Shades of Starlight (Hiatus)

Book Two: Chapter Twenty-Two

Minutes passed, trickling away slowly like sand through an hourglass. The Councillors stood behind us, standing next to each other without making a sound. They were as still as their intimidating goblin bodyguards. I watched as Sophie's eyes found them, then the Vackers, until they locked on mine.

She was next in line, just behind Grady and Edaline. And after that, Keefe and my parents. Lord Cassius and Lady Gisela were as stately as always, my father clearly listening to the conversation Sophie and my brother were having.

"Don't be mad," I told Biana softly as Sophie stepped forward. She looked at me questioningly, then realized who was in front of her. Her face hardened, but she didn't say anything. Fitz, however, was in the middle of thanking Sophie when he looked at her face for the first time.

"I'm so sorry," Sophie said quietly, jerking her gaze up to meet Fitz's. He did nothing, only staring without a word.

"Fitz, please," I begged under my breath. He ignored me as Sophie looked like she wanted to run away, but stood her ground and took a deep breath. I could tell that whatever she was going to say next, it would make Fitz snap.

"I miss him."

"You don't get to-" Fitz exploded. I let go of Biana and stepped between them.

"Fitz, listen to me. This is Sophie."

"Cass? You're supposed to be with us, not them," he said venomously. I brushed away a tear.

"I know you're hurting now, and you have a right to. But you don't have a right to take your anger out on Sophie."

"It's fine, Cass." Sophie looked at Della, who was watching intensely. "I... I guess I shouldn't have come."

"No, you shouldn't have," Fitz barked.

"Chill, man," Keefe told him, following Sophie as she hugged Della and hurried away, Sandor right behind her. I looked desperately after her.

"Go," Biana said, the first word I'd heard out of her in a long time. I glanced at her.

"Are you sure?" I asked, not wanting to leave her.

"Yes. I'll see you later," she told me in a surprisingly strong voice. I nodded, and with several looks back, walked off to where Sophie, Keefe, and Sandor had gone. There was no way to go around Alden's Wanderling.

The sapling was frail and thin, with unmistakable teal flowers dotting each branch. It didn't look like him. It didn't feel like him.

"Are you ready to go home, now?" Sandor was asking. Keefe was making his way back to our parents. I wasn't sure if that meant Sophie wanted to be alone or not.

"Not yet," Sophie told him. She started off down a winding path. I began to follow, but stopped with a yelp when Sandor suddenly appeared in front of me, sword drawn and ready to strike.

"Stop!" I yelled, so strongly that he instantly backed away, sheathing his sword. Sophie turned around.

"Sorry," he squeaked gruffly.

"I thought you were with Biana."

"She told me to leave," I said, joining her as she continued walking. Sophie looked at me, terrified.

"Was it because of what I said?"
"No, I think she just wanted to be alone. You know that it's not your fault that any of this happened, right?"

"Sure."

"It's true," I persisted. "Did Keefe talk to you? What did he sense from Fitz?"
"He said that Fitz was really only a little mad at me and that he was mostly mad at his dad. And... he said the same thing you did. That Fitz doesn't have a right to take his anger out on me."

"And you believe him, right?" I asked as we rounded a bend. She nodded and shrugged at the same time, which wasn't a great answer, but I didn't want to argue with her now. "Where are we-oh..."

I trailed off as Sophie stopped in front of two trees standing on a hill. One was narrow, pale, and slightly scrawny, and short, with golden leaves and brown seed pods. The other...

"Is-is this... is this normal?" I stepped up to the second tree.

The trunk was thick and towered far above all the other trees, some of which had been there for thousands of years. Black crept up the bark, spreading through the tree like a plague. It outlined the bloodred teardrop-shaped leaves and appeared as cracks in the smoky-gray berries. The ends of the branches, blonde in color, were the only parts of the tree not entirely taken over by the inky blackness.

"I-I don't know," Sophie said, joining me a few inches away from the tree. "It wasn't like this when I came here before."

"Sophie," I said fearfully, staring up at the enormous tree. "What's wrong with me?"