ARIA
I froze. My breath caught in my throat as Elder Bernard moved aside and the two guards advanced.
"Under arrest?" I blurted as soon as I found my voice. What did I do wrong?!
I turned to Atlas, searching his face, wondering if he knew what was going on. But the surprise etched into his features told me he hadn't.
"Hold on," Atlas murmured, stepping in front of me protectively. The guards halted immediately and offered a respectful bow. Atlas gave a short nod in return before turning his sharp gaze on Elder Bernard.
"Will someone kindly tell me what's going on?"
"Sophia," Elder Bernard said, nudging her forward gently.
She raised her head, and I caught sight of the scratches on her face, like she'd wrestled with a wild cat. Her hair was a tangled mess, lipstick smeared, nose red, and her face puffy and swollen. Gone was the flawless, polished girl she always pretended to be. And right now, I wasn't even sure what I was looking at or supposed to be seeing.
