UNLOCKED kotlc (8.5)

TWO

"How do you feel?" Sophie asked Keefe anxiously.

He grimaced. "I'm fine."

" No you're not. " Sophie shook her head.

"Its nothing. Mommy Dearest only infused me with stellarlune. Nothing more."

" You talk about it as if it weren't horrible. "

"Aaah. It's fine."

Sophie reluctantly relented but asked Elwin to keep both eyes on him.

"Of course! You think I wouldn't? I have to keep both eyes on that one." He laughed.

Sophie refused to smile not ready to be happy when Keefe had just woken up in pain.

"Have you figured out why he hasn't manifested yet? And why is he hurting?" Sophie questioned.

Elwin shook his head. "Sometimes it takes longer but the pain, I don't know."

"If anything happens, " She faltered but quickly recovered. "If anything happens I will hold you responsible.

"That sounds threatening don't ya think? " Keefe said from the other room. "But it's nice to know that the Mysterious Miss F cares."

Sophie groaned when she realized that Keefe had listened to their whole conversation.

"Well I have to get to class." Sophie told Keefe reluctantly . "I don't want to leave you though."

"I'll be alright. Besides who's gonna blow up the school? If you stay here you can't do that. "

Sophie gave him her best glare and marched out of the room. She let out a sigh of relief when she was out of earshot. It was good that Keefe still had a sense of humor.

Sophie straightened. She had to get to class and not worry about Keefe. But she knew that was all she would do.

                                                     ****

"Are you going to ever eat?" Dex asked Sophie . "You've been picking at your food since lunch started."

" Yeah I'm fine. " She mumbled in response. "Just worried about Keefe."

" Hey. " Dex put a hand on hers. "He's gonna be alright."

" I hope so. "

"Hey not to mess up the whole Dexphie moment," Marella interrupted . "But lunch is over."

They glared at her but got up to go to their next session.

                                                       ****

"Okay I'm here." Sophie rushed into the Healing center. "You said that he was manifesting?"

"Yes and you took your pretty time getting here too. " Elwin grumbled. Sophie was surprised. He didn't normally talk like that.
Ignoring the comment, Sophie went next to Keefe's cot and looked at him.

"He's asleep?" Sophie raised an eyebrow. "I thought you and to be awake to manifest."

"Yes but I sedated him so I could look at some stuff without him moving. Then I discovered that he was starting to manifest. I've tried to wake him up but he hasn't responded to any elixers."

Sophie frowned. "So what are you going to do?"

"Wait until he wakes up. Honestly, I think that Lady Gisela's experiment-- whatever you want to call it-- failed. "

She gasped. "But how? She's planned this for years!"

" Yes but she didn't fully understand the elements. They were always ahead of her reach. "

"So you're saying," Sophie said slowly. "Is that Keefe might be like this for a long time?"

" No. I'm saying that he might not manifest an ability. And if he does, it might be something random, something that Lady Gisela didn't plan to have. "

"Oh. I get it now. But-" She was cut off by Keefe waking up. "Is everything alright?"

" Yeah. But - woah! " His face displayed surprise.

"What is it?" Sophie asked in suspense .

"The air. It's so strong." His brow furrowed in confusion . "I don't know why, but it's calling to me, like Linh says the water does. It's strange, I never felt that when Elwin sedated me."

"Oh! You're a Guster!"

"Why a Guster? The Neverseen already have one. Unless I have extra special freaky Guster powers. "

"No. That's not it." Quickly Sophie told Keefe what Elwin had told her.

" Oh. Well that makes sense. " He brightened with an idea. " Does this mean I can get out of bed now?"

"Definitely not!" Sophie said at the same time Elwin said " Yes. "

"Wait what?" Keefe and Sophie said in unison.

"Why?" Sophie asked first.

"There's no reason to keep him here any longer. I checked and there's no pain anymore, so I don't know why he has to stay here. "

"Yes!" Keefe fist bumped the air. He started to get out of bed. "No more bed rest. Time to create havoc with Ro again!"

" No pranks. Or I'll skin you alive. " Sophie warned.

"Oh." Keefe raised his eyebrows. " Miss F is getting tough. "

Sophie glared him. "I should probably go." She announced . "I have to get home." She didn't actually need to get home but she had a lot to think about.

Tysm for reading. Don't you think Sophie acting weird? Read more to find out! *reads that* "Oh that's super cringy!"

Word count: (800)

XD