Equestria Girls of the Lost Cities (a KOTLC/EQG fanfic)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Sophie drifted with the warmth. Time, space, life—they held no meaning in the brightness. But she was peaceful, more peaceful than she'd ever been. If this was death, it wasn't so bad.

A ghost of sound wove through the sparkle and color and heat. She tried to ignore it, but the noise persisted, and it sounded familiar. The same word over and over.

Sophie.

Awareness tugged her away from the light, and she fought against leaving the freedom. She didn't want to go back to the darkness.

But she couldn't tune out the voice.

Sophie. Sophie, can you hear me? Sophie.

The light turned teal and sparkled like a jewel all around her. The voice was soft, but still crisp, like it had an accent she couldn't place. . . .

Fitz!

The rainbow world lost its appeal. With a surge of newfound strength, she pooled every remaining ounce of her concentration and wrapped it around the sound of his voice, letting it pull her back to reality. She gasped as pain rocked her head so hard it felt like her mind cracked, and a thousand different aches splintered through her body.

She tried to move but only managed a slight shiver. Something strong and warm wrapped around her.

"Sophie," Fitz said again, clearer now, right next to her. "Sophie, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me."

She didn't have the strength to squeeze, but her mind was stronger than her body.

I'm here.

He laughed—a beautiful sound—and the warmth enveloped her again, tighter this time. "Everything is going to be okay," he whispered. "You're safe now. Just stay with me, okay?"

I'll try.

There was something she needed to remember. Something bad had happened. Someone was hurt. An image of a strawberry-blond-haired boy crumpled on the ground flashed into her mind.

Dex!

"Dex is fine," Fitz promised. "Keefe leaped him to Everglen, and Biana left to get Elwin. We weren't sure if it was safe to move you." His voice hitched at the end.

So many questions raced to her mind, but she was afraid to ask any of them. Thank you for coming.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I didn't want to believe you could still be . . . get my hopes up if . . ." He choked on the words. "I finally told Keefe and Biana about it, and they convinced me to come. If I'd come sooner, maybe . . ."

You're here now.

"I just hope I'm not too late," he whispered.

"Where is she?" Elwin barked, as running footsteps moved closer. He gasped. "Fitz, open her mouth."

Soft fingers parted her lips, and then a cool liquid slid across her tongue.

"Try to swallow, Sophie," Elwin ordered.

It took every bit of strength she had to push the sweet syrup down. The medicine rushed through her body, numbing as it went.

No!

She didn't want to be sedated again. She didn't want to go back to the darkness.

"It's okay, Sophie," Fitz whispered, his voice farther away.

"Don't fight the medicine," Elwin added. "Your body isn't ready to be awake. I promise it will be okay."

She was scared to sink into the blackness again. She wasn't sure she'd have the strength to come back.