CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
My hands were shaking. I swore under my breath and considered throwing the necklace—and its pesky clasp—against the wall.
“Here, let me.” Serena came up behind me and nimbly fastened the necklace around my neck. The jeweled pendant came to rest at the base of my throat, right above the sweetheart neckline, and helped hide the ugly, yellow-purple bruises coloring my skin—my parting gift from the Scavenger.
She smiled at me, an approving glint in her eye. “You look lovely. Gareth . . .” Her voice wavered. “Gareth would be so proud.” She smiled again, but I could see the worry she was trying to hide.
“Hey,” I said, squeezing her hand, “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s probably just not somewhere he can call.” It was the same thing I’d been telling myself for days. I hoped it sounded more reassuring to Serena than it did to me.
“I know.” Serena sniffled. “I just wish I could See him.” She was quiet for a moment, her forehead scrunched. “It never occurred to me to be annoyed with my Sight until now—how little control I have.” She huffed, her fists clenching. “Just one glimpse, that’s all I want.”
“I know, but we have to stay focused.” I gave her what I hoped was a calm, reassuring smile. “After this is all over, we’ll find him, okay?” I had no idea where my motivation was coming from, but I wasn’t going to question it. I had a feeling I’d need it. An undercurrent of nerves vibrated beneath my skin, but I forced the feeling away.
Serena sighed then, but offered me a small smile. “Right.” She waved her hand. “Well, you do look lovely, you know.”
I understood her need to change the subject, so I didn’t press the issue. “Thank you,” I said, tugging at the neckline of the dress, “but I’d feel a whole lot more comfortable in jeans.”
The dress itself was stunning: the deep emerald color of the gown brought out the hue in my eyes, and the beaded waistline that sat below the fitted lace bodice gave me more of a shape than my usual t-shirts and hoodies. The full skirt, layered with tulle, swished around my ankles. It was the most beautiful garment I’d ever put on, but I was showing way more skin that I was used to, and it made me feel too exposed, too vulnerable.
“That makes two of us,” Serena said, looking ill at ease in her elegant white gown compared with the eccentric patterned skirts she usually wore. She clutched absently at her chest, her fingers searching for the blue lace agate medallion that usually hung from her throat.
“How’d we let her talk us into those again,” I grumbled, pointing to the heels Maggie had insisted complemented our dresses, though I thought they looked more like strappy torture devices.
Serena eyed the shoes and grimaced. “It’s Maggie. We didn’t really have a choice in the matter.”
“Right,” I said with a laugh. “What was I thinking?”
We smiled at each other, and for a moment it felt good, normal even to be joking around with Serena. It was almost too easy to pretend that we weren’t standing on a precipice—hell, hanging off it, really—with more than just one life at stake. My smile faded.
We’d arrived in Savannah that morning. The fact that the Gathering was taking place only a few hours from home wasn’t lost on me—the Scavenger had no doubt reported my power to the Master.
I’d always imagined myself leaving Lothbrook and moving somewhere where adventures would find me. Savannah, with its beautiful architecture, tall, billowing live oaks, and rich history, was exactly the type of place I could see myself. With the Gathering only an hour away, however, all I could think about was how much I wished we were all safe and heading back home to simple little Lothbrook, where nothing ever happens.
I sighed. Things are never going to be the same again.
I looked at Serena, who was adjusting her hair in the mirror. “So, tell me about the Gatherings.” I’d already grilled her multiple times over that very topic, but I needed to distract myself. “Why so formal? Are they always like this?”
“Usually. The Master likes luxury, and he chooses to lavishly reward those who have remained loyal to him.”
“But not every guest is loyal. The majority of the guests are forced to attend, right?”
“Yes. It’s a show of power,” Serena said. “I guess you could say the Master has a flair for the dramatic. If you’re going to terrorize people, you might as well do it in top hat and tails, or in our case, at a masquerade ball.”
The whole thing sounded grotesque and utterly terrifying. I thought of our plan, and my nerves responded by clenching into a ball that sank like a rock in the pit of my stomach. I shivered, her words like ice down my back.
“It’s okay to be afraid, you know,” she said, reading the expression on my face. “I’d be worried if you weren’t.”
