Tam's purpose in being there became apparent pretty quickly.
Keefe couldn't believe what he was hearing. The creepy shadowflux was in his heart? How could he not have known it was there? What did it say about him that something so dark and scary and creepy was in his heart and he couldn't tell?
And it also made him angry to realize that he'd run away and hidden in order to protect everyone when apparently his mother could have just shown up at any time and taken him.
And his friends wouldn't have known.
There would've been no one to save him, no one to help.
But...if he hadn't left, he might've done more damage with those unbelievably awful abilities.
So Tam removed the shadowflux from his heart.
And then they explained that there was potentially a third step to Stellarlune, and something about Elysian and a mysterious and dangerous sounding power source.
He could tell by the look on Sophie's face that she was hanging her hopes on finding that source before his mother did.
He had to tell her that if she managed it--and she probably would, because she was incredible--then she had to destroy it--all of it.
He wanted to take her by the hand, but something held him back.
There were so many unspoken words between them.
Neither of them was addressing the note he'd left. She was acting strangely, and he couldn't read her emotions well enough to discern why.
She seemed confused, but also still a little fluttery.
Or maybe it was just flustered.
He couldn't tell.
So instead of taking her hands, like he would have done before everything fell apart, he placed his hands on her shoulders as he told her they would have to destroy the power source.
The contact made her emotions a little clearer, but not much. She felt determined...and definitely confused. And that crease between her eyebrows was back and oh how he'd missed seeing that.
Sophie's insistence that they would need the power source in order to help Keefe made his heart swell with affection and gratefulness for this girl who always wanted to take good care of him.
And she definitely avoided promising him she'd get rid of it all.
He knew she'd try to hold some back.
For him.
And he really wanted to kiss her for that.
Nope, can't do that.
Although it might be worth it, even if she smacked him away, just to make Tammy Boy over there uncomfortable.
Instead, he did the only sensible thing.
Or maybe it wasn't sensible at all.
He just knew there was no way he could let her leave without him now. There was a reason he'd taken the cowardly route and left her a goodbye note instead of giving her the actual goodbye she deserved.
She'd have tried to talk him out of it. And she'd have succeeded. Not from the pep talk, but from the cute little worry crease between her eyes and the concern that surely would have been coming off her in waves.
He wouldn't have been able to leave her behind.
And he couldn't stand to let her go now.
But he also instinctively knew he'd have to make sure she didn't try to hold on to that power source for his sake. It had to be destroyed no matter how badly he might need it.
So Keefe announced that he was coming home with them.
And he was fairly certain Sophie felt elated at the news, but without being able to get a clearer reading, he had no way of discerning precisely what other emotions came with that.
They were friends. She'd given him ample evidence that she cared deeply for him. Of course she was glad if he was coming home.
Dex and Tam opted to go their separate ways, but Keefe really didn't know where else to go, so he leapt back to Havenfield with Sophie.
And seeing Edaline's genuine happiness that he was back somehow bolstered him and hurt him at the same time.
His friends' parents cared more about him than his own parents.
Grady didn't even like him and still treated him far better than his parents did.
Edaline was excited, running to give him a hug and telling him she'd missed him. Asked him how he was doing. Encouraged him. Told him she was there for him.
She did what a mother should do.
And he had to choke back tears.
But when Edaline pulled him in for another tight hug, he was forcibly reminded of Foster's hug from earlier. "You and Foster should have a strangle-hugging contest," he teased, trying to lighten the mood again. "It's hard to tell who would win--though Foster almost knocked me over."
"Did she, now?" Edaline asked.
Something in Edaline's tone implied that she'd found that very telling.
And then there was the mix of embarrassment and fluttery warmth he thought he was picking up from Foster.
And Keefe didn't know what to make of it.
He had been glad that his abilities were going numb--even if it meant all of them--but now he was realizing how difficult it was going to be for his empathy to be malfunctioning right now.
Sophie's emotions felt different than they had before. But he couldn't trust it because he wasn't getting the full picture.
So all that was left was for him to stand there, confused, wishing he understood what was going on in Foster's heart and mind.
Especially when he suddenly picked up a feeling of dread. Or was it disappointment? Embarrassment? He couldn't quite tell. But she definitely looked like she might be a little upset.
And he wished he knew why.
Thankfully Edaline broke the awkward silence by saying something so wonderful it temporarily drove everything else from his mind.
She offered him some mallowmelt.
And Foster sweetened the deal by mentioning bottles of Youth too.
He couldn't help but jump up and down in excitement.
Human food and water had been seriously lacking.
So he wasn't really thinking clearly when he said, "wow--this is even better than I remembered. That's it, I'm never leaving again."
And then Foster asked, "Oh really?" in what sounded like a forced light tone. But something seemed off, like more was hinging on his answer than she wanted to let on. But he couldn't put his finger on it. Couldn't really discern what she was feeling.
