Unedited.

Bronte. Mr. Forkle. Magnate Leto. Sir Astin. They were all the same person.

"I should have expected this." Sophie mumbled through her shock. "Quite so." Bronte gruffed. Sophie had to sit down because her head was spinning. Bronte, or whoever he really was sat down in front of her desk.

"I want a real answer." Sophie said as she rubbed her temples. "Am I related to anyone I know...or like?" Sophie asked. "No." Bronte said. Sophie let out a small breath of relief. At least now she knee she hadn't kissed some very distant relative, when she had kissed Fitz. "Sophie, there is a plan for all this. We're nearly in place to strike." He said. "Just what am I supposed to do? Die?" Sophie asked, the weight of the dead line -no pun intended- was only two days away. "Precisely." Bronte said making her look up at him. "Just hear me out." He said leaning forward.

"If the Neverseen thought you were dead, they would become more careless. They would think our weapon is out of our hands. You aren't a weapon Sophie." Bronte said quickly. "However something I learned..." He said pulling a small vile of ruckleberries out of his pocket, and held it up to the light. "Some dead people don't stay dead." He said his eyes meeting Sophie's.

~

"Yes your arms healed up nicely." Elwin said as he took Sophie's bandages off her arms. Eliza at that very moment was at Everglen, bouncing on Biana's bed, telling her to wake up. Sophie looked at her arms before nodding. "Thanks." She stood up and looked at her arms, that were only slightly red.

She was about to start walking away, before thinking better of it. She turned and flung her arms around Elwin. "Thank you for everything." Surprised Elwin hugged her. "You're welcome." He said. Sophie stepped back and smiled. "I have a championship to cheer on." Elwin grinned. "Oh yes. I'll see you there." He said. Sophie left his office, and leapt to her office, it was Wylie's office now. Taking a single ruckleberry she felt her appearance change, she glanced at the scroll sitting between her circlet on her desk.

Bronte had told her she could write out a will of sorts, and give her position to someone, and apparently the lock Wylie was to open was councilors. That was what he was the key too, Sophie knew he'd be an amazing councilor. Sophie looked around the room one last time, before pressing the brick behind the painting. The fireplace swung open and she stared at the inky darkness below, where she'd disappear to. Taking a deep breath Sophie went to the passage and slipped in. Her sucker punches gave a dull glow, that lit up the step in front of her, with everyone she took another appeared, all leading up to the low floor.

Just like she was following the Black Swan, she downy know the full plan, she just knew the step ahead of her, she knew it was leading up to something. Sophie followed the passages to chamber six, Mr. Forkle stood waiting for her. Chamber six was more of a open space room. Mr. Forkle had gotten a box of her things from Havenfield earlier that morning. In it was her spy ball, memory log, more clothes that were much simpler than what she had been wearing for the past month and a half. "Chamber four is where you can stay if you want." Mr. Forkle said, Sophie spotted the balled up chains in the box as well.

"I could just stay with...Wylie's other part, like Eliza has been." Sophie said as she pulled the vile of ruckleberries out of her pocket before eating one. "As of now you are free to go wherever you like." Mr. Forkle said. "Just know chamber four is prepared for someone to stay there."

"I'll keep that in mind." Sophie said. "Most people should be up and going to the championships." Mr. Forkle said. "I'd also like to introduce you to someone." He said, before motioning to the dark shadowed corner. A elf walked out, the stance was familiar but the face was not, with sharp blue eyes and tan skin just as Sophie's was now, and dark hair.  "Sandor?" Sophie asked. The elf grinned, "Eliza this is your older brother Sandor, his nickname being Sandy." Mr. Forkle said. "Aren't you supposed to be with Eliza?" Sophie asked, even though she was Eliza at the moment, and Eliza her. "I am..." Sandor said. "He made another identity as well." Mr. Forkle said. "But....so this is the real Sandor in front of me?" Sophie asked to be sure.

The elf nodded. "Yes." Sophie smiled, she felt relieved to have someone beside her through this. "Sandor and Eliza Winter." Mr. Forkle said, catching their attention. "Be safe." He said before stepping away, he went down another tunnel. Sophie looked at Sandor. "Let's go to the championships." She said.

She didn't care if the others didn't recognize her for who she was. She was still going to cheer them on.