I sighed. “I know, but . . . if we fail . . . if something happens to you or Maggie or—”
“We’ve gone into this of our own volition, Lainey. You can’t shoulder the responsibility if something goes wrong.”
“How could I not? We’re in this mess because of me.”
Serena gave me a hug, squeezing me tightly. “You’re so much like your mother. She was always worried about everyone but herself.” She gave me a warm smile. “You have her spirit.”
I swallowed, the lump in my throat growing bigger. I couldn’t think about my mother right now; I had to focus. I cleared my throat and gently pulled away from Serena. “Let’s just hope I don’t get anyone killed tonight.”
“Lainey—”
“You ready?” I plastered a smile on my face and checked my hair one last time. “I think it’s time.”
Serena’s expression was guarded. I could tell there was more that she wanted to say, but she nodded, linking her arm through mine. Arm in arm, we walked into the adjoining room.
Ty was standing next to the window in a black suit, but instead of a white shirt, he had opted for a black one, with a black silk tie to match. There was the tiniest bit of gel taming his hair, and he was smiling at me.
I blinked several times, all words having escaped me.
He smiled as he moved beside me. “You look beautiful,” he said. His husky voice in my ear made me shiver.
“And what about me?” Maggie called from the open bathroom door. She waltzed toward us and did a little spin. Her dress was identical to the one I wore.
“You look so pretty, Maggie.” I was being sincere, but the sight of Maggie in the same dress brought the logistics of our plan back to the forefront of my mind. We knew what we needed to do—find the Hetaeria and steal the Grimoire—but the Scavenger had my scent, and if he caught wind of it, our whole mission might be over even before it had a chance to begin. So we’d come up with a plan. Maggie called it “Operation Mystique”—fitting since the inspiration came from the blue-skinned shape-shifter from the X-men comics—and it involved confusing my scent with someone else’s. A decoy. A fake Lainey.
Maggie had been more than eager to volunteer for the job, despite my objections. Options were limited, and I knew that. But knowingly putting my best friend in danger while I searched for the Hetaeria made my stomach pitch and roll.
“Stop it, Styles,” Maggie said, noticing my frown. “I volunteered, remember.”
“I know, but I don’t like it.” I looked to Serena. “Are we sure there’s not another option?”
“Unfortunately not,” Serena said, her face mirroring the worry I knew was written across mine. “The Scavenger will be present tonight. If we’re to stay hidden as long as possible, we need to confuse his sense of smell. It will be harder to track two of you.”
“I just can’t stomach the idea of using my best friend as a decoy.” I turned to Maggie. “You could get hurt.”
Maggie rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. “Batman and Robin, remember?”
“It only has to work long enough for us to find the Hetaeria,” Ty said, reaching over to still my trembling hands.
With his reminder and Maggie’s determined face, I knew there was no way I would win that argument. “Fine,” I grumbled. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Serena nodded. “Join hands, please.”
Maggie grinned excitedly and grabbed my hands.
“Gareth would’ve been better at this,” Serena said, pulling a small vial from her purse, “but the Sage I bought this from promised me it was genuine, and Sages are usually trustworthy.”
“Usually?”
She grimaced at me. “Usually.”
Sprinkling the contents into her hands, she walked around us murmuring under her breath. I did not understand what she was saying but recognized that she must be speaking in some sort of Fae tongue. As she walked faster, she raised her hands, and Maggie’s countenance began to shimmer. Her features began to distort and change: her thick curls began to grow and straighten, and her lovely, rich brown skin lightened, turning fair beige. Her tall frame shrank a few inches. It was really strange to watch, so eventually I closed my eyes, still feeling uneasy about the whole thing.
I felt the hum of magic around us, felt it vibrate within me. When it faded, I heard a murmur of approval from Ty. “It’s done,” Serena said.
When I opened my eyes, my own face was staring back at me.
“Well?” The face might have been my own, but the voice still belonged to Maggie.
“The glamour worked.” Serena passed her a handheld mirror. “It won’t last for more than a few hours, but it should buy us the time we need.”
“This is so cool.” Maggie was gingerly prodding her new face with her fingertips.