He'd always been so in tune with Foster's emotions. He'd barely had to think about it. He felt them and could name them instantly--and nearly always guessed correctly at what was causing the emotions, because he knew her so well.
This...was maddening.
And he really didn't know what his plan was--though he suspected he wouldn't have the strength to leave again. So he merely shrugged and took another bite of mallowmelt.
And thoroughly enjoyed it. He'd forgotten what good food tasted like. So he kept eating while Foster talked quietly with Edaline, until Foster asked if he was going back to Elwin's.
Obviously he couldn't just show up at Elwin's in the middle of the night--although he knew Elwin would welcome him back. Probably even be genuinely happy to see him.
But he also really wasn't ready to let Foster out of his sight just yet. Even though part of him was desperate to be alone with his thoughts, another part was afraid to walk away from her, afraid he'd wake up back in that hotel and find it had all been a dream.
Then Sophie dropped the bomb on him--Ro had left.
And apparently a lot had happened during his weeks away.
And when Foster said just that, he merely said, "yeah...I'm noticing that."
But there was a strange edge to her voice when she immediately asked, "what does that mean?" Almost like there was some heavy anticipation behind it. But he couldn't imagine what she meant.
He just knew something about her had changed. But no way was he saying that, not when he couldn't use his empathy to help guide him. He'd wind up saying the wrong thing.
So he changed the subject, and even suggested a trip back to the Forbidden Cities.
Hours alone with Foster in the Forbidden Cities, laughing and trying strange human foods and ignoring all the dangerous things going on sounded like some sort of heaven--not that they'd actually be able to go.
After discovering that Sophie now carried a dagger everywhere she went--and watching her rub that weird bacteria on her arm, they began discussing where Keefe was going to sleep.
Finally they settled on the Grove.
He wasn't sure what it would be like sleeping in a tree, but at least this way he could avoid facing anyone else yet--and hopefully see Foster again in the morning.
Then Edaline left them alone.
This was so awkward. And he hated it. Things had always been so easy, so comfortable with Foster.
So when she tried to tell him that he didn't have to come back with her, he couldn't keep the tension out of his voice as he said "Yes, I did."
Even thinking about watching her walk away from that hotel room without him was very painful. He couldn't have done it. He'd really missed her.
And as they talked, they were circling closer to the fact that his abilities were malfunctioning.
He wasn't sure why he was hiding it--she probably had noticed that he wasn't commenting on her emotions like he usually did--but he just wasn't ready to reveal that yet. It made him feel weak.
So finally, he dragged his hands through his hair in frustration and muttered, "Ugh, this is so not going how I thought it would go if I ever saw you again."
"How did you think it would go?" She looked so curious, so earnest, that he felt bold enough to admit that he'd gotten that silly little elf.
So he told her he thought he'd have to grovel and bribe her to forgive him, and couldn't help but blush as he pulled the elf out of his bag.
And then she just started giggling. Which was...really cute.
But he couldn't discern the emotion behind it. He thought she liked it, but wasn't sure, so he couldn't help but try to build it up a little.
"I know it's silly, but I also know you love stuffed animals...and I mean...look at his little elf face!" It was silly, but this elf had become his one connection to her while he was gone. He would look at it--sometimes even sleep with it instead of Mrs. Stinkbottom (not that he was going to tell her that) and try to pretend, just for a moment, that she was there with him.
So he also made it do a little dance, trying to make her giggle again.
And it worked. She didn't reach for it, for some reason, but she exclaimed "seriously, it's perfect! I love it!"
Everything in him wanted to put his arms around her in that moment. Especially since he thought he picked up a sort of longing from her. A warmth. And it reminded him of the comfort they both felt when things got hard and they'd embraced. Finding strength and comfort in each other.
But it wasn't easy anymore. Everything was off. Everything was confusing and hard to read and he'd missed her so much but also he'd admitted his feelings for her in that note he left, and she hadn't mentioned it, she hadn't said anything about it, and that paired with his messed-up empathy made him afraid to do what he'd done countless times before and hug her.
The best he could do was mumble, "Oh good, well...it's yours then," and give it to her--taking care not to actually touch her because he was terrified to.
Part of him wanted to tell her what was going on and ask her to enhance him to see if he could get his empathy back. But he was too afraid of those other abilites coming back too.
So he just continued, "Glad I brought it with me, I almost didn't, in case...anyway, I should probably, uh, go find Flori. See you tomorrow, Foster!"
And then, like the coward he was, he turned tail and ran.
His desire to hug her (to kiss her, if he were being honest) was too strong and he was way too confused.
But running away from her was agony, especially when he looked back and saw that she was just standing there, staring at the elf he'd given her.
But tomorrow was another day, and they'd both be better rested. Maybe he'd work up the courage to admit his abilities were malfunctioning and ask her what she was thinking.