Chapter Text
"Keefe said something else, didn't he?" Dex asked Sophie as she glared at her Opening Ceremony costume.
"Why are you asking me that?" she asked, tossing her yeti costume across her shoulders.
"Because you didn't blush when Fitz asked you."
"Dex," Sophie crossed her arms at him.
He raised his eyebrows back innocently. "Sophie?"
Sophie resisted the urge to tug out an eyelash. She hated lying. "Fine," she looked around to make sure no one else was there. The hallways of Foxfire were empty after their rehearsal. She'd gotten away with not having to talk to anyone thanks to her costume. Everyone looked like everyone else. "Keefe wants to kill me," she whispered to Dex.
"Well yeah, he's in the Neverseen."
"No. I mean... he told me he wanted to."
"And yet he let you roam around Candleshade, giving you a perfect opportunity for you to escape? And I remember you mentioned he didn't do anything to harm you. So he just casually threatened you and let you have your way?"
Sophie rolled her eyes at her friend. "He said he wanted to destroy the Moonlark."
"What? Why? Please don't tell me you told him you were the Moonlark."
"Of course not! And he doesn't technically know the Moonlark is a person. He just thinks it's a weapon the Black Swan created."
"Ohhhh," Dex's eyes widened, "so he's looking for you, he found you, and didn't realize it was you."
"Yeah," Sophie frowned. What if Keefe had realized she was the Moonlark just then? What if his mother or that Guster told him?
"And he's still looking for you," Dex understood, paling as he studied her, "and he wants to kill you."
Sophie slowly nodded. The idea of people being out to kill her made her dizzy and nauseous. Maybe she did need a bodyguard. Not that she left Havenfield much for the rest of her break- she'd been grounded.
"Why?" Dex asked, bringing her back to the present.
"Because he thinks that the Moonlark Project is responsible for what happened to Alden," Sophie whispered.
Dex's eyes widened, "oh crap."
"Yeah," Sophie looked around nervously, "and I haven't told anyone. So... it's our secret, okay?"
Dex grinned, "I know a secret that Biana and Wonderboy don't? Awesome!"
Sophie raised an eyebrow at him.
"Okay, not awesome that Keefe Sencen wants to kill you. But honestly Sophie? I don't think he would. I never actually spoke to him the times he was here in Foxfire. But he's a guy who's practically our age. And elves... we can't just kill. Someone would have to be very corrupted."
"Fitz is pretty convinced that he's corrupted."
"Fitz was convinced that he was the most powerful telepath a few months ago. Guess how right he was."
"That's not nice Dex. And shhh!" Sophie shushed him.
"I'm just saying the truth," Dex shrugged, "And seriously. We can't do anything bad. Our minds would literally break from the guilt. The only reason the Neverseen is able to do what they do is because they go numb, or who knows what else."
"What do the Neverseen do?" Sophie asked. "What do you know?"
"Well... my mom and my dad have talked a little about them. Like how all the Exilium students banished a few months ago."
"Della mentioned that the day I got here," Sophie remembered, "do you think the Neverseen..."
"Hurt them? I don't know. I think it's more likely that they're using them."
"As an army?"
"And a shield."
"Well... they are people who have been turned down by their world. It makes sense that they'd join willingly," Sophie suggested.
"Yeah," Dex sighed. "This world is more messed up than they make it out to be."
"That's why you don't like the Vackers, right?"
Dex nodded, "imagine... being in love with someone. And then society tells you you can't be with them because of genetics and because your children won't be powerful or amazing or live up to the world's potential."
"I don't know if I can imagine—" Sophie began but Dex cut her off.
"And then you stay with that person anyway. And you have children anyway too. And then you have triplets. Do you know how much they frown upon that? A lot. And for eternity, literally, people will always see you as the person with the bad match. And your children?" He pointed at himself. "Our existence is against tradition. According to the Matchmakers, I shouldn't exist. And you know what kind of people have reminded me of that my whole life? People like the Vackers."
"Oh," Sophie didn't really know how to respond to that. Dex was clearly saying something he didn't trust many people with, and he was refusing to look at her.
"They're just... the exact opposite of my family. And their attitude and little noble nose flares at us are a reminder that no matter what, I will always be the result of something that wasn't supposed to happen."
After a minute of awkward silence, Sophie spoke.
"But it did happen Dex. I don't know about 'supposed,'" Sophie admitted. "But you are here and the best part is that we can make a reason out of it. That whole matchmaking system is crap. Look at me! Freaky Moonlark girl! Who knows where I fit in anywhere in this world. But you Dex? Don't let anyone make you feel like that. Because if you didn't exist I'd be wondering the halls of Foxfire right now by myself. And I'd probably get lost and starve to death until school starts."
Dex laughed, "I guess you do need me."
"Yeah. And I know you don't like this but... I also need the Vackers," Sophie grinned as Dex groaned. "They're not bad people, Dex. Sure, they're a little egotistical. But you've talked to them now. They're not two dimensional."
"Yeah," Dex frowned, "I wonder why Biana's dating people who will clearly not be on her matchmakers list. It's so bizarre."
"Dex."
"What? Don't tell me you know the reason!" Dex have her a curious look. But Sophie knew it'd be wrong to discuss any of Biana's business.
"If I did I wouldn't tell you because she's my friend. And we're connected because my plan is to save her and Fitz's dad. It's her business Dex. Mine is to help them."
"I guess it helps that you have a crush on Wonderboy."
Sophie rolled her eyes, "No I don't."
"Keep telling yourself that," Dex teased. "And uh... lying to him isn't going to help."
"I know. I really wanted to tell them. But first I want to do something," Sophie admitted.
"What?"
"I can't tell Biana and Fitz that Keefe Sencen thinks I'm responsible for what happened to Alden until I've proven that he's wrong."
"I'm sure they wouldn't-"
"That's the thing though. What if he's right?"
Dex gave her a weird look, "What do you mean?"
"My neighbor, Mr. Forkle could transmit stuff to me. That's why I knew what Lucillant was. Wanna bet that he took stuff away too?"
"So your theory is that the Black Swan could be evil too?" Dex asked.
"I don't know. All I know is that I don't know enough about them. And I don't trust them," Sophie muttered, scanning the shadows in the hallway of her new school. Only a few more days before she started. "Who knows, maybe they're responsible for the vanishing Exile students."
"So that's our new plan, isn't it?" Dex asked. "You want to meet the Black Swan."
Sophie nodded, "Does that mean you'll help me?"
"I know something Fitz and Biana don't know and I get to help you find the Black Swan? I'm in!" Dex leaned over to whisper something in her ear, "Oh. And I happen to know a member."
"What?"