“Come with me, Kaely. We’ll get them,” Ashton says, holding out her hand, so Arden can stay in the room to wire Lily.
“Do you finally get it?” Lily asks, standing still while Arden tapes the wire to the inside of her dress. “Why this is such a magical night?”
“I do,” I say quietly. “I was wrong. It’s more than just a stupid dance.”
She smiles warmly. I have to look away before I smile back, reminding myself she’s not to be trusted.
“I hope you forgive me eventually,” she says softly. “I understand if you don’t. But … I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted us to be friends.”
“I guess that’s the problem,” I say, regret heavy in my voice. “I don’t know when you’re lying.”
Shock flashes across Lily’s sparkle-dusted face like I just slapped her. “I … uh … Lana …”
“Are you ready to go?” Ashton asks from the hall.
“Lana and I will meet you in the foyer,” Arden tells her.
Lily rushes out of the room, her cheeks flushed.
“Your honesty can be brutal,” Arden notes, looking after Lily. “But you are honest.”
I remain quiet, aware of how damaging Honesty can be.
“Come. I have something for you,” Arden says, leading me back to her room where her team is still packing up the body-spray equipment and cases of makeup. She holds back the crystal curtain for me to enter, providing us an illusion of privacy.
Arden removes a box from some hidden compartment. “I know that Blackwood had to preapprove of all costume weaponry, so hide this inside your boot,” she instructs, removing a leather sheath, the hilt of a small dagger sticking out of it. She squats and unzips my boot, strapping it around my calf so the dagger is on the inside of my leg. “Can you reach it easily enough?”
I bend and tuck my fingers into the boot, hooking them around the hilt. I don’t take it out but nod. I don’t question if she thinks this is necessary, especially with our plan in place. I’ve learned that every plan can fall apart with one unpredictable shove. “Thank you … for everything. I’m so glad you’re my suitemate … and guru.”
Arden smiles fondly. “I’m honored to be a part of your journey, Lana.
“Oh, one more thing.” Arden hands me a small tube the size of mascara. “It will incapacitate anyone you spray it on. Make them dizzy and potentially knock them out for a short time, depending on their size and if they inhale it directly. Spray it right in their face. But be careful you don’t get caught in the mist.”
My hand is shaking when I reach for it.
Arden clasps my hand. “You are a warrior. Remember that. Tonight, you will come face-to-face with your monster. And you will slay him.”
I know what I’ve done.
We’re chauffeured to the Great Hall on golf carts, so no one has to walk around the perimeter of the buildings in their glass slippers.
Guests are lined outside the entrance, awaiting their Blackwood escorts. I’m jittery with nervous anticipation. This dance has taken on an unexpected life. It’s become an … experience. I’m swept up in the grandeur of it. There are costumes from the whimsical, to the formal, to the literal. But the ones I love the most are the abstract, like Arden’s Looking-Glass.
And when I see Lincoln in a purple tuxedo with a black top hat, accented with a white cravat that has Drink Me printed on it in silver foil lettering, I want to die. It’s so perfect.
“Mr. Knight, you look delicious,” Arden coos, slipping her arm through his.
Lincoln gives me a knowing tip of his head. “That’s bold, Lana.”
“Thanks,” I return. “You two are the perfect illusion.”
He grins.
Sawyer greets Glinda, the betraying witch, in a green tuxedo with a matching bowler hat. The curling mustache is the same shade as his hair, and it looks so authentic, I want to tug it to see if it’ll hurt.
I appraise him with approval. “Oz, I presume.”
“The great and powerful,” he declares with a wink, tapping the poppy flower tucked into his pocket. I notice the tip of a wire poking out of its center. “Stay safe, Huntress Peri. Don’t cut too many hearts out.”
I press my lips into a hint of a smile before he escorts Lily inside after Lincoln and Arden. They decided to go in ahead of us to save us a table.
