Sophie rolled her eyes at Alvar's antics. The prick was just trying to upset his siblings and they were taking the bait.
Freaking idiots, she mentally scoffed. And they were, because if they knew any better they would have known that Alvar was just trying to get a rise out of them.
Then she heard a laugh from behind her and saw that it was Reynn—and then she saw that the others were trying to not laugh. So she raised a questioning brow and Reynn was pointing at the Vacker siblings who were turning red in the face.
"They are freaking idiots aren't they, Soph." Alvar snickered.
It was Sophie's turn to turn red in the face this time. And it was different from the Vacker siblings who were offended and a tad bit angry, their red faces almost purple. Her face was bright red with shame and embarrassment.
Clearing her throat, she shoved down the awkwardness and put on one of her figurative masks to hide her emotions. "So, as I was—"
"Smooth," Tam coughed into his sleeve, drawing the eyes of everyone to him. They must have missed him and the others in the beginning because of all the commotion Alvar caused, but he had their sole attention now.
And if Sophie was being honest, the look Biana was giving Tam was a bit unsettling.
Thankfully someone saw her discomfort and came to the rescue. "Cut the shit Tammy boy," Glimmer, "It wasn't just smooth, give our girl more credit. Her cover was flawless, polished, and effortless—she's my hero."
She wished to take back the thought that Glimmer was coming to her rescue. Right now all she wanted to do was shove the gorgeous flasher into the nearest tree, shoving all the leaves down her throat.
Bright side was that Biana was no longer looking at Tam, but at Sophie and Glimmer in horror.
Glimmer noticed the attention immediately and started batting her eyes prettily. Sophie let a little chuckle slip as she cleared her throat again. It was time to get to business and everyone, including herself, needed to stop joking around.
"So, as I so vaguely said before, I need all of your help." She breathed, "And I kid you not, the world is literally depending on you guys."
They seemed to hear what she was saying, just not letting it sink in. So she faced Keefe, "I wasn't lying in the alley about the Lost Cities being broken and the Councillors being corrupt and power hungry." She faced Fitz, "Unjust liars," Then Dex, "They are the reason I've stayed hidden for so long—why I had to bury Sophie Foster and stay away."
Sophie smiled at Biana, "I really did try to keep you all out of this, but fate isn't letting me. And that is why I had Linh warn you whilst I led Ruy somewhere private to talk," She said, looking quickly at Marella then Ruy.
"I was an innocent human before the Neverseen came knocking on my door six years ago. Before the Black Swan dragged me into this whole mess with the Council. Before they told me that I was the solution to their problems—the weight is becoming too heavy because their focus is shifting. And if it doesn't change, they will be the same as the Council."
From her peripheral vision she saw Glimmer, Reynn, and Alvar shift. "But it's not too late. We can still stop this, we can still make the difference our causes were originally planning to do."
Sophie then looked at Tam and Linh, "Because I lied, I think that the world is still very much worth saving."
//
They all didn't say anything for a while after Sophie spilled her guts on the fact that she—someone who was probably the most powerful person in the world—was asking for help. She didn't like this feeling of being helpless and insecure about not being strong enough.
Blowing out a breath of air, she let her back hunch because if she could take a gander, her friends and frenemies weren't going to say anything anytime soon.
But then she heard it, a voice that she suspected the least.
"I'm with you," It was Reynn, "And so are Alvar and Glimmer, they just don't want to admit it because they have a lot of things to lose while I have nothing. So I am with you, just don't get me killed too easily—I kinda had a couple things in mind to do before I die."
Sophie gave her a bright smile, a smile that made Tam flinch—because it was the smile that only he'd get.
But before she could say anything Alvar let out a grumble that made Glimmer punch him in the stomach. "Cut the shit, Vacker. I know you're not a coward but you are acting like one because the shit about not wanting to do this to save your loose ends—your siblings—because if this fails and the Neverseen come after us, that is shit. Because I have no doubt that they will join with Sophie because of their hero complexes. Everyone here will join because of their hero complexes, so don't mess with yourself, Alvar."
The teal eyed siblings let out matching indignant squawks, but they couldn't deny. Nor could anyone else apparently because of the way they were looking at the ground.
"Not to sound like a spoiled bitch, because I sure as hell know that I'm going to sound like one, but you should not join because of a hero complex. If that is your only reason I'd advise you to leave right now because not only will you be in danger, but so will the people we are trying to save."
"She has a point," Marella snickered, not taking her eyes from Sophie. "I'm in, and believe me when I say that I have no hero complex—I leave that to the try-hards."
She felt a smile form on her face—not the same as the one she gave Reynn and Tam, but close enough.
"Well I'm in I guess," Linh said a bit too brightly, displaying an equally bright smile."I am not a try-hard."
If she didn't know any better she would say that Linh was hitting on Marella, and Marella was blushing.
But Sophie did know better.
Linh was just a bubbly person who was seriously obsessed with Wylie—she had been since they were kids, and now that Wylie finally indulged her with the relationship...there were zero odds that they would break up anytime soon.
She remembered what it was like before Wylie allowed Linh to take him out on a date—and spoiler, it wasn't pleasant. Her silver haired friend went through both guys and girls faster than you could say 'fizzelberry wine'. She dated basically everyone who went to Exillium during their time—everyone but Sophie...and Tam too of course.
They would be a cute couple if Linh found the petite pyrokinetic before Wylie, because dare she say this...Marella was definitely bisexual if not fully gay. Because she was dating Dex...and no comment...
There was a weird tension left in the air after Linh flashed Marella that smile—someone snickering on the side caught her attention. And it just had to be Reynn.
Glimmer and Alvar glowered at their pink haired friend, "Don't—" Glimmer started but Reynn cut her off.
"That was a whole shit load of sexual tension—" She didn't even get to finish her sentence because she was laughing so hard. Her statement was funny, sure, but Sophie didn't think it was funny enough to merit Reynn losing her shit over it.
The pink haired felon did have a way of making Sophie give in to the laughter though, making the others less tense and give small forced chuckles.
Linh and Marella looked at each other quickly before looking away, their faces bright red.
//
"Will someone remind me why we are here again?" Fitz asked as they sneaked into Havenfield to Calla's tree.
Sophie scoffed as she already told everyone several times why they were here. "I'm going to show you memories, and then you guys can really judge whether you want to join me or not."
"And let me guess," Reynn said, closer to Sophie than she was seconds before. "Those memories aren't going to be pleasant."
"Last chance to back out before my memories make you," She muttered to herself, then told the group aloud, "Everyone place your hands on the tree."
Then she closed her eyes and focused on the memories, being helped by Calla who was also giving her input on her memories.
This really won't be pleasant, Miss Foster.
"How many times do I have to say that that's not my name anymore..."
//
They were in a dark room—or not necessarily a room, more like a compartment in her mind. And she told them as much, "Stay close and don't wander off, the moment I decide to end a memory and I can't see you, you will be stuck in there forever. And I don't think anyone wants to be stuck in my mind forever."
Sophie turned and faced the Neverseen members, "These first memories will not be...fun. I'm going to show you what the Neverseen did to me, so you know who you're crossing."
Then she faced her old friends, "Then the next memories will show what the Council can do to you if you cross them."
Facing Linh and Tam last, "And the last ones are the reason I need to die."