Survivor

Chapter 20

Keefe's POV (The morning after Sophie spends the night)

Keefe stretched out on the bed, waiting for contact with Sophie's small frame only to be met with a still-warm spot where she had once been. His eyes shot open and he looked around the room but still no sign of her. Sighing he stood up and heard the crinkle of paper under his hand. Looking down he saw a crisp, letter with Keefe scrawled in elegant script, Sophie's handwriting. He tore the envelope open and pulled out the letter reading through every word twice when he finished he looked down at the bed again and saw the silvery Moonlark pendant. He took it in his hand, running his thumb over the smooth metal surface.
"I'll wait for you."

After showering and changing he slipped the pendant over his head letting it rest against his bare chest under his tunic, interrupting his moment of sentimentality his importer started ringing. Reaching across the bed he picked it up and answered the hail. Fitz.
"Did you get a letter to?" He asked impatiently, when Keefe nodded he looked grim for a minute.
"We're meeting at Havenfield, be there in ten." He said and hung up. Keefe debated whether or not to take his letter, it was probably different from the others but eventually he gently folded it and put it in his pocket. He gently opened his door and crept down the hall hoping Lord Cassius wasn't awake yet. He got lucky and made it to the leapmaster undetected and on his way to Havenfield.

Grady opened the door, and to Keefe's surprise didn't give him a overprotective dad glare as he ushered him inside. Everyone else was already there and pouring over the letters spread out on the table. Adding his to the mix, he looked over at the others. He laughed as he read the one she had addressed to the black swan. Way to go Foster he thought, he read over all the letters until he got to Fitz. His eyes widened as he read her scrawling handwriting, there it was. Her choice was written clear as day in Fitz' letter, he knew the kissing from last night had been a pretty good indicator but it felt good to know she had put it down on paper. Fitz was glaring at him, he didn't have to look up to tell, Fitz's emotions were not very quiet.
"Alright, so from the letters we all know what is happening. Correct?" Mr. Forkle called from the head of the table, everyone nodded and he continued.
"What we need to know is how to get her back, any ideas?" He asked looking around, Edaline raised her hand shakily.
"We know she's with a Shade and a Guster, Shades aren't very common we could go over names that are registered one." She suggested and Grady nodded in agreement.
"I have a feeling it's the same Shade as the one from Enternalia, so I think we're looking for a boy." He said, then turned to Tam who was standing all broody in the corner.
"Did anything seem odd with his shadows, you felt them when you took the wall down. Did anything stick out to you?" He asked, and Tam looked a bit concerned.
"His shadows were much more solid than mine like a real wall, whoever he is... he's stronger than me." He said, bristling at the admission that there was a shade stronger than him. Keefe looked at all of them incredulously.
"Or you know, we could do what she wanted and let her do what she needs to do to help calm her emotions. Sure we can keep doing what we're doing and try to stop them as well, but Sophie just lost someone very important to her and I say we let her do what she wants to." Keefe said, leaning back in the chair with a facade of complicity plastered on his face. Fitz glared at him from the other side of the room.
"Are you insane she needs us! I'm her cognate I should..." Keefe shot out of his chair, interrupting him with his sudden outburst.
"Let me say this once Fitz. Your cognate bond does not mean you get to invade her life at all times, you don't need to know everything and if you truly respected her you would know when to leave her alone. You need to understand she doesn't need you." Fitz and Keefe were standing nose to nose now, each flashing deadly glares at each other. Keefe daring him to say another word, Keefe had to look down just a bit as Fitz was about two inches shorter than him. Eventually Biana squeezed between them, pushing Keefe back a bit to release tension. All eyes were on them, and Fitz looked away first stalking back over to the table.
"Now that's done..." Linh prompted from beside Tam who was almost smiling as Keefe retook his seat. Despite Keefe's words before, ideas kept pouring out about how to find her. Reluctantly with another few words, Keefe convinced them to stop trying to get her back and just to start looking for her, if it looked like she needed help they would interfere. Brainstorming went on for a few hours until eventually Mr. Forkel, Alden and Della went home and Grady was out feeding Verdi while Edaline decided to make snacks for them.
Keefe was laying down on the dining room table, looking up at the ceiling and describing his plan to Dex who was sprawled out on the chairs to his left, Linh and Biana sitting criss-cross by his head. Fitz was still moody and sat like a normal person at the chair at the head of the table next to Tam who was also being a square and sitting in a chair. Keefe's  ideas had become more ludicrous by the minute and the latest one consisted of him making a signal for Sophie like his favorite superhero.
"Like Batman! Sophie would be an awesome Batman and only she would understand it!" Linh was nodding politely and pointing out the reasons that wouldn't work when Alden barged in the doors with Grady in tow.
"Sophie's made a move on the Neverseen!" Keefe smiled at that, his girl was kicking butt already.