Lance sweeps up the Empress, spinning her around as she squeals and giggles. His leather vest and baggy pants make the perfect Atreyu to their Neverending Story—I looked it up on Arden’s tablet—which is ironic since tonight is the end of their story, according to Kaely anyway. They linger a while, waiting for Brendan and Grant to appear, but when they haven’t arrived five minutes later, we send them inside with instructions to find Arden and Lincoln.
“Do you think something happened?” I ask, my stomach flipping between anxiety and excitement.
“Already?” Ashton fans herself with white feathers. “Don’t give me a heart attack. This dress is hotter than sex in a sauna. I’m already so freaked about tonight, I’m about to pass out.”
“Sex in a sauna? Really?” I jest, trying to get her to smile. And she does.
“You should try it.” She winks. “Oh, wait! Have you and—”
“There you are!” I exclaim, cutting her off. I smile wide when Grant comes into view and begin laughing when I realize what he’s done to complement my costume. “I want to hug you so bad, but you might get your gore all over me.”
Grant stares at me for a minute, his eyes skating over every inch. “You look dangerous, but it’s doing it for me. Is that bad?”
I shake my head, grinning.
“This”—he presents me with a wooden box—“is for you.”
I accept the gift curiously, sliding the lid open.
Ashton, who’s been hovering over my shoulder, gasps. “That is the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen!”
“It’s a heart,” Brendan acknowledges like he’s disgusted. “A literal heart.”
“Well, it’s rubber. I didn’t rob a cadaver or anything,” Grant notes. “Now it belongs to you.”
I smile glowingly. “This is the sweetest gift anyone’s ever given me. How can I kiss you right now?”
“Oh, that’s smudge-proof lip stain,” Ashton assures me. “I made certain.”
Grant leans down, and I kiss him appreciatively.
“Are we done with the weird romantic gestures now?” Brendan interrupts abruptly, forcing me to pull away before I’m ready.
“And who are you supposed to be?” I ask, taking in his pointed ears and tilted gold crown along with the gold dust accentuating his already-defined cheekbones.
Brendan’s wearing a pair of fitted black leather pants and a white peasant shirt, unbuttoned enough to almost cross the decency line Blackwood set for us.
“The prince of fairy,” he says cockily.
“You know there are courts. There isn’t just one prince to rule over all of it.”
“Shut it, Thaylina,” Brendan snaps. “It’s my fairytale. I can weave whatever story I want.”
“Who’s Thaylina?” Grant and Ashton ask in unison.
My cheeks burn with the mention of the huntress I created in my fairytale. That Brendan read in a file he should never have had access to. Another reminder of all that Brendan’s done to insert himself in my life, whether I wanted him to or not.
“We should go inside,” I say, taking Grant’s hand. “Did you do the makeup yourself?” I ask while we’re waiting in the processional to enter the Court.
“No. Arden sent someone over to Brendan’s room to do it for me. Looks realistic, huh?”
Within the shredded hole of the loose-fitting royal-blue shirt with a popped white collar is a fleshy prosthetic oozing with red special effects makeup, so it looks like Grant’s chest was cut open and his heart was removed. It even has dangling ventricles. It’s so fantastically disgusting. I tie his gifted heart to my belt to put on full display. We earn some interesting looks as we make o
ur way through the Great Hall’s foyer.
“I didn’t realize they made men’s pants in buttercup yellow,” I admire with a small laugh.
“They don’t. Had these custom-tailored, just for you. So worth it.” He squeezes my hand. “I have to admit, I was excited about the role-reversal idea. I mean, it sorta fits. You can punch better than me.”
“You did a pretty good job breaking Brendan’s face,” I say loud enough for Brendan to overhear.
“He didn’t even break my nose,” Brendan scoffs. “You’ve hit me harder.”
“Because I hate you more.”
Ashton cackles so loud it causes others around us to turn in our direction. She holds the feathers in front of her face, but it doesn’t cut off the laugh.
“I greatly appreciate your support, thanks,” Brendan mutters to her.
“What? She’s funny,” she defends weakly. “You are my favorite people, and the love you have for each other hurts.” She laughs again but not quite as loud.
I look up at Grant when a chuckle escapes.
