scott street

16: SOPHIE

"I know you're not asleep," said Sophie, leaning over Agatha's bed like Maleficent over Briar Rose's cradle.

"Shuddup."

Heedless, Sophie scrabbled over her legs and got under the covers with her. She received a thump in return.

"Ow!"

"Go 'way."

"Goodness, darling, no! We need to discuss the evening!"

Agatha's head appeared, slowly, like a periscope.

"They're not here." said Sophie, anticipating what she was looking for. "Beatrix snuck off to Reena's room, and Kiko's gone swimming off with her mamma. She's half-nocturnal."

Agatha sighed.

"But I was just getting to sleep..."

"You came back over an hour ago!"

"There was... something I had to take care of." said Agatha cagily.

Sophie eyed the dusty boots and muddy petticoats on the floor.

"Please don't tell me you met Teddy for a tryst–"

"No! He tried to follow his mother out–"

"What?" Sophie dove under the covers and lit her fingerglow, to force Agatha to look at her. Agatha squinted grumpily at the hot pink light. "What do you mean?"

"He got Sprout and rode after the carriage that Guinevere, Lancelot and Merlin were in," said Agatha, swatting at Sophie's hand so she'd drop her fingerglow out of her direct eyeline. "He'd have caught them if Merlin hadn't intervened and sent him something to distract him."

"Silly boy," said Sophie crossly. "What did he think that was going to achieve?" Tedros certainly had a whiff of the juvenile about him, sometimes... it was something Sophie would have tried at half his age.

"I don't know," said Agatha. "I guess he just panicked and saw what he thought was an opportunity. He's had a long day."

"And Merlin... what, put him under some horrid spell?" She was so right never to trust old men... Agatha called it ageism, but Sophie called it wisdom.

"Not really. He dropped him a note and this weird star compass thing leading to them, for when he's ready... but Tedros threw it at a tree, so that's gone."

That still sounded meddlesome to her, even if it was short of actual magic.

"Oh dear," mumbled Sophie. She'd been going to ask if Tedros was upset, but now it seemed a moot point. "And to think I was going to just ask you about the dance..."

"What's there to ask?" grumbled Agatha, colouring. "All saw it, didn't you?"

"Don't be a grumpy cow, darling. What did he say to you?"

"He said if Sophie asks what I said to you, lie outrageously."

Sophie blinked. "Really?"

"No. I'm not telling you."

"Oh. Boo, you bore."

"How was your dance with that Never prince?"

"Permissible," said Sophie. He'd been gallant enough, but not exactly long-term material. He was more there for the ambience, and the bragging rights. "Stop changing the subject."

"There is no subject," carped Agatha. "I don't have anything to tell you about it."

"Not even that Dovey faked you out, again?"