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“This is impossible!” Sophie grumbled.

“Shh… don’t speak so loud! I understand Tiergan wanted to accelerate our learning, but this is brutal…” Fitz agreed.

They were in a table a little apart from their friends, trying to do their Telepathy homework in study hall.

“Let’s go back to the theory?” he whispered.

“Okay. Memories work as a spider web, but more intricate. Each memory is connected to others through strings.” She explained.

“Those strings are surrounded by the warmth we see when we prove minds. If the strings that are around a thought are cut, the mind won’t be able to reach it, in other words, it was partially erased” Fitz added.

“It was partially erased, because if it’s not moved from its place the mind can find a way to attach it again, and the person will regain the memory.” Sophie continued.

“Also, the memory can be attached to a new string in other place, so when a memory that’s close to it it’s accessed, the person will recover the memory too.” Fitz saw Sophie squirm as he talked.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit weird to talk like this about what Mr. Forkle did to my mind?” she asked.

“Yes, but it also makes sense.” He shrugged.

“I know, and the theory seems so easy…” Sophie sighed.

“If it were so easy to see the strings…” Fitz sighed too. “What if we try with enhancing?”

“That would be cheating” she frowned.

“But Tiergan said that once we see them for the first time, it will be impossible to miss them again. If I see them, I’ll try to teach you how to see them too. See? If I do it, I’ll help you see them too!” Fitz smiled, his eyes glittered, and Sophie’s heart melted. How could she say no?

“Okay” she said, while taking out her gloves. Sophie heard someone coughing hard, a bit away from them. When she followed the sound, she saw Keefe with questioning eyes. She just shrugged, and continued taking out her gloves.

“Okay, I’ll hold your hand in three.” Fitz said. “I’ll open my mind to your thoughts again, is that okay?”

“Sure.”

Sophie took a deep breath, and Fitz started counting.

“One… Two… Three!” Sophie didn’t expect it to be so draining. The previous times she enhanced Fitz she barely felt anything. But this time he was doing something, he had a goal.

“YES!!!” he shouted, wining a glare from a mentor that was passing by.

Can you see it now? Sophie transmitted.

Yes, but I also saw something interesting!

Look fast, this time enhancing you is using more energy. Sophie warned, and counted the seconds trying to calm herself down.

 Wow!!

What’s happening Fitz? Sophie asked.

He was gaping, his eyes as wide as they could.

What’s happening, tell me!!

Fitz looked from Sophie to Keefe, and from Keefe to Sophie.

A chime marked the end of study hall.

 “Do you have all your things ready?” Fitz asked.

“I never got them out” she answered.

“Then let’s go”.

Fitz held Sophie’s hand and pulled her out of the hall.

“What’s happening Fitz?!”

“I think it’s better if we have this talk at Havenfield. And I also have to teach you to see the strings”

 A big arm stopped them in the way to the Leapmaster.

“Wait, what’s happening? Is Miss Foster in danger?” Sandor asked.

“No, it’s just that we need a talk” Fitz explained.

 “Whatever is happening, if it involves you I’m in too.” Grizel added.

“We need to go to Havenfield, now, before the others can ask anything.” Fitz said. 

“Why?!” Sophie asked. 

“Because it changes everything Sophie, and I want things to change for the better.” He grabbed her hands, looked directly into her eyes, and asked: “Do you trust me, Sophie?” 

“Yes, of course!” 

“Then come with me, now.” 

Sophie could see he was acting weird, and also could see he was nervous, anxious. But Fitz was her friend, the boy, the elf, who found her, and she could trust him with her life.

“Okay, let’s go.”

But she had hesitated. She asked herself why she had hesitated. Maybe because they had literally ran from study hall, without even waving a goodbye at their friends. But this could be important. Maybe it was about the Black Swan. Maybe he had found an important memory Mr. Forkle had implanted in her mind. 

And now Sophie was running, pulling Fitz to go faster.

 “Sophie! Wait!” 

She heard Keefe’s voice behind them. 

“We’ll be fine, we’re going to Havenfield! I’ll hail later!!” Sophie shouted at him, without stopping.

 They were a few steps away from the Leapmaster now, and Keefe was too far away. 

