It only takes Keefe about 37 seconds to realize that he made a bad decision.
“I may not be able to touch you physically, but I can still make you miserable.” Ro threatens. Keefe looks thoroughly shaken.
“Can we just go to the kitchen?” He asks.
“Fine. But no butterblasts for you.”
“What? Isn’t that going a bit far?”
“Isn’t lacing my food with my own enzymes so you can go off and do the one thing I told you not to do because there was a very real possibility it could have killed you going a bit far?”
“I- uh…”
“That’s what I thought. No butterblasts!” We all set off through the halls, and after only a few minutes, we arrive at the secret mentor’s kitchen.
“Oh my gosh, this is so good.” I exclaim biting into my fourth butterblast.
“Save some for the rest of us!” Dex teases.
“Don’t worry, I only need half a dozen more.” We sit together on one of the plushy couches, each of us holding a butterblast. “I’m bringing these on our date.”
“That’s fine with me.” We sit there together for a while, watching everyone.
“Lori, help me.” Sophie says. “You have a boyfriend, and it couldn’t have been more complicated. How oblivious am I?”
“Do you really want me to answer that question?”
“No.”
“Why are you asking?”
“Keefe!” She whisper-shouts. “You pointed it out, and now I can’t stop looking at him, and I’m afraid he’ll notice.”
“Go ask him out. I know for a fact that he’s liked you for forever.” Dex says.
“But-”
“No buts! We wouldn’t be together if I hadn’t gotten the guts to tell her that I liked her. And I might even still like you if I never addressed it.”
“Wait, you used to like her?” I ask.
“Yeah. It’s a story for another time. The point is, just go ask him. The worst he can say is no, and trust me, he won’t say no.”
“If he likes me so much, then why hasn’t he asked me?”
“He’s afraid to overstep a boundary between you. He knows that you liked Fitz, and even dated him, and he’s ready to accept that if you’re happiest with Fitz, then he needs to let his own feelings go.”
“Fine. But how do I do it?”
“Just be yourself. Say, Keefe, I like you. Want to go get dinner in Atlantis sometime?” She sighs.
“Wish me luck.” I can’t hear the exchange, but a minute later Keefe kisses her, and they both go red. Then Sophie kisses him back, and he looks like the happiest man in the world. When it's time to go back, Spohie comes to talk to me and Dex. "I wanted to say thanks for making me talk to Keefe. You were right."
"Is that really a surprise?" Dex teases.
"I guess not." She runs back to Keefe, and they hold hands all the way back.
"Well, we have helped a noble cause. They're seriously one of the cutest couples EVER. After us, of course."
"Of course." When we get back to the healing center, Edaline is waiting for us, along with Juline, and unfortunately, Lord Cassius.
"Why was I not informed the second my son woke up?" Lord Grumpypants demanded.
"Maybe because nobody wants to deal with you today." Ro says.
"Apparently you'll have to sleep here tonight." Edaline says. "I just brought you a few things." She hands me a backpack. Inside are some pjs, toiletries, and Kitty.
"Thanks mom." I say, giving her a hug.
"I'm just glad to have your back." Dex is also hugging Juline, and it looks like she’s crying.
“By the way, me and Sophie are allowed to date, right?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Well, we both have boyfriends now. I’m with Dex, and she’s with Keefe.”
“It’s not me you have to worry about. That would be Grady. And I’m sure that he’ll be just fine with you and Dex. It’s Sophie and Keefe I’m worried about. You know he still calls him ‘that boy’. Drives Sophie up a wall.”
“I’m sure it does. Maybe he’ll be more willing to listen if the idea of them dating is presented with mallowmelt.”
“Would the mallowmelt really be for Grady?”
“Nope. I just want mallowmelt.”
“Silly girl.” She says, smiling. “I’ll make some up tonight.”
“Thank you!”
“No problem.” I say goodbye and go to change into pjs. When I get out, Magnate Leto is waiting for me.
“So, you missed midterms. By a lot.” He begins. “And you haven’t even bottled anything in this universe, so we have no way to prove that you even know how to do it. Which is going to be an issue.”
“I know. Please don’t kick me out. I can do everything. Except…”
“Except what?”
“Alchemy.”
“Well, about that. Since Sophie is a teleporter, and you’re a seeker, and apparently Keefe has some new ability, we get to hold a ‘study of new abilities’ class.”
“Oh, I forgot about that!”
“Yes, but we’ll need to schedule a way for you to make up midterms. Using all the same restrictions as before, of course.”
“Well, do I have to do the alchemy one, since I won’t continue that subject?”
“I suppose I can arrange for you to not take that if there’s a concern with your health.”
“Exploding some potion in my face would not be good for my health.”
“I’ll tell Lady Delmira that you won’t be in her class anymore, and that she won’t need to give you any exam.”
“Thanks. When will I take the others?”
“Well, I was thinking Friday. You can go to your classes tomorrow, and then take the exams. The sooner you can do them, the better.”
“Could I go see all my mentors tomorrow, instead of just Master Cadence and the P.E. mentors?”
“I suppose I can arrange that you go and visit some of them during P.E. or study hall. Who do you want to visit?”
“Maybe Lady Vida, Barth the Reaper, and Sir Tiergan?”
“I’ll let them know. And I’ll stop by here before school to tell you which mentor to report to at which time. Now, for business related to the Black Swan, I would like you to document anything you can remember about your kidnapping in a journal. You can project, right?”
“Yes, but I don’t think anyone should have to watch me and Dex getting tortured. So I’m leaving those parts out.”
“I’m asking you to put them in. I know what I’ll be watching.”
“No. I’m never going to share those memories with anyone.”
“Lori-”
“I’m not going to show you. They aren’t for you to watch.”
“They could be important.”
“I’ll show you if I find anything important, but I know I won’t.”
“How can you judge what’s important and what isn’t?”
“If they revealed anything while they were burning me or Dex, you wouldn’t be able to hear it over the screams.”
“Fine. Leave out any torture scenes. But I want to know every question she asked you, and your answer.”
“Deal. I have a projecting journal at home. I’ll use that tomorrow, and give it to you on Friday.”
“Alright. Well, I’d best be leaving now.”
“Goodbye.” Dex is waiting for me on the cot we share.
“What did he want? You looked pretty angry.” He asks.
“He wanted to know what it was like there. And I was refusing to add when they tortured us. I won’t let anybody watch those.”
“Oh. Well, the important thing is that we made it out.”
“Yeah.” I rest my head on his shoulder.
“Will Friday after school work for our date?”
“Yeah. I can’t wait.” We lay down, and I grab Kitty.
“Who’s that?” Dex asks, pointing to her.
“This is Kitty. I’ve had her my whole life, and I can’t sleep without her.”
“Well, she’s adorable.” I laugh.
“Goodnight, Dex.”
“Goodnight Lori.” He says. I didn’t even realize how tired I was, until my head hit the pillow. I fell asleep almost instantly.