Unlocked

Twenty Five - Keefe

When Keefe finally pulled back from their embrace, he was surprised to see the sun setting. Towering aspen and pine trees blocked the fading tones of pink and orange in the sky, but it was a beautiful sight nonetheless.

He helped Sophie to her feet, momentarily forgetting about her ankle. She tried to hide a grimace, but Keefe could tell she was fighting tears.

He let her lean on him as he said, "We need to get you to Elwin."

Keefe hadn't realized how many injuries Sophie had harbored until now. Besides her ankle, she had a bruise the size of a lemon on her left forearm and a deep scar that looked strangely like a claw mark just above her collarbone. Blood had stopped streaming from the scathes, but it had stained her pale dress a dull red color.

"What about Lady Gisela?" Sophie asked. Keefe appreciated that she refrained from calling her his mother.

He grimaced. "She's still on the bridge."

Sophie started to walk toward the bridge, but nearly collapsed when she tried putting weight on her left foot. Keefe caught her before she fell, and her face reddened. "Thanks," she whispered, trying madly to find her footing again.

She tried to walk again, but Keefe grabbed her arm before she could move an inch. "Hey! No walking!" He said, still restraining her.

She shot him a look. Before she could attempt again he picked her up, ignoring her squirms.

"I can walk on my own!" She protested as he started toward the bridge.

Keefe raised his eyebrows. She scowled.

"Sandor would kill me if I let you walk with a broken ankle," Keefe informed her.

"It's not broken!"

"Well whatever it is, it's still injured."

Sophie's scowl deepened. He just smirked.

Keefe set her down at the edge of the bridge, not allowing her to come any further. The last thing he needed was another Falling Foster Routine.

He found his mother still passed out, her face drained of color and her cape billowed around her limp body. He gave her a small shock to make sure she would stay asleep, then carried to her off the bridge to where Sophie waited.

"What happened to her?" She asked softly, so quietly Keefe barely heard.

He stared at his mother's lifeless face. "She passed out." When he saw Sophie's pained expression he added, "She's not dead."

Sophie let out a breath before reaching out to touch her neck. She groaned. "I don't have my home crystal."

Keefe's spirits fell. Sophie definitely wasn't up for teleporting, so that meant the only option was . . .

He set his mother down and pulled the rose gold crystal from his pocket. "It's hers," he informed Sophie, gesturing to his mother, who was now limply lying on the grass.

Sophie looked at the crystal with distain. "Where does that color crystal go?"

Keefe grit his teeth. "I don't know."

She glanced at Lady Gisela for a second, then looked nervously at the crystal. After what felt like an eternity she mumbled, "let's go."

Her courage always baffled Keefe. He squeezed her hand gently, "You sure?"

She swallowed, then took a deep breath and nodded. "We have to take Lady Gisela with us, don't we?" She didn't sound excited about the prospect.

Keefe let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Yeah. We can't leave her in the forbidden cities."

Sophie nodded again, then reached up and tugged out an eyelash.

Keefe picked up his mother again, and Sophie gripped his arm tightly. She took the crystal from him, fingering the pristinely cut gem. Waiting for the fading daylight to hit the facet, Sophie led them into the light.