Moonlark Turned Evil

55: The New Councillor

I'm alive!

Bye—

Uh yeah enjoy the chapter.

*disappears to go to sleep*

"Welcome back, Miss Foster," Forkle said, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips. It was too cheerful, too polite, and the newfound knowledge that he was responsible for her parents' death was making it really difficult for Sophie to stay calm.

"Hello, Mr. Forkle." Sophie returned the smile, keeping her anger on the inside. Glimmer!! Why did you let them in?!

The Flasher gave a breathy whistle as Sophie fixed her with a glare. They're allied with us, it's not like I can refuse, she thought back to Sophie. Good luck, this now has nothing to do with me!!

"What brings you here?" Sophie asked, suppressing an eye roll as she turned back to the unwelcome guests. She'd arrived back in Inia barely minutes before, having recharged her teleporting, only to be informed that Forkle and the rest of the Collective were waiting for her. There was a rather large crowd behind her, everyone watching with excitement like the whole standoff was a scene in some kind of k-drama.

"A diplomatic visit," Forkle said, calm, as if the hallway wasn't packed with people. "Regarding our treaty."

Sophie tilted her head. So he's breaking off the shaky alliance, is he? "Is that so? Fae, is the conference room open?"

"Of course it's open," Fayn said. "Why would anyone want to be using the thing?"

"It's not a very long discussion, Miss Foster," Forkle interrupted. "Standing here will—"

"But what if I want to sit?" Sophie said, her rather convincing amicable expression still painted over her face. "I apologize, but I'm really just not considerate enough to organize a conference room for the sake of someone else."

Glimmer snickered.

Forkle's smile faded a little, but he kept it on his face. "Forgive me for assuming, Miss Foster. Would you like to sit down, then? I'm sure the conference room will be fine for us, too."

Sophie dropped the facade. "Just get along with it, Mr. Forkle. I'm kind of busy."

Forkle's smile instantly grew darker, to match her level of hostility. "I'd like to break off the alliance."

"Are you stupid?" Sophie said, almost before he'd finished his sentence. Her voice cut over the shocked noises her friends were emitting. She'd expected as much—there was no way Forkle would partner with someone who was in the game, and it had only been a matter of time before he found out that she was a player.

"Pardon me?"

"You're going to come into my territory, in the sky, where there's a shield to prevent unauthorized light-leaping? And then openly declare war? Not to mention you're severely outnumbered. You clearly have a death wish."

As always, Squall showed no sign of emotion, but Sophie could've sworn the surface of the ice that coated her adoptive aunt twitched in amusement.

"Are you insinuating that you'll kill or capture us?" Blur said, from Forkle's right. "Are you capable of doing that with your friends watching? You won't be able to play the hero if they see you kill someone right in front of their eyes."

Sophie's gaze flickered towards Keefe, for the fraction of an instant. He'd seen her nearly kill Irily, that night in the glade, but he hadn't judged her—at least, not out loud. Looking back to the Collective, she saw Forkle's lips twitch ever so slightly, and realized—a little too late—that Blur was trying to make her second-guess herself.