, more than the others do. Being destined to be wrapped up in this crazy mess. But it was just some silly crush, not love. 

Right?

"Keefe, the thing is, and you can't tell anyone, is that I'm not a-"

"Holy shit!" Dex cursed running over to a large window. Keefe and Sophie glanced at one another before rushing over to see what their friends were gawking at. There was a clearing through the thick African canopies that the window had a precise view of. In the clearing, there were about 12 different Black Swan members circling and laying down with mystical creatures. Each one of the members seemed to have a unique animal. The Black Swan members were trying to... tame them?

"What on earth is that man doing with that Manticore?" Linh asked, watching a man awkwardly handing the beast a sirloin steak.

"Is that real meat?!" Dex asked, turning green. Sophie's curiosity was pushing her down the stairs before she even knew what was happening. Her friends were close behind her. They barged through the doors to the clearing and gawked at the many creatures. Physic walked up to them with a smile on her face.