UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 68

Sophie wasn't sure if she'd heard Adela correctly- but telling from the looks on everyone elses' faces, she had.

"Wait, hold up." Sophie closed her eyes and tried to stop the world from spinning in front of her; her life was way too complicated. "Edaline has a brother?"

"I suppose that would make sense if she never told you-"

"Wow, what is it with the secret siblings?" Keefe mumbled, and Sophie had to agree- it was like a cheesy human spy movie at this point. "Come on, guys! You can be more creative than that! Secret parents! Secret lairs! Secret abilities! And you guys pulled the 'secret sibling' move twice?"

He whistled and Adela scowled at him.

"I cannot control the fact that my brothers chose to experiment on me and I fell in love with the person I later killed. But as I was saying, it would make sense if she never told you, considering he died.. and death is always hard to talk about," Adela finished.

Death is always hard to talk about.... something about her tone made it sound like she was speaking from experience. 

"You're expecting me to believe," Sophie said, squeezing her eyes shut. "That my adoptive mom... had a secret brother... so my adoptive uncle... and you were in love with him... and you killed him? Because of what Forkle did to you?"

"Yes. But it was not out of hate for my brother, if that is what your last sentence implied," Adela put in pointedly. "It was because of what my brothers did to my DNA- I was reckless and uncontrollable; understandable, considering my genetics were tweaked by two sixteen year olds- geniuses, yes, but socially unpredictable and unable to hide my existence."

"Now, I love this little chat that you guys are having," Lady Gisela growled. "But must I remind you- you are being surrounded by my forces. You are tied up. You are guarded. You have no way of communication with any of your friends- and don't even think about using that mind of yours, Sophie; we have very creative ways to make sure your drained and unconscious -and Adela, my dear."

She turned to the Vanisher. "I'm giving you one last chance to join us once again."

"And I'm giving you one last chance to surrender," Adela countered fiercely. "I don't care if I die protecting these spoiled brats, I will do it for him, if that was what he wished me to do."

"You're making a mistake," Lady Gisela warned- though Sophie could see the fear in her eyes. Adela was more powerful than her, and Gisela knew that. She was stalling.

"Then let me make it," Adela said calmly. "Really. If you despise me so much, allow me to make this grand mistake that you speak so much of."

Adela smiled at her and Lady Gisela seemed to struggle with herself before saying, "Okay."

"Okay," Adela repeated, still smiling knowingly in her direction. "It pains me to know that you will never see your son's legacy in which you've worked so hard for. But he knew better- and I will do whatever I can in my power to bring out his dying wish. Anything. And if that means creating a new Sencen legacy, then so be it."

The horrible malicious glint was back in her eyes- and Sophie was relieved it was faced at Lady Gisela.

"And it starts by killing you."