A/N: Just FYI this is a short chapter- but for a r e a s o n >:D
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" HELP!" Dex said as he barged through Havenfield's front door, with Tam and Flori right behind him. Grady and Edaline ran to him with panicked, concerned expressions. Grady held Dex by his shoulders.
" What's wrong? Where were you? Where's Sophie?" Grady commanded. Dex turned hysterical.
" Th- they took her. Sophie got this note and she contacted me and Tam and we formed a plan to meet them and we took Flori and- WHOOSH! Root-flying! Lady Gisela, melder-" He said in a messy jumble of words. Grady shook his head in aggravation.
" DEX STOP! I don't understand. What about Lady Gisela?" All of a sudden, large hands picked up Dex by his shoulders.
" I'm only going to ask nicely once. WHERE. IS. MY. CHARGE." Sandor told him in his commandy squeaky voice. Dex stared at him. He seemed to be in a daze. He said nothing as his eyes were somewhere else.
" Ok. This one's broken," Sandor said as he dropped him. He turned to Tam and Flori.
" WHO HERE CAN TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?" Tam tugged on his bangs as he and Flori explained what happened. Edaline fell onto the couch to sit, shocked. Grady's expression fell more and more with each word. After they were finished explaining, Sandor ran to hail Grizel. And Grady's expression turned very, very hard.
Soon, Fitz burst through the door, along with Biana, Wylie, Stina, Marella, the Collective, Oralie and Bronte.
" WHY. WHY DIDN'T YOU LET ME AND BIANA COME? I'M HER COGNATE! AND BIANA CAN VANISH!" Fitz yelled as he came into the house.
" It wasn't our CHOICE! Sophie came up with the plan! NOT US!" Tam told him. Fitz looked away in fury. He leaned on the wall. Almost immediately, the Collective and the two Councilors started arguing, with Edaline, the bodyguards, and the rest of Sophie's friends. Fitz huffed.
" What's up with him?" He said as he nodded his head toward Dex, who was sitting on the couch in his daze still.
" I think he's having flashbacks from when he and Sophie were being held hostage and being tortured." Tam said, his voice hitched on the end. Fitz's eyes widened a bit. He looked at Dex with pity and sadness for a minute before he walked up to him.
" Dex." He said.
" Dex." He said again as he shook him.
" It seems like his consciousness has tucked itself away, almost." He told Tam, who came up beside him.
Fitz kneeled down and looked at Dex.
Dex. Come on. We need you. Come back. Fitz transmitted.
When that didn't work, he sent one of his memories of Sophie laughing. He hoped he was doing this right. Sophie made it look pretty effortless.
Sophie needs you. Come back for her.
She needs you.
Dex blinked. Fitz stood up alongside Tam, who was watching. Dex looked at both of them and then at the rest of the room that was still arguing. His cheeks flushed a bit as he rubbed the back of his neck.
" Sorry. I just... I can't lose her. She's my best friend. She's the first real friend I ever had. I can't remember everything, but I remember enough."
His eyes widened and he grabbed his head roughly.
" And I don't want to remember what we went through." Fitz and Tam both looked down at the ground, not knowing what to say. Dex seemed to notice he was making them uncomfortable. So he went for a subject change.
" Hey, where's Grady?" He said as he scanned the room.
" I'm right here." He said loud enough to get everyone's attention.
" I was just.... Informing someone of what happened." Grady mumbled.
" Prepare yourselves." He informed all of Sophie's friends. They all gave a confused look.
All of a sudden, the door burst open.
A figure walked in that caused the whole room to gasp.
Keefe's eyes were panicked as everyone's emotions hit him like a bus. He coughed and whispered one sentence, risking the words.
" I have a plan."