Chapter Text

Grady

Grady grabbed the snarling Verminon as it struggled to get away. Grady laughed, “Sorry, but you’re not getting away from me this time. It’s time for your bath.” The Verminon snarled.

He glanced over to where Edaline was working with the gnomes to help feed Verdi, their resident dinosaur. She appeared to be focused on the task, but Grady knew her mind was somewhere else. They had both been concerned when Sophie had come back early looking extremely upset. They wanted to help, but they both knew the only way to do that was to stay out of it. They had hurt her enough already.

They hadn’t wanted to hurt her, they just couldn’t do it. They thought that maybe it would be good for them. They loved her, and Grady knew that Edaline had thought that maybe cancelling Sophie’s adoption was a mistake. He had the same thoughts himself. But, she reminded them too much of…

Grady shook the thought away, focusing back on the Verminon. At least Sophie had Dex. He had glittered into the pastures soon after Sopie had left for the caves. Hopefully he’d be able to help. Grady was about to get the hose to start bathing the Verminon when he heard Edaline’s voice from a few pastures over. She sounded… confused.

“What’s wrong little guy?” her soft voice asked a ball of gray fur in her hand. Grady recognized the mischievous imp. He closed the Verminon’s pen and went over.

“What is it, Eda?” Grady looking between his wife and the imp.

“I don’t know he just came running up to me,” she looked back at the imp in worry. “I think he’s scared. What’s wrong?”

The imp looked at her, then back towards the cliffs, moving impatiently. Like he was trying to run away.

“What’s he trying to say?” Grady asked Edaline, who looked just as confused.

“I don’t know. He was with Sophie,” Edaline mumbled. At the mention of Sophie’s name, the imp jumped up, looking excited.

“Is it about Sophie?” Grady asked the poor creature. If only Sophie had brought him up herself, then she could read his mind and tell them what he wanted.

At the mention of Sophie’s name again, the imp got excited, then looked back at the cliffs, then back at them.

“Iggy, is something wrong?” Edaline asked, her voice filled with worry. “Is something wrong with Sophie?”

Grady could’ve sworn the imp nodded before he flitted off Edaline’s hand and scurried towards the cliff. Grady glanced at Edaline and they both ran towards the cliffs where a storm was unleashing its torrent.

Was Sophie hurt? Had something happened? The unanswered questions only fueled their sprints as they headed towards the rocky shore. But when they got to the cave that Sophie had a habit of frequenting, they saw evidence of a tidal wave. They ran towards the dripping cave, hoping not to find her injured or…

When they reached inside, she was nowhere to be found. Grady’s heart was pounding from fear. He heard a choked sob from behind him and turned around to find Edaline crying. Her face was buried in her hands, and Grady knew what she was thinking.

Not again.

He rushed over to her and wrapped her in a hug, fighting back tears of his own. “It’s okay, Eda, she might not be…” His words trailed off. He was too afraid to voice his hope. “I’ll hail Alden. See if they can get a search and rescue.”

He stepped away, saying “Show me Alden.”

Alden’s face appeared immediately. “Grady, is everything alright?” Alden’s normally cheerful features dropped when he saw Grady’s face. “Is this about–”

“Sophie was down in the cave and Eda and I can’t find her. It looks like there was a tidal wave–” His throat closed off the rest of his sentence. “We need help finding her.”

Alden nodded, his face grim. “I’ll send a search and rescue team there and alert the Council. I’ll also tell Elwin to be on standby. I’ll be over as soon as I can.”

Alden’s face disappeared and he went to comfort a sobbing Edaline. Time seemed to stop as the search and rescue team arrived, with Alden shortly after. Grady Edaline refused to move, even when Alden had tried to get them to go back up to the house and go inside. Grady wasn’t sure how long they searched, but it was getting dark by the time Alden had come up to them. His face was somber as he called off the search, Sophie’s registry pendant in his hand.

Time seemed to stop. Grady’s ears were ringing, but he could still hear Edaline’s sobs that echoed off the cave. Grady shouted and threw rocks at the wall. He may have even kicked it, if the pain in his foot was any indication. His rage was short-lived though, followed by a hollow emptiness that he was now all too familiar with.

Grief.

Somehow Alden had managed to get both of them back to the house. He gave them both a sedative, and Grady had just chugged his as he heard Alden whisper, “I am so sorry, my friend.”

Grady had just realized that Alden was holding two registry pendants in his hand when he drifted off.

But not before he recognized the second one as belonging to his nephew, Dex Dizznee.