this chapter wasn't actually supposed to be posted rn but....... I've been getting a lot more reads so I'm honor of that.... I present to you, chapter 30! (Btw thank you so much!)

Sophie's pov

                                                                      Enjoy!!

Kenric. Kenric! Kenric was currently sitting in front of her. Keefe and me were standing in the back of the healing centre watching in shock as Elwin rushed around smiling brightly and grabbing elixirs of all colours. The atmosphere was quiet and slightly awkward as they waited for the council and their friends to show up. "Where have you been this whole time?" My voice cracking with emotion, but I quickly covered it with a cough and stood up and turned my head away as I blinked back the tears I was stopping.

"I will tell you when everyone gets here." he said with his soft smile.

"I'm missed you so much Kenric." I said and couldn't help but run and hug him.

He froze with shock for a second before he pulled me closer with a sad smile. "I missed you to Sophie. You've grown so much, you both have." he said smiling to keefe.
Keefe  beamed and whispered "the world wasn't the same without  you." Kenric smiled again.

"I've been gone for awhile and I can't help but wonder if the council found a replacement?"he asked with curiosity.
"
"Actually"- 
I was cut off by the sound of the door flying open filling with 12 councillors and all of my friends.

"KENRIC" oriale practically sobbed. She rushed over to where he was in his cot and pulling him in for a long hug.
I stepped back, and even though I wasn't happy with my biological mom didn't mean I was any less happy by their reunion.

"Hey Ora" Kenric said pulling back from the right embrace smiling so brightly it lit up the room.

"I thought you were gone. I thought I would never see you again" my mom whispered.

"I know Ora, but I'm back now and thanks to Elwin all healthy and better." He said softly while wiping her tears.
He finally looked up from oriale, to acknowledge the others in the room. His eyes skimmed everyone and they landed on Alina. "Your my replacement?" He asked surprise and confusion written all over his face.

"Yeah we didn't see it coming either." Keefe said chuckling. Alina shot him a glare.

"Yes, Alina was chosen for your position. Now, what exactly happened to you?" Emery voiced her usual calm demeanour but with a hint of relief and happiness in his tone.

"Well hello to you too emery" Kenric joked.
I had missed that, the joy that he brought to a room simply by walking in and cracking a lame joke. It kinda reminded me of Keefe.

Then his voice turned serious and tense "I was at a neverseen hideout kept watch by Fintan himself. Until he left One day for one of his missions and never came back."My eyes widened. "Based on your expressions I'm thinking you all know exactly what happened to Fintan?"

"Yeah" Marella piped up "he's locked in an icy cage where no neverseen fool's will ever find him!"

He nodded quietly taking in the information. "I was gone for a long time, and I seem to have a lot to catch up on."

"You can come to my home, and I can try and catch you up?" Oriale quietly suggested.

Emery nodded in approval. "11-1 votes in favour"

"Seriously Bronte?" Kenric asked with a smile.
"Hey! It wasn't me!" Bronte defended and gestured to Alina who was standing with a frown on her face. As always.
"I shouldn't have to be the only one against this, you all know the rule about relationships!"

Oriale blushed and the tips of Kenrics ears pinked.

I death glared at Alina. The look seemed to make her back off, because she looked me in the eye and stomped out of the room mumbling something about "stupid love".

Kenric grabbed oriales hand and led her out of the room.
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(Time skip)  I'm really lazy aren't I?

Dex 's pov

"Im so glad he's back" biana squealed with excitement.
"They're so cute together!"

"You know councillors can't be in any relationships together right" Stina said with an eye roll.

"Of course I know that. But it  just makes their love story even more romantic" she said in her fan girl way. My heart fluttered at the sight.

"Honestly she's not wrong" Sophie said with a shrug.
After the emotional reunion with Kenric Sophie had returned to her usual numb self. I know that Sophie and I aren't always acting best friendly and stuff but to me, she is the most amazing best friend I could ask for. I care for so much, I had gotten over my crush on her a while ago and the atmosphere between them had instantly turned clearer.

But, ever since she got home it was like part of her didn't make it back. As if the trauma had driven a block between her and everyone she knew. Even wonder boy and keefe! But it didn't stop her from working hard. In fact it seemed to drive her passion for training and planning. 

So when we sat down in Biana's room that was very pink, her brow furrowed as she tried to look through the hundreds of neatly organized scrolls that team valient had to look through by council orders. She grabbed a pile and passes a few to each of us telling us to look for anything that could be use full in Fintans registry files that could be important to finding out what he wanted with Kenric.
In my opinion she was always a good leader.
Even when she wasn't all leaderish she was always the one to come up with a plan to get us out of tricky situations. Always the one to step forward and try to protect her friends and family.

She was selfless that was for sure. She was always grateful for her friends helping her with stopping the neverseen and yet she never seemed to understand that she was worth every ounce of work we were all putting in. She was worth so much more. And yet she described herself as a freakish experiment who never did any thing right. Sure she made mistakes, but who doesn't!
Especially when you consider her age, she didn't get a childhood because of everything that the world had put her through. Although most of his friends lacked a great childhood even before they new the neverseen existed. Keefe had two awful parents who crushed and broke him, forcing him to hide it with jokes. The twins were exiled for unjust reasons and had cruel parents who were ashamed of their kids thanks to prejudice against twins. Speaking of prejudice what about match's? Me and my siblings grew up with most of the world hating us because my father didn't have a stupid ability. Even though he owned the most successful and helpful apothecary in the lost cities. No one cared because he was a talentless therefore he didn't "deserve" to love my mom or live happily.

The whole Jolie and Brant thing could have been avoided if brant hadn't been forced to hide his ability and become talentless! The lost cities were never perfect! And I don't know how people didn't see it before Sophie came and showed us all.

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Ok..... so that quickly turned to a full blown ramble. Dex is just... <3