“Sorry, the two of you are pretty entertaining when you’re not trying to beat the crap out of him.” After a second, he corrects, “No, even then you are.”
I roll my eyes at both of them.
Glancing over my shoulder, I ask, “So how will you know when the monster arrives?”
“I love this code name,” Ashton blurts. “It’s so diabolically perfect.”
“I have an alert on my phone,” he explains, ignoring Ashton.
“And they won’t detect your phone?” I ask, having been paranoid this entire time to turn on the phone he set up for me while I was on campus.
“I’m tied into Blackwood’s network. They won’t notice with this many people. Don’t worry; I know what I’m doing.” Before I can open my mouth with a biting reply, he says, “Don’t say it.”
It takes us another twenty minutes to reach the Court because they announce each couple as they enter. The first space we encounter has been designed with a dance floor inspired by Cinderella. Clear, glass-looking tables tucked within scrolling gold-wired pumpkins surround the glowing dance floor. The floor looks like panes of glass. And above it, fiber-optic lights shoot across the space from suspended star-tipped wands.
“Holy shit,” I utter.
“And this is only the dance floor,” Ashton says as if to warn me. “We haven’t even gone inside the Court.”
“Before you get all swept away in this, we have to remember what tonight’s really about. Let’s find—”
Ashton cuts him off before he can start dictating princely commands, “No, we’re here to have fun, Brendan. The monster hasn’t arrived yet, and until he does, I’m going to enjoy every second of this night with my friends and you, my nefarious prince.” She plants a kiss on his lips that forces me to look away when it lingers a little too long.
Brendan’s tension releases with an exhaled breath of longing. “Okay. We’ll have fun—until we can’t.” He examines his phone strapped to his forearm under his loose sleeve. “They’re this way.”
Everyone is seated at a table on the outskirts of the dining hall lawn. The table is round with swords embedded in it like spokes on a wheel.
“Our round table,” Brendan observes. “How fitting.”
Lance and Kaely are conveniently getting drinks while Brendan examines and adjusts the positions of our cameras. And then … we wait by having fun. So much fun. We wander the Court and come upon gardens inspired by Grimm and Andersen. Others with movie themes—oddly, mostly from the ’80s. Guess there was a big fantasy kick back then. And then there are more obscure references that hint at darker tales, usually having to do with fae.
Performers scamper through the gardens, depicting characters from their stories. I’m thoroughly entertained when we come upon the Mad Hatter’s tea party. We graze on sweets set on tables around the perimeter while watching the madness of switching seats and pouring cup after cup of tea that no one drinks.
“Such a shame,” Arden sighs, watching a cup tip and soak into the grass.
“If they had your tea, it wouldn’t be wasted,” I assure her. “Unless it’s the one that tastes like lawn clippings.”
She laughs.
We break off in small groups, promising to meet back at the dance floor at a certain time.
When we enter a garden that looks like a ship is bursting through the hedges, about to careen into a fountain filled with mermaids, I spot Sophia for the first time all week. She’s a vision in a strapless turquoise-ombre dress made of sequins, accented with ribbons of blue floating from her waist, sweeping the lawn like the ocean waves they’re meant to depict. The side of her black hair is pinned up by a seashell.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Grant, leaving them at the sushi bar, where chefs are chopping and rolling dead fish in seaweed. No thank you.
“Sophia,” I beckon as I get closer, causing her to turn at the sound of my voice.
She smiles wide at the sight of me.
“Lana! You’re here!” she says jubilantly, throwing her arms around me. “I’m so glad.”
“Uh, where else would I be?” I ask, patting her on the back more like I’m consoling her than greeting her.
When she pulls back, her eyes are glassy and unblinking. “You are my friend, right? We’re friends.”
“Of course,” I say cautiously. Trying to get her to focus on me. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”
“I’m so okay. I’m a mermaid.” She spins, glints of light reflecting off her dress. “And I shouldn’t have a voice. Nope. I traded it for my happiness. But it’s a lie. I really gave him my soul.”
“Um, Sophia, you’re kinda freaking me out.” I lean in closer and ask, “What did you take?”
