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“Let him go!” Sophie’s voice bounced off far-away walls hidden by the gloom of the cavernous chamber, creating a cacophony of echoes that rang in her ears.
“And why would I do that?” Came the scathing reply.
It voice came from a pale figure whose face was hidden in the darkness at the edge of the hall. They were seated on a glassy black throne that rested on a grand stone pedestal and as Sophie watched, they lent forward, exposing their face to the light. She looked as though she would’ve been pretty, but the skin on her face was stretched tight, like a mask across her features.
“Why are you doing this?” Sophie cried. “ was it worth hurting your son, your own flesh and blood, just for your own selfish gains?”
“My plans were not selfish, I’m helping the whole world! It is corrupt and diseased, and I am purging it of infection!” Lady Gisela’s eyes took on a feverish gleam as she spoke.
“What about Keefe? All he ever did, was love you, and you used him like a prop, a chess piece in your game!”
“I let him realise his full potential. I gave him power beyond anything anyone imagined.”
Sophie chuckled sadly,
“How blind do you have to be? You think he wanted power? You think he wanted to be a part of your schemes? All he ever wanted was you. He needed a family. You weren’t there for him. No number of abilities will ever make up for that.”
For a moment Gisela paused, and hint of doubt wavered in her eyes. Then she shook her head, as if to clear it, and leant back in her chair.
“You can tell that to him then.”
She tapped her foot on the ground, and it rumbled briefly before a hole appeared, and two dwarves emerged, carrying a large object over their shoulders. They dropped it unceremoniously in front of Lady Gisela‘s chair. Sophie started forward but Gazella held out a hand to stop her.
“That’s close enough, are you forgetting I have your friend right here? Wouldn’t want him to get hurt now would you?”
She produced a long, wicked blade from her sleeve. Sophie prayed it was an empty threat.
Lady Gisela gave Keefe’s body, a sharp kick that made Sophie flinch.
“Come on, wakey wakey!”
Slowly, he stirred and sat up groggily. As soon as Keefe saw where he was, he began to struggle and ride, but he was bound and gagged, very securely, and the ropes wouldn’t give.
“Keefe!” Sophie cried.
Keefe looked around, and when his eyes locked with Sophie’s, they went wide with fear. The timid, broken boy lying there looked so different from the flirty, teasing, Keefe she knew, or even from the scared, angry boy she knew hid underneath that mask. At first she couldn’t put her finger on it, but then it came to her. He looked defeated.
She made a promise, then to Keefe and herself. That no matter what, she was going to get him out of there in one piece, she wouldn’t let him endure any more pain than he already had.
Sophie opened her mind to his, and immediately heard his voice,
“Run Sophie! Get out of here!”
“I’m not leaving without you.” She replied and closed her mind again.
Lady Gisela leaned down and untied Keefe’s gag, his eyes still pleaded with Sophie to leave. She roughly grabbed his face and turned it towards her.
“Time for you two to meet your fate.”
“I’ll do whatever you want!” Sophie shouted. “I’ll join the Neverseen, I’ll do your bidding, anything! Just let Keefe go.”
“No Sophie! Don’t!” Keefe yelled, “I’m not worth it.”
“Oh don’t worry honey, I don’t want her.” Lady Gisela scoffed.
“You don’t?” Sophie asked, a little confused.
“No. I had hope for you in the beginning but now I know you have too many foolish morals! I’d never be able to trust you!”
“Then have me!” Keefe demanded, “I’ll be your golden boy, your legacy. But don’t hurt her!”
“You misunderstand. I don’t want either of you.” She smiled wickedly,
“Oh I had such great plans for you Keefe. Unfortunately your idiotic infatuation with the precious little Moonlark ruined all of my hard work.” She spat.
“You would do anything for her and that makes you useless! However,” she paused, “both of you are too powerful for your own good and for mine, so the only thing left to do is to kill you both.”
She plunged her knife into Keefe’s heart as Sophie screamed. Lady Gisela pulled the knife out slowly with a chuckle and suddenly Keefe was surrounded by a pool of his own blood. Sophie sprinted to his side and collapsed to her knees as she tried to stop the flow of blood, but her hands weren’t enough. Keefe calmly rested his hand on her cheek.
“It’s alright Sophie, it’s over now. I’m not scared of death.”
“No! No, no, no, no, no. I can’t let you die!”
Tears clouded her vision and trickled over his hand to mingle with the blood.
“Goodbye.” Keefe whispered and his eyes drifted shut.