A/N: Hello again! I know it's sounding a little bit like a Sokeefe story. But it isn't. I think. Anyways, if I'm doing anything wrong, please let me know! Thanks!

I looked over Keefe's shoulders and saw him. Fintan. He was wearing a floppy hat, and now that I looked more carefully, Keefe did too. That explained why I couldn't track their thoughts. 

Keefe pushed me again, more forcefully this time, and I stumbled. 

"Keefe! What are you doing?!" I cried out.

"I'm sorry Sophie, but... I can't." 

Sophie. He called me Sophie. Tears welled up in my eyes. 

"Keefe. Why? Why can't you?"

"I---" Fintan cut him off.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. The moonlark. Hello Sophie."

I shivered. The elf's raspy voice grated on my nerves, but more importantly, he had a maniacal look in his eyes. 

"Fintan." I spat. 

"What do you want?"

A/N: Does Fintan really laugh like this though?

He chuckled, a low throaty laugh that spooked me. I desperately wanted to run away, but he had Keefe. 

Ignoring my question, Fintan turned to Keefe. 

"I really have to thank you for this gift Keefe," he said, gesturing to me. 

"I have the perfect test subject for my new toys!"

Keefe paled, his eyes widening at his words.  He started to breathe more heavily, visibly terrified. 

Fintan continued on. 

"I was going to use the Councillors' homes, but I think the Moonlark is a much better fit, don't you think...... Alvar?"

I gasped. Fitz's brother stepped out from the shadows. He was wearing a floppy hat too, but more concerning, he was holding a pile of chains. A sick smile was plastered on his face. 

"Oh Sophie. You should look a little happier! Don't you miss me? Your boyfriend's long-lost brother?"

My cheeks flushed at the mention of Fitz---. I shook my head. He wasn't my boyfriend, and I made it clear to the Neverseen and Keefe. 

"He's not my boyfriend Alvar. And I don't miss you." 

I tried to sound brave, but those clinking chains. I'd seen enough movies to know that they never promised good for the protagonist. 

Alvar growled. He stalked over to me, and raised the chains over my head. 

Inhaling deeply, I waited for the right moment and Sucker Punched Alvar in the face once he got close enough. 

He fell to the ground, crying out in pain, and I started to run. 

"Nuh uh uh, my dear Moonlark. You can't get away that easily," I heard Fintan chortle. 

He threw a wall of fire in front of me, and closed the ring of fire all around me. 

Crying out in fear, I covered my mouth and nose with my cloak, trying to block out the smoke. 

I head Keefe gasp in fear, but I didn't hear anything other than that. 

The flames crept closer and closer to me, and I took a step back. My fear was growing, and I wasn't sure how to get out of this one alive. 

Fintan cackled, clapping Keefe's shoulder. 

"Say goodbye to your precious Moonlark Keefe! This is the last time you'll see her alive!"

Through the smoke, I saw Keefe's broken face, unmoving, and tears streaming down his face. He was staring at me, drinking in the sight of me, and I saw something break down in his eyes. 

"NOO!!" 

The cry of anguish and grief broke me, and I closed my eyes, feeling the pain washing over me as the flames grew higher and hotter. 

I could hear Fintan's peals of laughter and the occasional cry of pain. Cracking open my eyes, I wheezed and coughed as the tears fled down my face from the smoke. 

I saw Keefe, pounding the ground, fighting Fintan with a dagger, and crying. I saw him stab Fintan in the chest with his dagger, and saw his clothes catch on fire for his deed. 

He didn't stop, and the flames only fueled him more, and he ran at Fintan, the flames eating at his cape, his sleeves, and at him. 

I saw Fintan catching on fire himself, the blood spurting from his wound, and I saw them light leap out of the blazing room, leaving me. 

Good, I thought. Keefe won't see me die. 

I closed my eyes for the last time, and thought,

Tam, if you're still alive, don't come down my hallway. Tell Edaline and Grady that I love them. But if you do come down my hallway, the flames... Only you can put them out. 

And with that, my thoughts drifted away as I succumbed to the heat and the smoke. 

I won't give up. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moonlark has been beaten down by the waves and winds of the vast ocean.

The young chick did not survive the perils of life. 

A/N: OH no. Sophie is most likely dead. Tam, we don't know, Keefe is off on a killing spree, Linh is getting kidnapped by the Neverseen, and no one knows what is going to happen next. Who is going to pay the ultimate price next? :'(