~

Eliza, who was supposed to be sitting like the rest of the council was standing with the rest of the crowd. Her red jersey making her eyes sparkle as she cheered. She didn't have her circlet on but she still managed to look like a regal councilor and happy teenager all at once.

The two teams, which were blue and red were greeting each other and wishing each other luck. Sophie who stood in a square with Sandor, watched as Fitz waved Eliza over. Eliza hugged her friends, and wished the rest of the team luck.

Oralie, Terik, Bronte, Noland, and Velia wore red jerseys with her, and the other half wore blue. When Eliza hugged Fitz he transmitted. "Can I have a kiss for extra luck?" He asked nervously. Eliza grinned up at him. "Only if you win." She transmitted back. Even from wear she stood, Sophie could see Fitz's movie star smile. "Deal." He said. Eliza laughed before turning to the others. Wishing them good luck one last time she went back to her place on the council. Sophie watched as Fitz watched Eliza go, a silly smile on his face, before Keefe slapped the back of his head with a smirk.

Fitz glared at his friend, but the silly smile on his face. Some of his team mates started teasing him but Fitz rolled his eyes and took it in stride.

Eliza cheered and looked like today was her last day to live...which it was. There were breaks in between the game. Including lunch, the families of each team member would bring lunch for the other team. Sandor had brought food, and he and Sophie sat down with everyone else as the sun beat down in the hottest hours of the day. Three hours passed of picnics, mini games between the crowds, Rex and Blossom won the two legged race, with Bex and Joanne right behind them in second and Lex and another young elf in third.

Biana won some kind of acrobatical flip challenge. Sophie winced at the thought of how her bones moved like that. Biana however landed solidly, and stood tall, like a gymnast a bright smile on her face. Sophie saw Albert and Mae racing around the field with Desmin, other elves trailed behind them. Sophie however was drawn away from the crowd at the sight of gnomes sitting on a patch of dirt, rolling what liked to be dice. Sophie kneeled and watched the game, from what she understood the gnomes were betting on elves. Who would win, and who would lose.

Sophie watched as one gnomes threw the dice, the bounced on the hard dirt, flipping and turning. Two games were going on at once between the small group, and more bets than Sophie could count. As it turned out gnomes were especially fond of gambling and betting against each other. Sophie looked up as Sandor called her. She returned to their square, goblins had their own game. Wrestling. Teams of twos wrestled and pinned each other to the ground. The prizes were bragging rights, and a gold trophy to prove their strength.

With lunch over and mini games won, the bramble games continued. The players refreshed and ready to play for the win, even though the red team was already two points ahead.

Sophie felt a cold chill go down Eliza's spine. Sophie looked over, missing Dex's winning point, Eliza's mouth opened in shock, as a silver blade bloomed from her chest, ripping the jersey, the blade was covered in blood. Sophie felt a twinge of pain in her chest as the sword ripped out of Eliza and she fell to the ground, Sandor tackled Brant, who was soon burned him to ashes, only the council seemed to see it, because the crowd was rushing forward to the teams, as Dex was lifted up on the shoulders of his team mates, a smile so big it could break his face his dimples cracking at the edges of his lips.

Brant held up a ball of fire threatening the council and their body guards before he flashed away. Liora screamed, making the crowd freeze. Oralie was next to Sophie's counterpart, pressing her hands to her chest. Sophie felt Eliza die, as the crowd started rushing forward, Elwin, Aster, and other medics were at Eliza's side in seconds. Body guards stepped forward trying to hold off the crowd. Parents rushed their kids home, as others stood frozen. Sophie watched as Elwin raised his tear filled eyes to the council, the smallest shake of his head, made another wave of havoc wave over the crowd. Sophie's eyes searched out her friends and family.

Half of her didn't want to see the looks on their faces, but another part of her wanted to see if they were okay. She could hear Fitz calling through their cognate bond, his face was expressionless and blank, his eyes dull and hollow, as Biana clutched his arm, looking terrified.
Sophie looked at Bronte who glanced over the crowd meeting her eyes, his glare was hard, telling her not to do it, but Sophie couldn't do it to her family. Not again, not to Fitz either.

"Some dead people don't stay dead, Fitzroy." She transmitted before taking Sandor's hand, she turned and left.

Leaving behind chaos, fear and uncertainty behind, she was going to find the Neverseen.

(Well well well....)