UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 56

Sophie pinched herself as hard as she could, trying to restrain the startled yell that was dying to burst forward. Instead, she just slowly backed away, trying to locate who had transmitted to her...

Everyone was still silent, listening to Lord Cassius's speech intently.

Who are you? Sophie transmitted back.

Glimmer, she said. Your mind is so full of shadowflux I slipped in using stellarlune. It's complicated.

Tell me about it.  What do you mean that you can... bring Keefe back? He's dead.

He's not.

Yes he is! Sophie transmitted hotly. I saw him die! He didn't have a pulse, I swear!

I believe you. I'm just saying we can bring him back.

From the dead? Sophie asked her dubiously.

Glimmer's mental voice hesitated, before she admitted, Yes.

How? Let me guess: More stellarlune. That was hard enough to get by myself! 

You have me now.  And Keefe didn't die from the shadowflux. He died from..

So it was me.

Sophie's whole world was sliding a way like sand slipping through her fingertips. She was right. She killed him. She had known that.. but it was different from really knowing.  And.. and Keefe...

Not exactly, Glimmer promised.  You remember magsidian? The thing that Nubiti wore to protect herself from the madness of the King's Path?

Yes.

You created.. an element version of that. Usually magsidian is solid- but seeing as it protects itself and its user against the effects of shadowflux, my best guess is that you somehow used that to destroy the shadowflux.

And magsidian killed him? But... that's not what it does, right?

Don't forget, you're the moonlark, Sophie. You have powers people dream about, that some of the most wisest of the ancients could never have thought up. Ever. You... I don't know. You did something. And then he-

Died, Sophie finished sourly. How is this supposed to help me? Knowing that I killed him?

Exactly. You killed him. You can bring him back.

But.. his Wanderling is literally made from inside of him. His body is just... I don't know. It's gone. 

Look at Lord Cassius, Glimmer advised. See how weird he's standing?

Yes....? He's trying to cover up the tree, from my perspective.

Exactly, again. That's not Keefe's Wanderling.  It looks nothing like Keefe's, does it?

Not exactly.  But.. why would he try to cover that up? And if it's not Keefe's, who is it?

Random person, I'm guessing. Everyone forgot about it. He's just covering up. And I think it's because he has.. similar suspicions...

Sophie held her breath. How do you know about his suspicions?

Glimmer's voice hesitated for a second before transmitting, I talked to him. Before this. And everyone's looking at me weird 'cause I'm looking at you.

Then don't look at me.

I can't.  I have to concentrate. Can you... he said meet him at the Shores of Solace. Midnight. He has Keefe...

Okay.

___________

Sophie had no idea how she managed it. She slipped out, just as Sandor had taken his position outside of her door, and by the time Sandor had realized she was gone, she was already sprinting down the Havenfield pastures, and bursting into the void.

The cold wind whipped at her cloak as she stumbled inside, closing the door behind her. The foyer was dark and eerie as she said quietly, "Lord Cassius?"

"Sophie!" 

That was Glimmer's voice. The light flicked on and Glimmer hurried down the stairs, wrapping Sophie in a hug that was a bit surprising considering how new to their group she was.

"Come up here.. Keefe's room.. he thought it would be easier that way..." She hurried up the stairs, holding the rail with one hand.

Sophie just stared at her, took a shaky breath, and slowly followed her up.

Seeing Keefe's broken body lying on his bed was probably the worst thing that she'd ever done- and knowing that it was her fault made it a million times worse. Lord Cassius sat at his old desk, a faraway look in his eyes, and Glimmer looked more eager to find out how they were going to do this then any of the other emotions that Sophie was feeling.

"What are we doing?" Sophie asked slowly.

"Just transmit. Like you do with a broken mind."

"It's... not that easy." She glanced at Lord Cassius who was still silent.

"Go on," he whispered.

And Sophie did it for Keefe.

For Lord Hunkyhair who was always ready with a prank, or a joke, or a hug, or even just his trademark smirk.

Because he would do it for her.

And that was the only thing driving her as she closed her eyes, gripped his temples, and plunged into the abyss of shattering memories.