“I know it’s your favorite. Carrot cake,” I laughed.
“The grossest cake of all,” Odette said, bunching up her nose. She’d made it clear when we’d ordered that shedid notlike carrot cake. She was going to skip on eating a piece, but when Theo gave her a stern look, she took a small one.
We’d all been on Odette about eating enough to nourish herself since she’d gotten back. Her portion sizes weren’t quite back up to what they should be, but at least she wasn’t skipping meals anymore— though I wasn’t sure if she was truly recovered. She ate because the rest of us made sure to attend her every meal. I didn’t know what she would do if she was alone.
Emma took another bite and rolled her eyes in bliss. “It’s heavenly. Thanks, Ethan.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek, and my heart glowed.
“We should go get drinks tonight,” Stefan suggested as he dove into a giant piece. “Toast to Em making it another year.”
“A long ass year,” Emma added.
Theo’s eyes sparked. “Drinks do sound like quite the treat,” he said. “Count me in.”
I frowned. “I apologize. I wish I could go. There’s a masquerade party I’m obligated to attend.”
Emma’s face fell. “Tonight? Do you have to?”
“Unfortunately, thecoronationis tomorrow. The masquerade is a party to celebrate, before tomorrow’s ceremonies. I’m required to make an appearance,” I said.
Talking about Elijah and Gabby’s coronation left a bad taste in my mouth. There was still a chance to stop it— but only if I went to the masquerade.
“Just don’t show up,” Delmare said. “Stick it to the assholes at the top.”
“You’re forgetting it’s a full moon,” I said. “Gabby will be at the party, but at some point, she’ll have to leave in order to perform her ceremony. I plan to follow her properly this time and get it on tape. If I can obtain the evidence she’s using Unseelie magic, I can stop the coronation tomorrow.Ifour theories are right and that is what she’s doing.”
“The last time you did this alone, you screwed it up,” Stefan pointed out. “Some of us should go with you.”
“I’d agree, but the masquerade is invitation-only,” I quipped in an annoyed voice. “None of you will be let in.”
“Doesn’t that mean I’m invited as well?” Emma asked.
I frowned. “I’m sorry, Emma. Due to your affiliation with black magic during the Contest, you’ve been prohibited from attending all royal events, including the masquerade and the coronation tomorrow. The only reason I’m going is because my mother bullied Steward Soloman into giving me a ticket. The Circle didn’t want me there.”
She scowled. She knew that was a smack in the face, to exile the mate of the prince regent.
“We’ll be outside the castle anyway,” Kiara offered. “If any of us see Gabby head into the woods, we’ll follow her as well.”
“And this time, we’ll get a recording.” Theo waved his cell phone in the air.
“We can celebrate my birthday tomorrow,” Emma said. “This is our last chance to get them off the throne. If we fail, it’ll be near impossible to discredit them once they become king and queen.”
“Exactly,” I confirmed. “This is our final shot. Let’s make it count.”
* * *
As the full moon rose,I donned my white tuxedo and headed down the stairs of the palace to the main ballroom, where the masquerade was already in full swing.
Gabby had picked out the theme for this party, and it looked nothing like the King’s Ball. That had been a party full of light and decoration. The lights were dim at the masquerade, with only candlelight to show the way. Everything had been swathed in colors of black and red, from the drapes hanging from the ceiling to the red tablecloths coating the round tables. The china had been replaced with gold plates, and the string band played a low and ominous song that sounded like some music out of hell.
Some party. I had chosen a simple white and gold mask to cover the upper portion of my face.
I looked very out of place here. The guests had dressed in dark colors. I was certain I had to know some of these people, but it was hard to tell who was who when everyone was wearing a mask.
I could tell who Gabby and Elijah were, though, simply because they sat at the head of the room on two golden thrones, lording over the people. They’d chosen matching black outfits with red masks— Gabby’s a luxurious ball gown and Eli’s a velvet tuxedo. Servants constantly brought them wine and hors d’oeuvres, waiting on them hand and foot while both barked orders.
I was keeping an eye on them. My friends were stationed around the palace at all entrances, hiding in the woods and waiting for Gabby to leave the party in order to partake in her ceremony. I worried our theory was wrong, and we wouldn’t catch her doing anything tonight, sealing their coronation tomorrow.
But I couldn’t afford to think like that. Everything was on the line. Gabby had to slip up.
