Keeper of the Lost Cities- Deathgrip

The beautiful voice

*KEEFE'S MIND*

"Dad? Where's mom?" Keefe looked down on two elves with blonde hair. When he looked closer, he could tell very clearly that the taller and older of the two was... his dad?! He whipped his head around, and sure enough, the little elf standing next to him was a younger, rounder-faced version of Keefe- with significantly less stylish of hair, but still.

Lord Cassius glared unlovingly at little-Keefe and barked a response. "She's out, Keefe. Go to your room and quit pestering me about it!"

"But... she's been gone for daaaays!" Little-Keefe whined, eyes brimming with tears. "I miss her! Where is mommy?!!!!"

His dad lowered his face to his level. "Listen, boy. I don't know! Quit whimpering and hold your head high like a Sencen. You don't need to disappoint me any more than you already do! Your mother is not here, so toughen up and act your age."

Little-Keefe lifted a shaky head and turned to walk slowly out of the room, dragging his feet. Suddenly, the door burst open and in a flash of light, Keefe's mom, Lady Gisela walked through the door. Her shoes were off, displaying puffy, swollen red feet and her diamond-encrusted dress was in tatters. Her face had cuts and bruises and she looked like she had just gotten into a terrible fight. Little-Keefe gaped, open-mouthed at his mom, in horror. Her next words were cracked and splintered, proof that washers had done their job. "Keefe... room!... -tarted a new... believe!... don't you see?! It's for the best, we can finally be a happy family and... please..." it was so jumbled that Keefe couldn't tell who was speaking anymore, but he kept everything stored neatly in his mind clearly, thanks to his photographic memory. The fizzing memory- or was it a dream?- went on until a familiar, beautiful voice that sent tingles all the way to the tips of his toes cut through. Sophie. The memory ended abruptly when she spoke and he was now left in darkness. She was shouting about how stupid he was and calling him names but it made him grin anyways. He could just picture her, stomping her foot with her best attempt at a stern face, scolding him and holding back a smile. Her rant ended with a quiet plea that wiped the smile off his face and made him desperate to return to wherever she was and wrap her in his arms. Keefe started running forward, clawing at the darkness, pushing more and more, going faster and faster. Running, running. "Sophie!" He yelled. His heart pounded blocking out the rest of the world as he looked all around, met only with darkness. But he would find a way out. If only for the beautiful blond elf with brown eyes that had golden flecks that he knew was sitting beside him, guiding him home.