**Chapter 6: The Riddle of the Porcelain Doll**

As I reached out to take the doll, a sudden chill ran down my spine. The doll's face, once a serene and enigmatic mask, seemed to shift and contort, its features melting into a thousand different expressions, each one more unsettling than the last. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that this was no ordinary doll. Sophia's hand on my shoulder steadied me, her voice a soothing whisper in my ear. "Don't worry, darling. The doll is just getting into character." I took a deep breath and picked up the doll, feeling its smooth, cool surface in my hands. As I turned it over, I noticed a small, almost imperceptible seam on the back of its neck. I pressed it, and the doll's head came off, revealing a small, rolled-up piece of paper inside. The paper was tied with a delicate, silver thread, and as I untied it, a tiny, golden key fell out. The key was attached to a small, leather strap, and as I looked closer, I saw that the strap was etched with a cryptic message: "Where shadows dance, and light does play, Seek the reflection of the heart's deepest sway." I looked up at Sophia, who was watching me with an expectant smile. "What does it mean?" I asked, feeling a sense of frustration. Sophia's smile grew wider. "That's for you to figure out, darling. The game is on, and the next clue is waiting for you." As she spoke, the room began to shift and change around us once more. The tables and chairs seemed to melt away, replaced by a vast, dark lake that stretched out before us like an endless mirror. The guests, now mere silhouettes, began to move across the lake's surface, their masks glinting like stars in the moonlight. I looked down at the golden key in my hand, feeling a surge of determination. I would solve the riddle, no matter what it took. And as I looked up at Sophia, I saw that she was no longer smiling. Her eyes were serious, her expression intense. "Be careful, darling," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The game is not just about winning or losing. It's about revealing the deepest secrets of your own heart." As she spoke, a figure emerged from the shadows, its face hidden behind a mask of shimmering, silver silk. It moved towards us with a quiet, deliberate pace, its eyes fixed on me with an unnerving intensity. "Time is running out," it said, its voice low and husky. "The next clue is waiting for you. Will you take the path of light, or the path of darkness?" I hesitated, unsure of what lay ahead. But as I looked down at the golden key in my hand, I knew that I had no choice. I had to play on, no matter what secrets the game revealed.