Unedited.

It took a lot to keep everyone from calling the council and ordering goblin patrols and another body guard. Grady and Edaline helped Sophie calm them.

After they left Sophie changed into comfortable pants and a dark tunic. Pulling her hair up, she walked to office. Opening it up, Sophie strode through the waiting room, and unlocked her office. Sandor didn't ask what she was doing, but instead watched as she went to the picture. Sophie pressed against the corner, before pulling up the corner of the painting, she pressed the brick. With the sound of bricks scraping for a second. Sophie turned and saw the fire place swing open effortlessly, without a sound.

"Stay quiet." Sophie whispered to Sandor, as they stared at the stone steps that vanished into inky darkness. Sandor stepped in first. Sophie followed and the fire place closed behind them. Sophie's sucker punches glowed a gentle white, Sophie willed them to glow brighter and they did, with her fist raised up, the light chased away the some of the shadows, that shied away from the light. Sophie held into Sandor's arm as she followed him. "Turn right." Sophie transmitted as they reached the bottom of the stairs. That split off two ways. Sandor sniffed the air before following her directions. Sophie have directions leading to tunnel eight, and they stopped. Glancing around, nobody was there.

But then Sophie heard it. The sound of voices. Pressing her ear to the cold stone wall, the voices became clearer. Emery and a councilor named Noland. Emery was speaking, "She went off the script but she reached out to the people, just like we needed. She completely silenced the unrest." Emery said. "Yes, but what if she learns about our deal with Fintan? She already has people trusting her for being the 'beacon of light' you want her to be. What if she told them about it? We could be kicked off the council." Noland said. "No. One." Emery said slowly. "Will know about our deal with Fintan." He said.

Sophie's heart thundered, they had made a deal with the Neverseen? With Fintan? What deal? Turning her head, Sophie pressed her other ear to the wall, and cupped her cold one. "This was a bad idea Emery." Noland said. "It silenced the citizens, all we have to do is keep her in the dark so she won't suspect a thing. We'll keep her busy." Emery said. "Besides." Liora said, her voice joining in the conversation. "She's to wrapped up with the Vacker boy, to even think of anything else." She said. "True, but we shouldn't risk it." Noland said. "Noland, she's a girl, a teenage girl, when I was her age all I thought about was my crush." Liora said in a scolding tone. "But she's not you." Noland argued.

"Have you seen how her brown eyes observe everything? How she's always looking over her shoulder? She's to smart for her own good." Noland said. "I wouldn't even doubt her I sight for a moment." Noland said. "She's barely a teenager." Liora said. "Which makes her even more dangerous. She can get away with stuff, she can talk her way out of trouble and she could probably even charm a beguiler." Noland said.

"You're over reacting." Liora said. "I agree with the both of you. We can't be to careful with Sophie, however we can't do anything to get her suspicion up. She can lie straight through her teeth with a straight face. She has a shell of solid stone, we just need to get her to trust us." Emery said. "She already doesn't trust us." Noland said. "Which is why we have to talk to her." He said. "We understand you concerns Noland, but Sophie isn't as comparative as you make her out to be." Emery said.

"We can't underestimate her." Noland said. "I'm not saying we do." Emery said. "Just do what you do, we'll keep an eye on Sophie." Liora said. Shuffling sounded and a door opened and closed. "Well he certainly is as grumpy as ever." Liora said. Sophie had felt a small draft, above her head, going up on her tip toes she realized there was a peep hole. Looking in Sophie could see Emery's office. Despite being at floor level, Sophie could see she was at the far wall of the door. The floor was carpet and brown, "He certainly is." Emery agreed. His office was set up differently from Sophie's own.

The desk was stationed near the door, and across the room was his own sitting chairs, were placed where Sophie could clearly see them, blocking her complete view of the door. Emery sat in one chair, "You don't suppose he'll cool down?" Liora asked as she set a tea cup down, looking at Emery as she stood. "No." He said, watching as Liora walked around the coffee table, towards him. Sophie couldn't see his facial expression but Liora's was like that of a tiger about to pounce. "Do you think he might be right?" She asked gathering the skirts of her dress to one side of her knees. "I think we should be careful." Emery replied his voice husky as he set his own tea cup aside, Liora swung her leg up, and sat on Emery's lap. Sophie felt her mouth drop open in shock.

Emery didn't push her away, but he didn't pull her close, he set his hands on her waist. "Just how careful?" Liora asked as she pulled her reddish brown hair over one shoulder. "She is certainly someone we shouldn't take lightly." Emery replied lowly. "Alright. With that business finished..." Liora leaned down and kissed Emery. Sophie was in to much shock to even look away. She had never seen anyone kiss so...so carelessly. Without feeling, and without any kind of caution, it was wild yet passionate, yet to both councilors it seemed as if they had done it a thousand times before. Both puller away at once. "No strings attached." Liora said. "No feelings." Emery agreed, before pulling her firmly back to him.