Ty checked the clock on the wall. “We should go.”
I sucked in a deep breath. There was no turning back now.
“Okay. Let’s do it.”
There was a slight breeze coming off the Savannah River, and the low-hanging Spanish moss swayed back and forth like a flag. It wasn’t cold, but I was shivering just the same. The planation home in the distance looked like something out of Gone with the Wind, with its wraparound porch and tall, wide columns. The place was illuminated with the golden hue of candlelight, and the air around the house seemed to twinkle like fireflies. It was chilling how something so picturesque could cloak such evil. It reminded me of Lily of the Valley—lovely, yet deadly to all who came near.
I clutched Ty’s arm and tried to focus on keeping myself upright in my heels, the brick walkway an adequate distraction from the dread that threatened to choke me.
The sidewalks leading up to the main entrance and the lush front lawn were cluttered with people in formal wear. Laughter filled the air, and I reached up to make sure my mask was still in place.
There was every variety of dress and fabric, all in varying colors with matching masks. Small pockets of guests were laughing and mingling among themselves, but the majority of the line waiting to enter was eerily somber. It reminded me of a viewing at a funeral.
At the door, several men in tuxedos stood guarding the entrance. They were checking each guest’s name against the master list of guests.
“Warlocks,” Ty whispered in my ear. “Training with the Master.”
Our first obstacle.
I ground my teeth, feeling my nerves crackle under my skin.
When it was our turn at the door, Serena and Maggie sidled up to the two men not holding the list and began inquiring about the plantation house, the Gathering, anything to keep them occupied. I pushed my shoulders back and bolstered my courage. “The Lady Seraphine, her brother, Maxwell, and their guests,” I said grandly, with a lilting accentuation on my words. I hoped the fake names sounded less false to the doorkeeper than they did to me. Please let this work.
The warlock stared at me with narrowed eyes for a few seconds but then bent to check his list. “You’re not on the list,” he said curtly, turning his head to the other men.
“Could you please check again?” I asked quickly. I needed to keep his attention on me. I batted my eyelashes and placed a hand on the warlock’s forearm. “I would be so grateful.” I smiled warmly.
The man huffed and bent to check again. Ty took a slight step forward, angling his back, shielding the man from the view of the other warlocks and the other guests awaiting entrance. He spoke softly, reading off a piece of paper Serena had written out for him, and when the man looked up from the list, I blew a bit of shimmering dust into his face.
“Your name’s not—” The man’s face grew comically blank before returning to his normal scowl. “Your name’s here. Go on in.”
I wanted to whoop in excitement, but I smiled demurely and thanked him. He moved to let us pass through.
I noticed Ty looking at me. “What?” I asked him as we stepped through the doors.
He was grinning at me, his smile sitting crookedly on his lips. “I would be so grateful,” he intoned, doing a perfect imitation of my horrible accent. Then he batted his eyelashes, almost making me snort.
I smacked him in the chest. “I never claimed to be any good at flirting.”
“You did quite well, I think.” He winked at me, and the tips of my ears grew hot.
We followed the crowd down a long hall until we hit a wide foyer with a large winding staircase at one side and pair of double doors open to the ballroom on the other.
When I stepped through the doors, I sucked in a breath. I’d never seen a more beautiful room. The walls were covered with a lush, pale-golden tapestry, the swirling lines of the fabric mirroring the design of the building. The ceiling wasn’t vaulted, but it made up for the lack in black tiles dotted with tiny white lights, giving the illusion of a star-filled sky. Candles and crystal vases adorned the tables that were set up sporadically throughout the room, and the air smelled sweet, fragrant from the white roses that decorated the space.
There was a small orchestra playing softly in the corner, and the wide dance floor was already spotted with a handful of couples spinning across the floor.
When the room was nearly full, the conductor silenced the orchestra. Almost at once, the room grew silent in anticipation. The whole atmosphere of the room had shifted, like a drop in temperature. I blew out a breath, half expecting to see it as a puff of frozen air.
There was a slight commotion as one pair of double doors opened grandly. Standing on my tiptoes, I craned my neck to see what was happening, but my view was blocked by a group of men in tuxedos.
Then I saw him.
“The Master.”