Forever

9.

Sophie:
"So where to, Lady Foss-Boss?" Keefe asked once we had finished our pretzels. The sun was not even beginning to rise, but the sky did look clearer. Good. That would mean less humans would be out.
"Um...I don't know. One one hand, it would be amazing to visit all these famous cities—Sydney, New York, Venice...even Paris, again. I could definitely use some better memories of France. But I also feel like it would be wrong to not visit my old house."
"No worries, we have plenty more time to visit other cities. Plus, I'm pretty sure Biana and the others will kill us if we go to any more cool places without them." Keefe smiled.
"Okay, guess we'll go there then. It should be a little cooler, at least." I took Keefe's hand and thought of San Diego, whisking us away rapidly. In a moment we were there. I looked around, surprised to see that rather than standing before the small, box-like house I had lived in the first twelve years of my life, we were a block away, exactly where Fitz had dropped me off after visiting the Lost Cities for the first time, nearly five years ago.
"Hmmm, we'll have to walk a little bit. It's fine, come on." I whispered to Keefe, beginning to walk. As we neared my house, I heard a sickeningly familiar voice.
    "I thought you told me they'd be here!" screeched Lady Gisela. A voice, most likely male, quieted her.     My heart began pounding as I thought of who it could be. I could feel Keefe take my hand and tell me to calm down, sending cool blue breezes into my mind. I was sure he was even more terrified; it was his mother, after all.
    We tiptoed closer; now we were only two houses away. The house was still obscured by elvin technology, but only for humans. I could just make out the two figures, both most likely hooded. It was too far away to hear what they were saying, but they were clearly waiting for someone. Someone most likely not on their side.
    A moment later, a girl came into view. I could just make out the outline of her and her frizzy hair. I watched as she stormed over to the figures. . . but that was impossible, she couldn't see them. Unless she wasn't human. . .
    "How dare you!" The girl shouted. "You lied to me. This whole time. I bet you knew about Alvar the whole time. Ugh, you probably even helped at the kidnapping. And most likely every other trap my friends and I walked into, even almost died in. Why?"
    I froze. Alvar. But. . .then this 'human girl' was a Vacker. And because I doubted it was any of their other relatives, that left me with Fitz and Biana, obviously in disguise. Both of which I really hoped were not true.
    "You shouldn't be here. And which one of you is it anyway, Biana or Fitz?" The male voice said. I recognized it now. Alden.
    "Like I'd tell you." The disguised Vacker said. "You were prepared; you knew Sophie and Keefe would be here. But I have the element of surprise. And the good weapons."
With that the Vacker—who I decided was Biana, based on the way she spoke and moved—ran towards Alden and Gisela, drawing a dagger. As she approached, Gisela began laughing.
     "That wont be necessary." She said, holding up her hands. A sharp wind pushed Biana back, knocking her onto the ground. Lady Gisela smirked. "I guess you could say I have the element of surprise."