Only a moment later Liora pulled away for a second, and Sophie could of sworn she looked directly at her, and sent a wink, before leaning back down, all but smothering Emery. Sophie covered her mouth with her hand and pulled away from the peep hole. Looking at Sandor's grim face Sophie knew he heard all of it. With a loud thump and a small giggle from Liora, Sophie knew that was her que to leave. Pulling, Sandor back through the tunnels, all her mind could think about was the rule of councilors not having 'personal' relationships. That certainly looked personal...but there was no...feeling in it.

When Sophie and Sandor returned to her office, Sophie realized there was a peep hole near the fire place. No one was there, finding the brick she needed Sophie pushed it and the fireplace swung open again. Sophie watched as it closed again. Letting out a breath after it firmly closed, she turned to look at Sandor, but a white scroll on her desk, sealed with the blank red seal was placed on her desk. Tearing it open Sophie scanned the note.
It was the simple block letters that were easy to read.

Trust few. Listen and observe, know secrets, and use them to your advantage.

The 'i' in 'listen' had a small loop, and the 'o' had a small spiral in the middle. Sandor looked at the note, and read it as Sophie set it to burn and placed it in the tray on her desk. The note didn't rythme like the Black Swan. It was simple, blunt and got the point across. Who ever the notes were from, was telling Sophie to learn the council's dirty secrets and use them to get what she wanted...what she needed. If she threatened to tell the public a about no strings attached relationships between two councilors, or about making a deal with criminals, she could get rules put into action. She could find the Neverseen and squash them out.

She could have power.

She could get what she wanted, she could do so much with tha- Sophie cut her train of thoughts off. Maybe that's what they wanted... If she blackmailed the council whoever it was would know, and she would be no better than them.

Trust few. Listen and observe, know secrets and use them to your advantage.

It didn't sound threatening, and the map not only led everywhere in the lost cities, and Atlantis, it also went to the mutual territories. They were escape routes.

~

At the Velvet café the next day, Sophie found she couldn't get her thoughts in order. She held a cup of coffee. The red seal was just a circle, no design, no pattern, nothing that could be used to try and track down. The wax was regular red wax. Sophie stared at the note she had received earlier that day, it had been placed on her desk.

Tunnel Twenty: six tonight.

Sophie wondered what she would see next. What she would learn. It would be Darek's office. Drumming her finger nails on the mug, Sophie wanted to know what was next, but another part of her didn't want to. "There she is." Sophie quickly snatched the note off the table and looked up at Pearl and Biana, as they walked over. Crumpling the note, Sophie shoved it in her hand bag, she had filled with paper work she had finished while waiting for the other two elves.

"Well when is your next appearance?" Pearl as setting her own bag down in the booth as she scooted in. Biana had her bag and notebook, as she sat beside Pearl. "In a week. We're speaking in Atlantis, so maybe not something with a skirt." Sophie said. Biana paged through her note book before stopping. "We could try this one." Biana turned the book over holding it to her chest so Sophie could see. Pants with what looked to be a sturdy tunic, sensible boots. On closer inspection of the tunic, it had crisscross laces on each side, with clasps in the front, but it still had the rich elegance to it. "I like it." Sophie nodded. "Let's see, how do you like the color purple?" Pearl asked as she pulled a book from her bag and flipped to a page, that was covered in different shades of purple.

After lunch, filled with the talk of fashion, Sophie went back to her office, where she burned the note.
She straightened her shoulders, she didn't want to deal with sappy nonsense today, but sitting down she forced herself to hail the couples. Sophie got more work done that day with her no nonsense attitude and she realized why Bronte was so grumpy all the time. Being firm, and forward got straight to the point. She had another visit with an elf who apparently was having problems with his grades, and taking orders. The knock on her door was firm, and defiant. "Come in!" Sophie barked as she filled out the form, for her work hours, she had put in the past month. The door swung open, and Sophie didn't look up. "Sit down." She commanded as, she quickly added the numbers of hours up through the weeks.

The door slammed, and the sound echoed through the room, the elf seemed to see if she'd do anything, but Sophie was near half way finished. She heard the elf shuffle over, and take a seat. Sophie decided to finish the form up. It took a few minutes, but she gave a sigh of relief when she signed her name at the bottom. Setting her pen aside she looked up at a blond elf, who had dark circles under his light blue eyes. Sophie looked over at the information paper.

'Name: Harley James Parks.
Age: 15
School: Timon's Academy for gentlemen. (Boarding).
Problems: Insubordination, rebellion, breaking curfew. Ect.

Sophie skimmed over the rest of the information of who his parents were, how long he'd been boarding at the school, turning up the page she looked at the list of rules Timon's school had. The curfew was at sundown, no sports or wrestling matches, no pillow fights, everything boy did, they weren't allowed to do. Flipping to the next page, as she walked around her desk, it was all the classes they had to take. Dancing, which Sophie sympathized for them, proper speech, linguistics, manners, taking direction. Among the other main courses such as history, geography and special studies.

