Keeper of the Lost Cities: Elysian

Chapter 48

Justin was silent for a long moment. "Who is this other guy?"

"Fallon Vacker," Merida responded timidly. "He was in my Universe session last year. He was always kind of creepily staring at me- and he wasn't embarrassed about it at all."

Wait.

Fallon Vacker?

Vacker.

A name Sophie finally recognized. She finally had a lead. And a couple of clues she could use to find Merida... or at least know more about her.

"Did you tell your parents that we're already going together?" Justin questioned.

"They don't even know I've been talking to you," Merida admitted. "If I tell them... I'll probably get myself into more trouble. And I'm worried what they can do- to you as well. They just have to pull some strings to get what they want."

"Do you... want to go with Fallon?" Justin asked finally.

"No," Merida answered immediately. "Why would I want to? And why are you asking?"

"I was... just wondering," Justin replied tensely.

Merida crossed her arms. "You're not a very good liar."

Justin's lips parted as if he was going to say something... then he clamped them shut abruptly. Merida kept staring at him expectantly but he didn't say anything.

"What are you going to do then?" Merida asked. "Have you found anyone else who you can go with?"

Justin shook his head dejectedly. "I might just not go. It's fine."

"Yes, it's totally fine," Merida retorted. "Your lie was painfully obvious this time, and besides, you look as happy as someone at a funeral."

"Wow... have fun with Fallon," Justin said angrily before storming off.

"Justin, please!" Merida cried desperately.

But he didn't look back, and her face fell back into lines of misery...

The scene faded away until Sophie was in a completely empty room.

She barely had time to register its familiarity before she was snapped back into reality.

Someone was shaking her forcibly.

"Sophie!" Elysian shouted. "What did you see? Tell me!"

Sophie pushed herself up from the grass frantically. "I-I don't know!"

Had she blacked out again?

"Tell me!" Elysian repeated, every word a blow. She had Sophie's shoulders locked in an iron grip. "Tell me what you saw. Now!"

"M-my visions!" Sophie choked out, trying to break free. "I don't know how or why!"

"Visions?" Elysian looked deadly serious. "What do you mean, visions?!"

"Like the one I had before you came to tell me about Biana and Flori," Sophie tried to explain, suddenly struggling to breathe.

Her eyes fell on the ground nearby.

There was a body.

Lord Cassius laid on the floor, unconscious.

"What do you mean?" Elysian cried. "What. Did. You. See?"

Sophie was about to speak, but a searing pain filled her mind.

"Sophie!" Elysian screamed.

Sophie wasn't aware. She couldn't think, feel, or see past the sea of spinning stars.