Swan Song

Chapter 31 - Sophie

When everyone arrived it already seemed claustrophobic. But when the councilors arrived, everything got much, much more claustrophobic. Oralie. What would her reaction be to all this?

Keefe came down just before we started explaining everything. Mr. Forkle directed Oralie to sit, and recommended for the rest of the councilors to do the same. The rest stayed standing. 

"What is this about?" Oralie asked, biting her lip nervously. 

"It's about Kenric." Keefe said, stepping forward. 

"What could this possibly have to do with Kenric?" Councilor Alina asked increduosly. 

Me and Keefe traded a look, everyone else was silent. "Well, I manifested as Viewer. In my first little black-out thing," Keefe took a deep breath, "Kenric was there."

"What are you trying to say?" Oralie said breathlessly.

"Kenric is still alive, and we know where to find him."

Oralie seemed to choke on her own breath, and her hand flew up to her mouth stifling a gasp. She let out a short sob as the rest of the councilors gasped. "Where is he?" It came out strangled,  and in pain. 

"He's at Candleshade. But before we go we have to be ready for a trap. We can't just rush in there-" Keefe was cut off by Oralie.

She stood up, "You were the ones talking about the power of spontaneity. Kenric has been there for more then a year! We don't know what they've been doing to him in there. We have to get him now." She said desperately, her voice audibly breaking. 

"Even if we do get him back, what do we do about me?" Councilor Alina growled. "We cant have an extra councilor."

"You won't have to worry about that." Oralie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "If anything, you'll have to worry about losing a councilor."

I almost gasped. Was she saying...?

"What are you saying?" Bronte asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm saying that if Kenric is still alive I'm not waisting any more time. I will stay in office as long as it takes to get a new councilor, but I am going to leave as soon as it is decided. I already waisted one life time. I'm not waisting another." She looked at me. "There are many things I have to mend, and I don't want to be a councilor to do it."

She couldn't mean... No. If she went out with it that she was my mother, her life would be ruined. No one would ever trust her again. Even if she was no longer a councilor, it was clear she had given her DNA away during the time that she was. 

"Oralie, finding a new councilor at this time..." Emery trailed off. 

"I know. But I have waited many, many years. I thought I may have lost him for forever, but now that I have the chance..." She took another deep breath. "I need to get things right this time." Her voice broke. "So when do we leave?"

***

Candleshade looked just as dark and ominous as I remembered. I shuddered as I remembered last time Keefe and I had been here. The bodyguards too of course. It's not like I would just mainly focus on the fact that it was me and Keefe.

I avoided Fitz's gaze. Uh oh. I knew that look. That 'sorry' look. Sooner or later he would come begging my apology and asking that we could be more then friends. And I would have to say no. And if he found out I liked his best friend... things would only get more complicated. 

Ugh, why did I have to like Keefe? Of all people, the first person I go to after the whole Fitz situation, was him. Best friends with my ex. Ex? Kind of. Maybe. Not really. I didn't even know anymore. What I did know now, was why I was so afraid to kiss him. Because I was afraid he would be just like Dex. And he was. What if Keefe was the same? I didn't want him to be, but Fitz was. 

Why did love have to be so complicated?