Unlocked

Thirty Five - Sophie

The last two days had been rough.

After updating Team Valiant on Oralie's status, helping Elwin take care of her, enduring Stina's annoying comments, and transferring Keefe to The Shores of Solace, Sophie was exhausted.

So many things were messed up and confusing—

"Hey."

The deep voice tore Sophie's gaze away from the salty waves tossing in the sea.

She was sitting on one of the hanging swings on the back patio, and had been watching the tide come and go for hours.

Keefe was standing a few feet away, his hair tousled and his expression tired. He was leaning against the side of the house, a light smile on his handsome face. It looked forced, but Sophie could tell he was trying to hide his pain.

Sophie patted the spot beside her and waited for Keefe to take the invitation to sit beside her.

He did, sinking onto the swing next to her.

"How're you doing?" She asked tentatively, keeping her hands in her lap to restrain herself from tugging out eyelashes.

"I'm . . . Okay," He said, staring at the waves with an unreadable expression.

"You know," Sophie said, fidgeting with the sash of her cream-colored tunic, "it's okay to not be okay."

Keefe nodded, his eyes tracing the blue rapids as they came and went, lapping the sand and retracting out over and over.

"Keefe?" Sophie said, waiting for him to meet her eyes. "I'm not an empath, but I can tell you're feeling guilty."

Keefe didn't refute her claim, just whispered, "My mother's a murderer."

Sophie scooted closer to him. "Remember what you used to say? Our families don't determine who we are?"

Keefe nodded his head, just once.

"Well, you were right," Sophie continued, running a hand through her hair, which was already starting to tangle, despite her efforts to comb it that morning. "They don't decide who we are. We do."

When Keefe didn't respond, she said, "Your mom killed Oralie. That was her decision. You saved Oralie. That was your decision."

Keefe was still silent, his ice blue eyes reflecting the aqua tones of the ocean. Sophie took his hand and took a deep breath before saying, "You saved my mother."

She'd never dared call Oralie her mother out loud before, but she needed Keefe to come to his senses. If that wouldn't do the trick, she didn't know what else would.

Keefe finally looked at her. "I thought you didn't want to refer to her as your mother."

"I don't," Sophie agreed, "But I can't change the facts. She's my mom whether or not I want her to be." Her voice shook with the last words, and she had to blink away the tears rapidly forming in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Keefe said suddenly, watching her eyes well up.

"I will be when you are," Sophie said softly.

At last, a real smile crept across Keefe's face. "I am okay."

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Because I—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Keefe had pressed his lips against hers. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and his soft breath tickled her skin, sending tingles down her spine. His lips were soothing and warm as she kissed him back, so soft and sweet and comforting that she found it hard to pull away. Her arms slid gracefully around his neck, his skin temperate and aesthetic as she hugged him tenderly.

"I'm okay," Keefe murmured into her ear, "because I have you. And that's all I need."

• The End •