“Havenfield!” she shouted. 

When they were in front of the gadget, the beam of light was ready.

 Fitz, Sophie, Grizel and Sandor held hands, and Sophie stepped into the light.

 “Sophie!! No!!!” Sophie heard while they glittered away.

 When she set foot on Havenfield, she recognized Magnate Leto’s voice. But what could be wrong with going home?

 As she looked around and saw it.

 “What’s happening here?!”

 The sky was heavy with dark clouds, the wind roaring, everything signaled a storm. As a girl who grew up in San Diego, she could recognize that was not only a little shower. That was a big storm, if it wasn’t a tornado...

 Sophie ran toward the fence that led to the cliff, trying to confirm her suspicions… until a pair of big arms stopped her.

 “It’s dangerous Miss Foster” Cadoc was holding her.

 “Can you explain what’s happening?!”

 “It’s just a strong storm” he said.

 “There are no storms in the Lost Cities.” Fitz affirmed.

 “Then what is this?” Cadoc raised his arms as a heavy rain started.

 Sophie and Fitz looked at each other, gaping.

“What do we do now?!”

“To the basement!” Sandor commanded.

“Do we have a basement?!” 

“Of course Miss Foster, what did you think the new subterranean defenses are?” Sandor walked to one side of the house, where he raised a handle. A trapdoor opened, and Sophie could only see stairs going down to a deep darkness. 

Sandor went down first, and Sophie didn’t have to wait too long until she saw a light turn on.

 “Come! Now!” Sandor ordered. Sophie didn’t even think about disobeying. Fitz, Grizel and Cadoc followed her.

 When she arrived to the bottom, she reached a corridor that was brightened by small crystals hanging from the ceiling.

 “Where are you, Sandor?!”

 “I’m here!” He waved from a door she hadn’t seen before because of the adrenaline, and ran to meet him there.

 Sophie found herself in a cozy, simple room that had a couch, a couple armchairs, beanbag chairs, and a small kitchen area in a corner.

 “Why didn’t I know this existed below Havenfield?”

 “Maybe because you never asked” Cadoc answered.

 “Well, now that we are in a safer place, can someone explain what’s happening?!” Fitz demanded.

 “We’ve been preparing for this day for around a month. The house and the animals were secured, the gnomes evacuated, Edaline and Grady said they’d be out too, and it will be over in a few hours.” Cadoc explained.

 “I don’t understand. Fitz, you said there are no storms in the Lost Cities, right?” Sophie asked.

 “Yes.” 

“Why aren’t there storms in the Lost Cities? In fact, I haven’t seen rain in Havenfield before.”

 “I think it has to do with your Elementalism class.” Sandor said.

 “What?!” Fitz and Sophie exclaimed.

 “Okay, Sandor’s right.” Grizel intervened. “If there are not storms, nor rain in the Lost Cities, it must be because you guys control the weather. It’s what you guys do in Elementalism, right? You bottle all kinds of things, including clouds, lightning… it’s just logic. Why not control the weather?”

 “I… I hadn’t thought it that way before” Fitz conceded.

 “Then why is there such a big storm here?!” Sophie countered.

 “It was programmed” Cadoc shrugged.

 “Why didn’t you know about it, Sandor?” Sophie groaned.

 “I knew it, I just didn’t know the exact day. In fact, wasn’t it scheduled in school hours? So kids would be at Foxfire while it happened?” Sandor asked Cadoc.

 “The exact day was announced today in the morning, as well as the hour. Magnate Leto was supposed to pass the news to the students after study hall.” Cadoc explained.

 “But we ran after study hall… we didn’t listen to Magnate Leto” Fitz muttered.

 “It’s not your fault, we didn’t know.” Sophie said, trying to calm him down.

 “It’s safe here, you can finish what you were doing earlier now. You have at least until night to talk.” Sandor affirmed.

 “I haven’t tried hailing.” Sophie noted. She tried, but this time she was out of range.

 “And the Leapmaster?!”

 “It doesn’t work in this weather. We’d need light from the unmapped stars.” Fitz answered, sighing.

 Sophie groaned. Well, she had tried.

