Keefe

Keefe and watched as the council turned smaller and smaller, disappearing into darkness of the caves. 

Two days ago, he, Fitz, and Edaline had gone to the council with the papers they'd discovered hidden in Sophie's room. It had taken longer than Keefe had wanted to actually do something, but at least they weren't being forced to study for Foxfire or plan back at home. At least this way, they had a job equal to the council's, though not as dangerous. 

While the council ran off to find Biana, Keefe and Fitz had been tasked with finding information on the sketch. What did the Neverseen have to do with a flower? And how had they never seen the flower? Theories spiraled through Keefe's mind, each one crazier than the last. But he pulled himself back to reality, needing to focus on the mission.

As soon as the council was out of sight, the two boys ran in the direction of the back entrance to the caves-- an entrance not many knew about. The only reason the council had know-- about that, and the hideout itself-- was because of the symbol they'd found. Similar to the lodestar pattern, the throwing star-like symbol had actually been directions to the main hideout. 

How Sophie had had access to such secret information in the first place was a mystery, but Keefe swore the second he saw Sophie again, he'd ask her. Well, after he gave her the biggest hug and hugest apology, followed by an awkward explanation about the vague note he'd left before he'd run away. Then, Sophie could do whatever it was she wanted: hit him, curse him, hug him, cry-- and Keefe would be her shoulder if necessary--, and he'd answer any questions she had.

Then, and only then would he ask her about the pattern and the flower. Hopefully, she could tell them about the flower before it was too late. Because despite how frail and delicate the flower looked, Keefe couldn't help but feel it had something to do with the Neverseen's biggest and *baddest plan yet. 

"I don't hear anything," Fitz whispered, and Keefe blinked back to reality once again. Listening, he too decided it was safe and followed his friend into the dark caves. Though he had no idea what the entrance's side was like, he was sure they'd gotten the worse side. In the cave, seeing was almost as impossible as the thought of warmth, reminding Keefe to readjust his cape in hopes to cover his freezing hands. 

Having a cave in the artic in the middle of winter was a horrible idea, though, winter was ending now. But that didn't help their case. 

"We didn't think to bring any light, did we?" Fitz sighed through chattering teeth, and Keefe gave a guilty shrug.

"No, but I'm freezing." 

"What about temp regulation?" Fitz asked. 

"Oh, yeah!" Keefe said, snapping. And the warmth of the friction spread throughout his body until he had stopped shivering. It was still chilly, but now, it felt as though a spring chill was just passing through.

"Much better," Keefe said, keeping his hands clutched to the rusty rails that led down the caves. They were about the height of his waist, and through the darkness near the entrance, he knew they were a rusted yellow. But now that they were deeper, if he let go, he doubted he'd ever be able to find it. 

"Just follow the rails," Fitz instructed, and Keefe nodded-- before remembering Fitz couldn't see him. 

"I know," he said after clearing his throat, which was scratchy from the cold. 

The heavy, bothering silence lasted for about seven minutes before Keefe got bored. 

"So," he asked, "how do you think the council found this place just from the symbol?" 

"You didn't hear?" Fitz asked, and Keefe shook his head. Had the council not told him something? Was he not meant to hear this? 

"No," Keefe said. "What?" 

"I guess that makes sense," Fitz murmured to himself. "The symbol? They checked it out and found out it led to New York." 

Keefe froze in place, and at the sound of his footsteps halting, Fitz stopped, too. But they both kept their hands glued to the rail, not wanting to risk getting lost. 

New York? But that was where Sophie had been kidnapped. Maybe she hadn't been looking for Keefe, like he'd originally thought. Maybe, instead, she'd been leading her own investigation into the Neverseen. But why? Why not just go to the Black Swan? 

"New York?" His voice broke as he spoke, but Fitz didn't seem to care as he answered. 

"Yes. I thought she'd been... y'know, but now? I'm not so sure, anymore." 

"Why New York?" 

"You can ask Sophie when we save her," Fitz said. 

"But this isn't--"

"As far as the council knows, it isn't anything more than an investigation into that flower. But you really wanna sit around and wait another three days before we have a shot at saving her? If the council does save our friends, the Neverseen will know we're on to them. The best chance we've got is now. When they aren't expecting anything." 

Keefe nodding, knowing Fitz was making more sense than the council. But the council was all they had left. If they disobeyed and someone got hurt because of them... Who would they have left? 

"If the council made a mistake that we didn't right when we had the chance, it'd be our fault, too," Fitz added, making Keefe wonder if Fitz had broken the rules of Telepathy. 

"Yeah," Fitz said, confirming Keefe's question.

"Stay out of my head," he grumbled, walking once again. Fitz did the same, leading them further into the cave. 

Thirty more minutes of walking and Keefe was exhausted. Though, most of his strength had been drained from the temp regulation rather than the actual walking.

"You're tired already?" asked Fitz, and Keefe rolled his eyes. 

"You're shaking from fatigue," he noted, and Fitz rolled his eyes. 

"You can't even see me. It's pitch dark." 

"Then how do you know I'm tired?" 

"Your thoughts," Fitz answered, and Keefe growled at the grin in his voice. 

"Stay out of my head!"

"Okay! Sorry!" Both boys continued to walk, until Keefe tripped over a small rock that flew across the cave and nicked the cave wall. 

"You okay?" Fitz asked, and Keefe nodded-- again realizing Fitz couldn't see. But... he could. The rock that had fallen to the floor was now illuminating the cave, and Keefe could now see the cave's hall was a good 25ft wide and 12ft tall. 

And if he backtracked a couple meters, Keefe saw they'd missed another tunnel. 

"Fitz, check this out," he called, and, picking up the light rock, he followed Keefe's voice to his side. 

"Another tunnel?"

"Maybe they had the caves dark so we would miss it?" 

"How did the rock do that?" 

"We just found a secret tunnel and you're questioning a rock? It's probably some sort of fungi or whatever." 

"I'm not so su--"

"Are we entering the cool tunnel or do you want to sit here and nerd out over a rock?" 

"Good point," Fitz sighed, following Keefe into the cave.

"Slow down," he hissed. "We don't know who or what is waiting on the other side." 

"We will with Johnson's help," Keefe smirked, and Fitz stopped. 

"'Johnson'?" 

"The rock," Keefe clarified, and Fitz blinked.

"You named the rock?" 

"Do you prefer John?" Keefe smiled when Fitz scoffed, and both continued to inch closer towards the exit of the cave's hallway. 

"Is that..." Fitz gasped, while Keefe's mouth hung agape as they reached the end of the hall. Before them was an entire room carved into the cave and forming a dome-like structure. The floor remained the same cold rock they'd been treading on ever since they'd first entered, but soil and grass covered the center of the room. And from the soil and dirt, were flowers.