Random Fandom Stuff {Renegades & Kotlc & Aurora Rising}

*Flashback Spoilers, Stellarlune Theories, and a Sotam One-Shot*

Ok, so I just got Flashback yesterday. I'm at page 251, but I had to take a break to write this, so

seriously,

we're all ignoring all of these immense Sotam moments?

So I have a theory.

Once the Fandom started pestering Shannon Messenger about the love triangle, she started to focus each book around one aspect of the love triangle. Lodestar was Sofitz, Nightfall was Sokeefe {you have to admit it.} But unfortunately, Shannon had shut down Dex in the last book-- hard. So, Dexphie isn't really an option any more.

And for the first time, she sees the glory that is Sotam.

When Shannon Messenger thinks about it, this actually goes along with most of the plotline of this book. Shadows, echoes, darkness, and, as Sophie puts it on Page 189, "Shade stuff!" {Another huge Sotam moment, by the way.}

From what I understand from the many, many, spoilers that I have picked up off of the Internet, during Flashback, Fitz and Sophie have a brief relationship that both starts and ends during Flashback. Similar to that failed kiss in Nightfall, is it not? This therefore eliminates Fitz as a possible future interest, tuning the love square into a triangle. Also, Tam ends up joining the Neverseen, which Shannon is doing to assert his entrance into the love triangle. Remember Keefe, and how much Sokeefe increased after his sacrifice?

Keefe and Tam are the the only ones left.

{Of course, this is assuming that Sophie is straight, and as otherwise has not been hinted, this it safe to assume.}

To add to this, on the cover, Tam is staring intently at Sophie, while Wylie is focused on the light-bridge thing. 

As for my theory, it is that each book focuses on one part of the love triangle, slowly eliminating one ship after another until there is only one left. However, Shannon only has two ships left, so she has to make them last.

I don't know much about Legacy, but I'm assuming that it's Sokeefe. From Unlocked spoilers, I know that's also Sokeefe. And my theory is *drumrolls*

Stellarlune is Sotam.

OK, here is a meme of what's happened in Flashback so far:

Sophie: One day, we're gonna look back on this and laugh.

Sophie: But that day is not today. Tam!

Tam: Coming Sophie! *panics*

Linh: *ships Sotam*

Keefe: Look, I'm better than Bangs Boy!

Ro: *ships Sokeefe*

Sophie: Let's do telekine- TAM IT HURTS!

Tam: *panics*

ONESHOT

This is part of chapter eleven of Flashback, as told from Tam's point of view.

Sophie's consciousness had gone dark. Not dark as in not responding, but dark as in devoid of light. Absorbing every ray.

Tam had always been comfortable with shadows. Even before he had manifested his ability, the darkness had brought him comfort. Something steady to hold onto. But this was different. Different even from the heaviness of the shadowvapor in Prentice's mind. 

Tam remembered that lesson in Exillium, when Sophie said she was afraid of the dark. He shivered when he remembered what she said.

"Monsters."

He could feel something, a formless, colorless, mass, just out of his reach. The darkness of Sophie's mind increased, now unsteady, like a roiling sea. That small spark of light that was Sophie was slipping under.

Tam reached more shadows out to grab onto Sophie. This time he lashed without the cool calm of before that he had used to grab hold of the shadowflux. This time, he did it from the heart, filled with emotion, with his worry and fear and love. 

He reached his shadows out and wrapped them around that spark of light. Protecting her from the monster he couldn't see. Pulling her closer, though there was something trying to keep her there.

"Sophie," he begged. "Sophie, please wake up."

Tam could feel the tears prick his eyes, but her tried to take the shadows away, tried to silence them. Tried to send happy shadow thoughts. Tried everything. He felt her spark tense up, coil like a snake, fearful and apprehensive. She didn't want to comeback. Not to this world that was too bright, to full.

He didn't want to either.

But they had to.

"Sophie," Tam called into her mind. He amplified the voices in the room, calling her name. The spark of light reacted, rushing back toward him, wrapping around him, and for a moment he held it there, trying to use her light to forget what he saw. 

Sophie's brown eyes opened, staring straight into his. 

"What happened?" he breathed. He had experienced so much pain and fear, and it must be only a fraction of what she had been experiencing. He must have made it so much worse.

"I know. I'm sorry," Sophie said, blaming herself. As if it was her fault.

"But what happened?" Tam repeated, the echo of the terror resonating in his brain. "What did I do wrong?" What Tam really wanted to ask was Am I really such a failure that everything I do manages to make everything worse? How is it that I can't protect anybody?

Sophie shook her head, though she made a small noise that suggested it hurt. "It wasn't you. I had the same nightmare before."

"This was more than a nightmare," Magnate Leto said, though Tam had no doubt in his mind after what he had seen. That was abject terror, not an emotion, but something with a form, something with weight and anger and instinct.

"What was it?" Edaline asked. And that was the question on everyone's minds- or Tam's, at least.

Magnate Forkle ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know."

Even though Tam expected the answer, it overwhelmed him with complete hopelessness.

"I'm sorry," Tam said. He pulled away from Linh and stalked to the corner of the room, not being able to bear the pain in Sophie's eyes. Tam covered himself with shadows, savoring the darkness. The light had so many possibilities, so many different ways to fail.

"It wasn't you," Sophie said, but Tam could tell that she barely believed it herself. He could tell when she didn't push it, when she just changed the subject.

Linh was staring at him, too, disappointment in her face.

And right then, at that moment, Tam made a vow that he would do whatever it took to protect them.