 Sophie grabbed Fitz’s arm and led him to the kitchen area. She searched inside some of the cabinets, and found bottles of lushberry juice and cookies. They poured the juice into glasses, the cookies on a plate, and sat down on beanbags, a little apart from the goblins, who had made themselves comfortable on the couch and an armchair.

 “I’m so sorry Sophie.” 

“Well, don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” Thunder roared outside, like trying to prove her wrong. And even if they were underground, they could still listen to them. The lightning had to be very strong. She had to try to distract herself from them before…

 “So… what were you going to tell me? What did you find in my mind?”

 “I found… I don’t know if this is the right moment to say it.”

 The wind started to howl outside.

 “Please, if you found something in my mind, I should know what it is. It’s my mind”

 “Sophie, are you shaking?”

 “I… I’ve been in a few storms…”

 “Are you scared?”

 “No!” Another thunder roared, making her cringe.

 “You don’t seem so sure…”

 “Maybe I’m a bit cold, I…”

 Fitz got up and brought a blanket.

 “Thank you…”

 He covered her with it, and sat down close to her, keeping one of his arms around her.

 “Do you feel better?”

 “I think so…”

 “I remembered that I once saw humans being evacuated on TV, when I was searching for you. They were like this, covered with a blanket. I thought this could help…”

 “Yes, it does help. Thank you.”

 A thunder rumbled again, making Sophie jump. Fitz held her a little closer.

“We… we should do something to pass the time. And you owe me an explanation. What did you see in my mind?” Sophie said.

 “I… I saw the strings. But I saw something else.”

 “What? Is it something related to the Black Swan?!”

 “No, it’s something else.”

 “Then what it is?!”

 Fitz sighed. “The strings are not only attached to memories in the mind, I mean, the thinking mind, but there are also strings that lead to the emotional center.”

 “Yeah, the place that Mr. Forkle showed us, where we trained when we lived in Alluveterre.”

“It’s… not exactly the same place.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you remember when Keefe read that book his father wrote?”

“The heart of the matter? Yes. It said emotions come from both the heart and the brain.”

“Well, that’s exactly what I saw.”

“Ow…”

Was that really so important, that Fitz had to pull her out of study hall? Was there something else?

“Is that everything?” Sophie asked.

“I’m… I’m still trying to process what I saw.”

“Then maybe if you tell me, I’ll help you process it. And it’s my brain… or heart… or… whatever, it’s me. I should know what’s happening.”

Fitz took a few deep breaths. Maybe she should give him a little time?... She counted to one hundred. Then to two hundred. Then to three hundred. And she decided it was enough.

“Please Fitz, tell me what did you see, it can’t be that bad.”

“The problem is… it changes things.”

“Please, tell me…”

She gave him a bit more time.

“I… I’ve known for a long time by now, that you like me.”

A thunder rumbled in the sky, and made Sophie shake again. Fitz continued.

“And I wondered why it was so difficult for you to just say it. It would solve everything… well, not everything, but keeping it a secret is damaging our cognate bond. I’ve been so worried, and I’ve not been able to help you lately, and…”

The noise the wind made was very strong. Sophie thought it was going to destroy the house, she could almost feel how the whole house was being shaken, and shaking the place in the underground where they were hidden, or was it… her?...

“Sophie, there was a string that led me into your heart. The string was thin, very thin, but strong. And the place where it led me was massive, and bright, and… it was like a shrine for all things Keefe. There was laughter, and a sense of protectiveness, and kindness, so much kindness, that it can’t be kindness…”

 “Fitz, stop.”

 “What?!”

 Sophie was shaking. Hard. Her teeth chattered. She was scared she could lose one if she continued like that.

 “What can I do to help, Sophie?!”

“I… I don’t know, I…”

Fitz got up and argued with Sandor, who covered Sophie with a bigger, thicker blanket. It didn’t work.

Grizel made an herbal tea, it said chamomile. Sophie recognized that one. It helped her mom sleep. It should calm her down.

Sophie sipped the tea, slowly. Sandor had convinced her to lay down on the couch, covered by blankets. She liked the smell of chamomile, it brought her back memories of her human mom laughing, helping her sleep, or reading a book in a rainy day. It was nice.

