UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 45

As soon as the words bounced across the room, it erupted in an avalanche of yelling.  Sophie could barely hear her own voice in the panic, and she thought that she was shouting loudly.  The screaming finally settled into a low din as one of the Councillors- unrecognizable in the noise -called for silence, leaving everyone to murmur among themselves.

"Ms. Foster!" Emery called.  "How about you go first?  After all, he was the one who attacked you, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Well.. yes," Sophie admitted.  "But that wasn't his fault! He was being... 'reprogrammed' according to the Neverseen- or Lady Gisela at least.  It's part of his legacy, apparently.  He's basically being controlled."

Emery held up a hand for silence as he managed a Telepathic conversation with the rest of the Council.  He turned to Fitz, and asked, "What's your story, Mr. Vacker?"

Despite the fact that he was on terrible terms with both of them, he confirmed Sophie's theory, and Sophie shot him a thankful glance, that turned more relieved as he gave her a nervous grin in return.

More silence.  Keefe hadn't said a word. Just stood there. And stood there. Didn't move. Didn't blink. Didn't even crack a joke even though he could joke about anything.

Finally, Alina announced, "Even if we believed you, it's not like we can just leave him roaming free when he can turn on us on the splittest of seconds."

"But you can't lock him up either," Sophie pushed.  "Because like I said: It's not even his fault. That's an injustice!"

"I'll get scorned enough for this anyways," Lord Cassius grumbled, and Sophie wanted to throw something at him for only caring about himself instead of his son, although it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

"I agree," Oralie piped up, and Sophie, any other day, would've been delighted that she had a Councillor on her side.  But she couldn't look at Oralie's kind smile without thinking of all the times she'd gotten it along with a handful of lies. Instead she just turned the other way and nodded.

"I supposed we might've gotten it wrong," Noland admitted.  "But Alina's right- it's not safe to just leave him like this."

"He has a bodyguard," Biana told them, pointing to Ro who was watching the whole thing and mouthing 'sparkle overload' at all the ridiculously glittery decorations adorning the room.

"And yet that didn't protect him from hurting anyone last time did it?" Derek retorted.

Round and round they went.  One Councillor appeared with an accusation- one of Keefe's friends shot it down and tried to prove his innocence.

But that never worked. Sophie had gone to enough Tribunals to know that.

Was anybody paying attention to Keefe?

He was still rooted to the spot, his hands pressed stiffly against his sides and his usually impeccable hair plastered to his forehead.  Sophie had a horrible suspicion that the Neverseen were controlling him again- but.... something didn't seem the same.

His eyes were still ice blue, clear like twinkling crystals instead of unfocused and glazed over like they had before.

And he was staring- what was he staring at?

His eyes were focused intensely at..... something across the room?

Sophie shifted, trying to align her gaze with his.... he still hadn't blinked.

Keefe?  she transmitted tentatively. 

Silence.  Just the usual noise of her heartbeat pounding up into her head.

It wasn't until somebody screamed, so loudly that her ears rang and her vision turned red... but when the spasm cleared, she saw an all too familiar, pale and skinny figure darting across the room with impressive speed considering his condition....

All she could look at was Fitz as he whispered, "Alvar?"