Payback's A Nightmare | ✔

CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH

She stared at her Imparter, her mind lost in the two words displayed on the small crystal screen.

Tomorrow morning.

She glanced out her window absentmindedly, lost in her own thoughts. She let her mind wander with her eyes as they danced into the beautiful view outside. The sun had long set, the sky painted a dark, rich shade of Prussian blue. Flecks of pure white dotted the horizon and beyond, illuminating, bringing light to the darkness. It reminded her of foxfire, and how she used to feel dubious about the name of the elvin academy when she was young, when she just came to the Lost Cities.

It . . . had seemed like a very long time ago. And long time ago, things weren't this way.

Everything has changed, she sighed, thinking gloomily to herself as she stared out at the dark, dark sky. The reflection of the once-bright stars seemed to have turned melancholy in her sad, brown eyes. But now, I seem to have a chance to fix it.

A click of the door sounded, ripping Sophie out of her reverie. She quickly whirled around as Keefe stepped in. His trademark smirk disappeared when his ice blue eyes met her honey brown ones. She knew the look on her face had given her away. And even if it hadn't, her emotions wavering off of her would.

"Everything okay, Sophie?" he asked, looking at her with that affectionate, sweet and worried look that made Sophie's knees feel weak.

He hardly ever called her Sophie, and when he did, it was all worth it. She knew that Vertina was right—he really did love her—even when she herself wasn't sure of her own feelings.

But then he placed his hand on her shoulder, and she flinched, her emotions going haywire—which made Keefe flinch too.

Sophie thought she saw a flash of hurt cross Keefe's eyes, but it was only for a split second before it vanished, replaced by the usual twinkle in his eyes. Only maybe a little more sobered.

"Woah." He entwined their fingers together, so tightly that Sophie felt her racing pulse beneath her fingers. "Whatever is wrong, you can tell me. We trust each other, remember?" he whispered in her ear, his warm breath fanning a few stray strands of her blonde hair.

Sophie shivered, suddenly feeling cold despite his warm touch. But she nodded silently, and sank herself into Keefe's embrace. Despite of all the rush of events that had slowly built its way up to the climax, it was still comfortable to be in his arms. It felt like going home, going back to the old times.

She knew she hadn't really answered Keefe's question. And she also knew this worried him as much as it worried her. And she definitely knew it reminded them too much of what had happened last time—when Keefe had avoided her probing questions, and had turned out to have set a deal with the Neverseen to join them.

"It's okay," she breathed, trying to smooth out the quivery jitters that were threatening to blow her cover. Even though she knew it was futile to hide from him. "I'm fine."

She heard his low chuckle, the warm exhale of breath tickling her faintly blushing cheeks. "You do know you can't ever lie to an Empath, right? So spill, Sophie."

Sophie didn't reply him, her heart thudding too loudly for her liking. An eternity of silent waiting stretched on and on until Keefe let out a sigh that sounded more like a groan, and pulled back from their stiff embrace. "I should have known the Mysterious Miss Foster wouldn't tell me anything she's up to." He flashed her a dazzling smirk. It might be just her imagination, but Sophie thought it looked sort of forced.

She hated it when he forced gestures to hide his emotions. Last time it happened, it hadn't led to anything good.

She tried to smile at him, though, as she lied through her teeth, "Don't worry, Keefe. It's nothing you have to worry about."