 Sophie looked around again. She saw Sandor, Fitz, Grizel and Cadoc, looking at her with worried eyes.

“Hey, it was not that bad…” Sophie started.

“Yes, it was.” Sandor said.

 Fitz moved an armchair and sat down next to her.

“Sophie, I understand.” He whispered.

“No, you don’t understand, I…”

“Yes, I do. You… you like Keefe, and you like him so much, but you are not ready to accept it. And you like me too, and at some point, you’ll have to choose. And I’ll wait for you until you’re ready.”

“And what am I supposed to do now?! Now I know, and I can’t just ignore what you said, but I also can’t make a decision, and it hurts, because I have no chance with any of you, and I…”

“Sophie, that’s exactly the problem.” Fitz got up, and paced as he spoked. “We both like you, we have feelings for you. And we know it, and we’re waiting for you to make that choice. Don’t you see?” He knelt at her side, and stroked her hair. “We are the ones who will end up with their heart broken, not you.”

 “Then… it’s even worse…” Sophie was glad she had drank the tea. “I’m hurting you both, and I’m not ready to do this, I…”

 “It doesn’t matter, Sophie. I’ll wait for you.”

  A loud noise came from outside the door, like a mechanic door opening.

 “It must be someone from the Black Swan” Sandor said. “But just in case, get your weapons ready.” He unsheathed his sword, as Grizel and Cadoc had theirs ready too.

 The door was opened, and Sophie couldn’t believe what her eyes were seeing.

 “Magnate Leto?!”

 “You kids… you didn’t listen to the announcement. You should have gone to Everglen! It was so difficult to wait a minute to go home?!”

 “At the moment it seemed rational…” Fitz tried to explain.

 “I’ll have to make some good excuses for coming here at this time, when I should be supervising the Elementalism final exam.” He said as he sat down in an armchair.

 “What?!” Fitz and Sophie asked at the same time.

 “What you are listening is Elementalism for the Elite levels. The nobility is supposed to master the elements, in case a disaster happens, they should be ready to aid the populace. That’s the original meaning of being a noble, to be always available to help the Elvin society.”

 Fitz and Sophie gaped. Really?! Nobles were supposed to master the elements… like that storm?!

 “Well, there are several prodigies out there, and they have help too. Grady and Edaline are assisting them.”

 “They are out there?! Are you insane?! They are in danger! I should…”

“No, Miss Foster, you’re staying here, in fact, they are better than you. The storm was planned, and it’s under control. If not, I wouldn’t have been able to leave. But what did happen to you?!”

 “Mr. Forkle, I mean, Magnate Leto…” Fitz started saying, as Magnate Leto held his hand up.

 “Maybe it’s better if you call me Mr. Forkle now, while we are talking about this. But remember, when I’m in this appearance” he pointed at his body “I am Magnate Leto. I can’t change to Mr. Forkle as fast as I need it now. Remember, this is temporary.”

 Fitz nodded and explained what had happened, while Sophie sipped another chamomile tea Grizel handed her.

 “Sophie, can I see?” she nodded. And as he explored her mind, and she couldn’t feel anything as always, she focused on her tea and its smell.

 Soon Mr. Forkle as Magnate Leto got up, paced around the room a few times, then sat down at Sophie’s side, and sighed.

 “What Fitz did was not right.” He turned to look at him. “You invaded her privacy, and told her something she was not ready to know. Sadly, sometimes knowledge changes things, and minds as young as yours must process things at their own pace. That’s something you kids need to learn to respect. Even if it’s frustrating.”

 Sophie saw how Fitz only looked at the ground. And she didn’t like it.

 “But this is my fault, I almost forced him to tell me, and I shouldn’t be so naïve, and I’m breaking their hearts, and…”

 “I won’t say you are not partially responsible, Miss Foster, especially because you shouldn’t have enhanced Mr. Vacker to do your homework easier. But also, you are not going through the usual circumstances a teenager lives, Miss Foster. The last years have being tough for you, and if there’s someone responsible for that, that’s me. That’s why I try to aid you as much as I can, always respecting your process, and your limits. I think we learned a lot about it while your parents were kidnapped. Right, Mr. Vacker?”