Flipping to the next page, Sophie sat down. At seven the boys were confined to their rooms, at eight it was lights out, at six it was the first bell, which signaled everyone to be up and get ready for the day, the second bell would ring and the mentors would go around unlocking the doors, where the boys would file out to breakfast silently. There was no talking between meals, unless it was to practice manners or ask for something. Sophie skimmed through the rest of the rules which were ten pages long. As far as Sophie could see, any sane elf would try to escape that school, which had rules for everything.

Plopping the paper work on the table in front of them Sophie looked at Harley. He crossed his arms and glared at her. He slouched in his seat and he looked absolutely exhausted, like he hadn't slept in a few days, planning the escape that had been botched by what Sophie gathered to be the 'pet' of the mentors. Sophie looked from the boy to the paperwork. Before sitting back and pressing her palms to her eyes, rubbing the stinging away.  How bad do you want that school to change?" She asked looking at Harley, who looked surprised. "I want it more than anything." He said. "Okay. Here is what we are going to do." Sophie said, Harley scowled, but she ignored it.

"You're going to go back, and talk to all the boys there. I want you to ask what they want to change the most." Sophie said as she reached for her scrolls. "Come back to me with a report of everything you want to change and I'll see just how much I can do to change it. Especially curfew." She said, as she wrote out a note. "You'll be reporting to my office daily, for council sessions." Sophie said. "Does that sound good?" She asked. Harley narrowed his eyes at her. "You think you can do something about it?" He asked. Sophie smiled at him. "I'm councilwoman. I can do what I want." She said giving him the note. He read it, "Give that to your headmaster, you'll report here at seven o'clock sharp." A smirk grew on Harley's face, "You'll return at eight." She said.

She had personally broken the curfew for him. "So you aren't going to try telling me what to do?" He asked. "Of course not. If I were in your shoes I would have exploded the building already." Sophie said, standing. Harley smiled as he stood to, "You're serious about this?" He asked. "Completely. Now if you'll kindly leave, I have work to do." She said stepping to her desk. "Thank you." Harley said before leaving.

That night Sophie went to tunnel twenty. She listened with Sandor, as Darek and Noland spoke.
"She's dangerous. She shouldn't be on the council." Noland said. "Be at peace Noland. I believe you." Darek said. "Really?" Noland asked. Darek was the calmest of all the councilors, he attitude was aloof and very relaxed. "Yes. However it does not mean I agree with you." Darek said. Noland gave a growl of frustration, "She sees to much as it is." He said "Having her this close, it's dangerous." Noland said. Noland seemed to be the overly cautious scared cat of the council. Sophie would have to be sure he didn't try to 'get rid' of her like the Neverseen tried.

~

The next day, Timon showed up. Sophie had been lost behind three stacks of paper, when the sharp rap at the door came. "Come in." Sophie growled, mentally cursing every other councilor who were busy with arranging the Atlantis meeting they had to give her more work.

Timon was a tall elf, with posture so straight Sophie would have though a board was nailed to his back. His face was made up of long sharp lines and hard blue eyes stared out from the strong brow. "Sit down." Sophie said not looking up. "Madame," he said sharply. "I must discuss this note you sent with my student." He said setting the note Sophie had written yesterday. "Sit down. I'll be with you in a moment." Sophie nearly snarled, pushing the note off her paper work, where he had placed it. Timon took the seat in front of her desk. Sophie wanted to shove the stack on him.

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself and continued finishing the wedding form, signing it with a flourish, Sophie set it aside and put her pen away before clasping her hands she looked up at the elf, who sat like there was a tack on his chair. "What is this about?" She asked. Timon practically shoved the note in her face. Sophie took it and read it, "Would you please explain this?" He asked in a tight tone. "Sir, this note is quite clear, I had hoped you'd understand it. You see here it says for Harley Parks -who is your student, to report to my office -here, at seven o'clock -which is right after six." Sophie explained slowly.

A blood vessel appeared in Timon's forehead. Taking a deep breath he calmed himself as well. "I understood that much. I wanted you to explain why you personally broke curfew I have set." He said. Sophie raised her eyebrow and looked at the papers around them. "I can't meet him any other time, without running into his school schedule, and my own working schedule." Sophie said. "And you can not change the time?" He asked. "Well it would be more convenient if he came at eight." Sophie said as she flipped to her planner. "To an earlier time." Timon clarified. Sophie closed her planner. "No." She said.

"I see. Well thank you for your time." He said, standing he bowed and left, the invisible board still nailed to his back. Sophie knew she was going to change that school, just like she had Exilium. She made a mental note to keep tabs on Noland, Timon and trying to find out who the notes kept coming from and- one problem at a time. She reminded herself, before turning back to her work, using the colorful words Kyle had taught her.

(Councilor's names: Bronte, Clarette, Velia, Terik, Oralie, Liora, Ramira, Darek, (Alina) Noland, Zarina, Emery.)