It was the emblem of The Silent Shadows...


    "Ladies and gentlemen, wee to Castle Kingdom, where every desire can be fulfilled, and all your wishese true."


    A man''s voice echoed through the castle, and Sophie felt a strange familiarity with it, like she''d heard it somewhere before. The atmosphere seemed to sizzle even more with the sound of his voice, and Sophie''s cheeks were turning a deeper shade of red. No... This wasn''t like the smoke Odie released back in Summerfield; it was far more intense. People around her seemed absolutely captivated by it, falling head over heels for the scent. Many had thrown caution to the wind and were dancing wildly in the ballroom.


    Sophie surveyed the room. The gamblers were all in, their faces lit up with exaggerated expressions, turning crimson with excitement. The women being sold were pulling out all the stops to please the buyers, while the male escorts had wrapped their arms around thedies, their hands roaming freely.


    Sophie felt a wave of nausea watching the scene unfold from her corner. She couldn''t spot Colby anywhere in the crowd!


    She quickly tried to trace the source of that voice echoing through the castle. But there was no one in sight on the second floor.


    Where are they...?


    In a ce like this, the members of The Silent Shadows had to be around. But where?


    Sophie''s eyes darted around as she pinched her thigh to keep her wits about her, leaving a bruise but also bringing her a moment of sharp rity. Soon, she noticed tiny


    cameras hidden everywhere el.ne


    glowing with a faint red light.


    The control room!ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    With this revtion, Sophie deftly avoided the cameras and made a beeline for the control room. She had already studied the castle''syout inside out, thanks to the map Colby had given her.


    The control room was on the


    second floor, the same ce where the man had used the broadcasting equipment earlier. Sophie dashed towards the stairs, but her legs gave way causing her to stumble She quickly picked herself up to avoid drawing attention.


    A voice inside urged her on, almost there! Almost there! She was so close to finding the owner of that voice.


    The second floor was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the lively first floor. It was cold, gloomy, and the lighting was dim The narrow corridor was lined with a red carpet, and Sophie''s heart pounded in her chest, maybe from the adrenaline... or the drugs.


    The control room was just ahead, and Sophie moved towards it. The door was slightly open, and just as she reached to push it further, a voice rang out from a little way off, "Who''s there!" Sophie quickly pulled back her hand and spotted a bodyguard wearing sunsses. He immediately hit an rm button, and the second floor was flooded with red light, the rm ring incessantly. The bodyguard drew a pistol, clearly not intending to take Sophie alive but to silence her for good.