 “Yes.” Fitz answered.

 “And as a person who has made many mistakes, I want to give you another chance.”

 “How?” Sophie asked.

 “Do you really think you need more time, Miss Foster?”

 “Yes.”

 “Are you willing to forget what you learned today, so your mind can process this in the correct way?”

 “But… but I can’t leave Fitz and Keefe feeling like this…”

 “Yes, and no. How do you feel now, Miss Foster?”

 “I… I’m a little cold.”

 “And you’re covered by thick blankets, and drinking a cup of chamomile, but you’re still cold.”

 “I…”

 “I know the storm is partially provoking what you’re physically feeling, you reacted a little like this when tornadoes stroke San Diego. Your mother always gave you a cup of chamomile tea. In fact, that’s why there is chamomile tea in here. But it shouldn’t be this much. What you’re having is called somatization. Your mind is not reacting well to this knowledge, and it’s causing the coldness you feel.”

 Sophie could only answer by shaking.

 “Mr. Forkle, what’s the other option?” Fitz asked.

 “She can stay as she is. She will feel cold for a couple weeks. It can change her relationship with you, Mr. Vacker, and Mr. Sencen. But what worries me more, are the mental consequences.”

 “What consequences?” Fitz inquired.

 “It’s… difficult to explain, but this can make her… bitter. This can give her a permanent sense of sadness in her mind, and make her resentful. Maybe what Mr. Sencen does can help her, we can try.”

 “But you can erase this.” Fitz stated.

 “What?! Please don’t talk like I’m not here…” Sophie protested.

 “I won’t do it if you don’t agree, Miss Foster. Do you agree to hide the memory of what you learned today?”

 “What?!”

 “I won’t really erase it, as you learned in your Telepathy lesson, I can hide this memory and leave it in a place where you can recover it later.”

 “But Fitz, and Keefe…” Sophie argued.

“We can wait, Sophie.” Fitz assured her.

 “I think I can speak for Mr. Sencen on this matter, we had an interesting conservation about this topic a few days ago, and he can wait, Miss Foster.”

Sophie gaped. What kind of conversations did they have? And why?

“We need to decide it now, Miss Foster.” Mr. Forkle continued. “This has exhausted you, as well  and I think you’re going to fall asleep soon. That’s the perfect moment to hide the memory.”

 “But I’ll be able to access it later, right?”

 “Yes, when you’re ready.”

 “How will you know when I’m ready?” Sophie asked.

 “I won’t know, but your mind will.” Mr. Forkle assured her.

 “How will it know?”

 “When a pattern of thoughts happens in your mind, you will recover this memory.”

 “And that is…?” she inquired.

 “I can’t tell you, or it won’t work.”

 “And will she be fine?” Fitz asked.

 “Yes, but this should be her choice.” Mr. Forkle affirmed.

 Sophie looked at Fitz. He had made a mistake, as she did, and she could see how guilty he felt about it. As well as she knew how guilt worked in the elves mind. She was more worried about him than herself. Sure, Keefe could help, but she could feel how the coldness was taking roots in her mind. And if Mr. Forkle could make everything better, and take out the guilt from Fitz…

 “Hide the memory.” she said.

 “Are you sure, Miss Foster?”

 “Of course.”

 Mr. Forkle nodded. “Do you want to have a chance to talk with Miss Foster before she falls asleep, Mr. Vacker?”

 Fitz nodded, and Mr. Forkle gave them some space.

 Fitz knelt at Sophie’s side, again.

 “Are you sure about this?”

 “Yes” she sighed.

 “Why? Why do you want to forget this?”

 “I just want another chance for us, for Keefe, to make the right decision later, for the right reasons.”

 “Do you remember that we can forget memories, but we can’t forget our emotions?”

 “This storm is the perfect explanation for the coldness I’m feeling. I’m sure Mr. Forkle will use it as an excuse for it. I will be fine, and I will remember this when I’m ready.”

 Fitz stroked Sophie’s hair, and she felt more and more relaxed. She soon closed her eyes, and as she slowly drifted to a deep sleep.