UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 78

"His mind is shattered? Not broken? Not lost?"

More questions. Too many questions. And all Sophie wanted to do was fade and crack and crumble just like reality was doing to her...

But she had to stay strong.

For Keefe.

For everyone.

But being strong was a lot harder than giving up.

"How about we give Sophie a break?" Edaline offered, sending them an angry-mama-bear glare that made the majority of people back off. "Just let her go back to Havenfield and get a good nights' rest?"

"Might as well just get them over with," Sophie grumbled, adjusting herself on one of the narrow cots so she could face the doorway where an awful fanfare of Councillors were sure to march in.

"We told them you needed a break," Biana told her. "Seriously Sophie. You okay?"

"Not really," Sophie admitted, offering her a smile. "But I'll live. It's just... a normal crazy day in the life of the moonlark."

She tried to ignore the weight of worried glances as she finished up the tray of sparkly elixirs that Elwin handed her and slid off of the bed.

And the worst thing was that she couldn't bear to look at Keefe as she raised her crystal to the light and faded away.

_______________

It was like being hit with a gust of deja vu.

Keefe wasn't waking up.

A cache could hold the answer.

But caches came with risks. Tolls that Sophie wasn't sure she wanted to take to save a life.

But this was more than a life.

This was Keefe Sencen.

And Sophie loved him more than she'd ever loved anything in her entire life.

And she'd be willing to take a risk- go through an entire horrible process all over again -just to get him back.

And maybe secrets were dangerous.

Maybe truths held things that were even more horrifying than the lies people told to cover them up.

And maybe she might have her mind broken- for whatever reason -in the proccess.

But this was war.

And war was risks. And losses. And small victories.

And big ones too.

And she would lay down her life if it kept Keefe Sencen safe.

Keefe's legacy wasn't unlocked.

Not yet. Not ever.

But Sophie wanted to keep it that way.

She gave one last glance at the beautiful blonde boy lying next to her as she dove into his mind and whispered the one word she could barely bear to bring herself to say.

Legacy.

And all she could hope for was that Keefe would hold onto her through it all.

It was time for the truth to be unlocked.