UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 12

Sophie was surprised that the first place she thought of was- Everglen.

Sophie wanted to curse.  She figured that out of all the places she could've teleported to, it had  to be her ex-boyfriends house.  She carefully snuck through the gates, right to the place a few yards away- a spacious field full of lush green grass and tall flowers.

Where could the Neverseen had taken them?

That was the question Sophie repeated to herself over, and over, and over.  And she was starting to feel as hopeless at Keefe.

How long had they been trying to take down the Neverseen? Since she was twelve?  That felt like ages ago, battles and battles later.  How long would they have to keep this up? How long would they have to keep fighting, and fighting, and fighting?

Sophie sighed, curling up on the grass and wrapping her arms around her knees as she dipped her head backwards and breathed in the fresh air.  She knew how worried her friends must be for her, after she ran away like that. And she was really determined not to become the lifeless Sophie-shell she'd become when she learned her human parents had been taken.

Where would she stay? Who would feed her?  Those questions were easier. Her friends were always there for her. Surely the Vackers, or Keefe would take her in... which made her feel a thousand times guiltier.

But... fresh air and alone time felt nice.  It felt like one of the cool breezes Keefe sent her- arg, why were her thoughts always brought to her friends?

Maybe the Black Swan tweaked her genetics to be obsessed with her friends.

Or maybe obsessed wasn't the right word...

Sophie was cut off when she realized- she had no bodyguards. She'd left behind Sandor.  Nubiti was probably somewhere watching her underground but-

Sophie was cut off once more when her vision turned white, and the situation felt eerily familiar.  Her mind swam and her pulse quickened, as she felt her head hit the grass and the white light turned black.

_____________

"Ugh, first Keefe then you," a voice in the darkness grumbled.  "Honestly, you guys are falling dead all over the place."

Sophie's eyes fluttered. Her head felt like it was currently being stomped on like someone trying to snuff out a flame.  

"What happened?" Sophie said, her voice sticky and garbled.  

"You tell me," Elwin said, raising an eyebrow.  "After you fled your friends at Havenfield, they looked everywhere for you.  They were super worried. Fitz checked Everglen, and on the first sweep he missed you, but Keefe said he could've sworn he felt "Foster Emotions" as he said it and checked again. Apparently he just found you passed out on the grass- they're really eager to see you by the way. Up for some company?"

"Sure?" Sophie said, the word more of a question than a statement.

The door rushed open and Keefe, Fitz, Dex and Biana swarmed inside.  Sophie had a feeling she was up for a long talk that she really didn't have the energy for.

"How about you start off with 'what the heck happened?'" Elwin suggested, since they all felt very awkward.

Sophie retold everything, from where she teleported to, all the way up to where she was now.  "The same thing happened when Gethen, Vespera, and Lady Gisela attacked Foxfire, except I woke up faster.  How long have I been here?"

"Two days," Elwin admitted, biting his lip.

"TWO DAYS?!"  Sophie wanted to scream and hop out of bed.

"Welcome to the club," Tam said darkly, a few cots down from her own.  "I've been stuck here for longer."

Elwin glared at him.  "He whines as much as Keefe did," Elwin told Sophie, and then to Tam, "If you want to be waking up thinking your in another era, feel free to leave."

"That would be fun," Keefe pointed out, and the two exchanged surly glares.

"That light thing- it happened with the bodyguards too," Biana said, her tone making it sound as if she was piecing things together.  "And Gethen did that, so..."

Sophie's face turned pale.  

"So that means when I was sitting over by Everglen...."

Biana looked just as grim as Sophie felt. "Gethen was watching you."