“Take them,” Jarvins told us, wearing a ridiculously enormous hat with a rat mask over his face.
We grabbed the envelopes with our names on them and waited for further instructions as the usher walked away.
“You are invited to a high-stakes diplomatic gala. This is a fully immersive scenario. You each have a unique assignment within that envelope. Choose your own persona, but make sure it fits the mission you’re assigned. You will be graded on your completion of your primary objective, maintaining your cover, and your adaptability to unforeseen events. Failure to complete your mission isn’t an automatic fail, but breaking character, drawing attention, or causing a breach in secrecy is. Remember, you’re a squad first.” He grabbed a champagne flute from a waiter carrying a plate of them and winked at us. “Best of luck.”
I let out a small breath and opened my envelope.
Steal the magical artifact ring from a diplomat.
I bit my lip, frowning, until I looked up and sawTARGETflashing in red above a man’s head. He was a graying envoy with a gleaming blue ring flashing on his right hand. It hummed when he laughed.
“What’s everyone’s mission?” Dimitri asked, putting his envelope away. “We’re a squad, so we need to complete tasks as one. My objective is protecting Rune.”
“No fair,” Slater whined, his gaze locked on my cleavage. “I want to protect my mate. Instead, I’m tasked with spreading chaos and causing a distraction.”
“Well, I have to identify a double agent using my special power to pull the truth from a broker.” Zuko pouted, gaze on my ass.
“I have to get a ring from a diplomat,” I told them.
“I have to extract a code phrase from security,” Koa mumbled, his gaze flicking from my legs to my face.
“I need to protect Eleanor,” Lorian stated, helping her stand as she took ragged breaths.
“I need to…” she trailed off before blinking a few times and straightening the best she could. “Disguise myself as multipleguests and gather clues. I think my special power could come in handy…if I can manage to shift.”
“I have to assist Rune,” Aura replied, tucking her envelope between her breasts.
“I get to eliminate a rogue diplomat before he delivers a false treaty. Should be fun.” Raze flashed a wicked grin.
“I need to guard the vault key without revealing my role or its location.” Hawk gestured to his crotch, where I had to assume the key was. Though, I didn’t know why.
“Let’s do this,” Dimitri whispered. “Everyone, go complete your tasks now. Aura and Rune can go for the diplomat, and I’ll protect Rune.”
“What about me?” Aura frowned. “Am I in danger?”
Dimitri just shrugged. “My mission is only to protect Rune. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
I smiled, adjusted my mask, and drifted toward my target with Aura a half-step behind me. I lifted a fluted glass from a passing tray without breaking stride and let the chandelier light catch on the rim as I slid into the envoy’s orbit.
Up close, he smelled like bergamot. Iloathedbergamot. The obsidian ring on his right hand pulsed as he gestured to the man he was talking with.
“Forgive me,” I interrupted smoothly, tilting my head so the edge of my mask kissed my cheekbone. “I’ve been trying to find a way to introduce myself all evening.”
He turned, gaze dropping to take the measure of the little fabric of my dress before politely climbing back to my eyes. The smile he offered in return held too many implications, but from what I’d studied, that was a good thing. “Have you? Then, allow me to save you the trouble. Envoy Vlaken for Cursinia’s Academy of the Enchanted Arts. And you are?”
“Elara Vale,” I purred, giving him my persona’s name and nothing else. My fingers brushed his sleeve, but I made it seemlike an accident. “I’m here for my late arranged mate’s potion shop. I’m actually a collector and seller of rare potions.”
His mouth twitched. “A widow? I am so sorry for that.”
“Don’t be. Dead men keep secrets better than live men do.” I giggled lightly.
His smile turned devious. “We could use patrons with a sense of humor.”
I wasn’t really joking.
“Mm,” I said, letting the sound become a smile. “I have a fatal weakness for a man who can appreciate a joke, you know.”
Gross.
