Ch. 6- The Private Dance

                                    

                                          


                          
Sophie had run out of things to do in her panic.
                          
Biana was keeping a close eye on her eyelashes so she couldn't pull anymore.
                          
Linh said, walking in her dress could dirty it up too much before the Gala.
                          
And they also forbade her from all of her other habits that relieved her stress because they "weren't healthy."
                          
She decided to listen in on the guard's discussion about security. 
                          
Sophie silently leaned behind the wall of the entrance of the kitchen in Everglen. The bodyguards were all discussing security for the Elag Gala, and Sophie needed to know what's they could be missing so she could guard them herself.  The guards explained who was going with who and entrances they would be defending, traps, and means of communication. They all dispersed after making a solid security plan, and Sophie heard Sandor start to walk towards the door she was hiding behind. Sophie started to panic but had nowhere to go. She pressed her back against the darkness she was hiding in and stared as Sandor watched the very spot she was in. 
                          
"Reveal yourself," Sandor commanded. Sophie was about to step out of her spot in defeat until she heard Sandor sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose.
                          
"Ms. Sophie isn't the only one needing sleep, I'm starting to go crazy," Sandor mumbled to himself and continued to walk down the hall. Sophie stood in shock, still pressed against the shadows. She was right there... how did he not see her? He was a highly trained Goblin guard, and her stealth skills were below par. She turned to look at her hand only to find it shrouded in shadows. Sophie gasped and stumbled out of her spot, falling onto the floor with a thud. She stared at the shadows she was just hiding in, watching them seem to reach it and try to grasp for her like a think mist. Sophie suddenly felt severe pain in her right shoulder, feeling like a writhing burn being pressed against her skin. She rolled up her sleeve and stared at her tattoo in surprise. The black ink seems to be writhing and reaching out for the shadows as well, the tattoo acting the black-shrouded mist as well, it appeared animated. 
                          
"Sophie, is that you?" Sandor called out. Sophie rolled down her sleeve and rushed into the kitchen, pretending she went down to get a snack.
                          
"Miss Ruewen?" Sandor asked, turning into the kitchen.  She awkwardly leaned against the counter, grabbing the nearest object to her and trying to ignore the seething pain in her shoulder.
                          
"Sophie?" Sandor asked, his face full of confusion. 
                          
"Hey, Sandor!" Sophie said with a bit too much enthusiasm.
                          
"Just grabbing a snack." Sophie continued, feeling the pain in her shoulder rise.
                          
"Are you sure you are okay? You are looking quite pale." Sandor questioned, holding his hand up to Sophie's sweaty forehead. 
                          
"Fine!" Sophie confirmed a little too loud.
                          
"Are you observing a spoon?" Sandor asked, pointing to the object in her hand. 
                          
Sophie took her first real look at the object in her hand, which turned out to be a spoon, being bent with her iron grip on it. 
                          
"Yes... I thought it was dirty and wanted a second look?" Sophie stuttered out, cringing internally at her zero chill. Sandor looked at her tiredly and shrugged his shoulders. He trudged upstairs, Sophie's eyes watching him go up. Once she heard the door close, she let out a long breath and put the spoon down on the counter. Sophie walked over to the mirror in the hallway and stared at her shoulder. The tattoo stopped moving around, and the sharp pain now felt like the faintest sting.
                          
"What the hell just happened?" Sophie whispered to herself. 
                          
Sophie heard Biana and Linh walk down the stairs, and she quickly took her shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders, promptly covering her shoulders.