“The green ones,” she says, smiling proudly. “They make everything go away.”
I dart my eyes around us. “Let’s go over here.” I reach for her arm, but she grabs my hand instead. We walk into a corner by the ship, away from prying eyes and curious ears. “Look at me.”
Sophia blinks away from gawking at the grandeur of the ship’s helm to me. “Lana! My friend. Please don’t hate me. Please don’t ever hate me.”
“I don’t. Why would I?” I ask gently, wishing Grant were here to take her pulse or something. Or mine. She’s scaring me … reminding me too much of Allie the night at The Point.
“I would never hurt you. I wouldn’t. I swear.”
“I know.”
“Good. I’m glad. Because you’re my friend.” Sophia digs around in a purse shaped like a pearl. “And that’s why I want you to have this.” She hands me a white key card. “If you can’t find me, or need me for any reason, this will get you in my room. I’ll be there.”
“Um, okay, I think,” I say, taking it from her and slipping it into one of the pouches on my belt. “Why don’t you come join us?”
I turn to indicate the group I’m with, but they’re not there. My heart skips a beat. I step farther out and exhale in relief when I notice them standing around a table that’s actually a wooden barrel with glass on top.
“There they are,” I say to Sophia, but she’s no longer behind me. I spin around, searching for the mermaid. But she’s gone.
“Everything okay?” Grant asks, appearing beside me.
“Uh, I think so?” I say more like a question than knowing. “I was talking to Sophia. She’s a little out of it, and I’m not sure if I should be worried our not. I mean, I’ve seen her loopy before, but she’s a little more manic than usual.”
“Want to look for her?” Grant offers, setting a hand on my back.
“Just keep an eye out,” I say, returning to the group.
“According to the secret map,” Ashton shares excitedly, “there’s an actual gingerbread house on the other side of the ship that you can eat. We have to go there next.”
“How can you eat any more?” Arden asks her, setting a hand on her stomach.
Brendan chuckles. “T
hat is the wrong question to ask.”
“What’s the right one?” Arden inquires with a tilt of her head.
We all look at each other, not knowing how to respond.
“Let’s find this edible house,” Lincoln declares, prompting us to move.
While Ashton takes inconspicuous peeks at the map to lead us down the right corridors, I linger to walk with Lincoln.
“Printz-Lee, huh?” I say, smiling up at him. “I never thought of you as the private-school type.”
“Lana, you never thought of me at all,” he says playfully. “You were too busy causing trouble.”
“What?” I say in mock offense. “Trouble finds me.”
He laughs. “True. Apparently, it’s followed you all the way to Vermont.”
I sigh. “Yeah. Guess it has.” Quieting my voice and becoming serious, I say, “You didn’t have to be a part of this. You could just enjoy this crazy ball without having to deal with any of the drama.”
“I want to do what’s right,” he responds with conviction. “And he needs to pay for what he did … to all of us. I haven’t stopped thinking about that night since it happened. I want to be here.”
I nod. “You really are a good guy, Lincoln. Why were you ever interested in Tori?” Realizing how that sounded, I stumble on my words. “Uh, I mean … are you still together?”
Lincoln laughs. “No. That was over before it began. I think … I was fascinated by her, the enigma that is Tori Ruiz. But she’s really not all that.”
I lower my eyes, knowing exactly what he means.
“I’m sorry about what happened at Stella’s,” Lincoln says, nudging my shoulder. “What they did to you was wrong. Because you, Lana Peri, are all that.”
I press my mouth into a small smile. “Walking chaos.”
Lincoln laughs loudly, revealing his brilliant white teeth. “Definitely. But now we’re here to make sure you don’t get lost to your bedlam. You’re not alone in this.”
Arden walks over to us and asks out of the side of her mouth, “What do you think would happen if we bit into the giant mushrooms in that other garden?”
“I already feel like I’ve been dosed, walking through this trippy place,” Lincoln says, making Arden giggle.
The Cursed Series, Parts 3 & 4: Now We Know/What They Knew Page 32