Reversed

viii. eight

Balefire torches flicked on one by one all around them. The one right next to Sophie's head whooshed, and she jumped.

The fire slowly illuminated Mr. Forkle, Keefe, Biana, and Dex from where they were standing in the wide cavern.

"Surprise," Dex said, standing behind Trix's fallen form. He moved out of the way as Trix shakily stood.

Ruy lifted him arms toward the Black Swan members. A force field spread around them, but the energy flickered and slithered away to the walls. Ruy tried again, but this time, nothing happened. He looked down at his hands.

"I call it the Disco." Dex held up a gadget with numerous glittering facets. It did look like a disco ball, and the glow from the balefire caught the edges, casting the walls in pools of light.

The Disco must disperse Ruy's force fields so they couldn't form.

They had clearly thought this attack through. That was a first. 

Sophie reached for the coil of hate and anger she kept in a tight, painful knot under her ribs and let the emotion flow through her veins. She narrowed her eyes and thrust the energy towards her old friends, splaying her fingers. 

They didn't even flinch.

Keefe grimaced. "I'm assuming you just tried to inflict on us from the angry look on your face. That hurts, Foster."

Biana pushed her hair behind her ear, revealing a small black orb tucked in front of it. "Revised thinking cap technology," she said.

Sophie and Ruy looked over at Trix, trying to discern if his ability still worked. He met their eyes and gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, as if he was trying to tell them, I haven't tested it out, but it's better if we keep who I am a secret. The Black Swan knew that they had a Guster in their ranks, but they didn't know much else. 

Oman didn't need to test her ability; she was a Mesmer. The same tech that was keeping Sophie from inflicting on them kept Oman from mesmerizing them.

It was safe to say their abilities would be no help here. 

Sophie and Ruy flipped their hoods back up. "What do you want?" Ruy growled.

"We want Miss Foster," Mr. Forkle said. "Give her back to us, and we'll let you go peacefully."

"Give me back?" Sophie scoffed. "I'm not anyone's property. I go where I want to. And there is something seriously wrong with you if you believe I would willingly join you again."

Dex's eyes were sad when he said, "What did they do to you?"

Sophie felt like screaming. Why did everyone keep asking her that?

She was about to retort, but Ruy did it for her. "All we did was tell her the truth. She deserved to know."

"The truth about what?" Keefe asked.

"What did they tell you?" Biana's voice sounded hoarse.

Sophie curled her lip. "Everything."

Dex fingered something in his pocket. "About what?"

She wanted to laugh maniacally. They were trying to cover it up? Oh no. They were way past the point of redemption. "Don't play dumb." The stones on the tavern ceiling shook as Sophie narrowed her eyes. Small shards rained down. Dex took a step back.

Biana had an apologetic look in her eyes. "We didn't do anything to you, Sophie. But we'll keep fighting for you. I swear."

"Sorry in advance," Keefe said.

For what? Sophie almost asked, but then she got her answer. The torches dimmed until they snuffed out with a poof. Three figures crept out from behind the columns, and Sophie knew that they were Linh, Marella, and Fitz without having to ask.