“Wow, you really went all out.” Will gazed down at the assortment of chips and candies sprawled across the bed. “How did you get all these at 6 AM?”

“You remember JJ?” I asked, opening the bag of gummy worms.

He shuddered at the mere mention of him. “The creepy cashier at the 7/11 that used to stare at you? Tessa, please tell me you didn’t go back there. We made a pinky promise in 8th grade.”

“You’re worth breaking a pinky promise, Will.” Blushing, he bit into a red and green worm. “He was a lot creepier than I remember but I pretended my dad was in the car so he wouldn’t try anything.”

The truth was that Elena and Belmont used their ghostly existence to frighten the lewd cashier. He attempted to ask me out on a date, claiming we were close enough in age for it to be legal, when Elena messed with the slushie machine. I left him at the register, panicking over Belmont flickering the lights to the tune of the rock song on the radio.

Will awoke less than four hours ago and if it were not for school, I would spend the whole day with him. I had very little trust in Damon’s words, knowing that Will could be back in a coma with a snap of Amara’s fingers. No matter how much he insisted that he was feeling better, even looking like he had not spent the past couple months in the hospital, I was treating him like a delicate flower.

“You have to get to school. Don’t ruin your perfect attendance for me. I may be worth getting hit on by pervy old guys but not that,” he joked. I peeked at his steady heart monitor. “I promise I’m fine. If something goes wrong, my mom or Katie will call.”

“Well, I’m still doing all your homework until you’re a hundred percent better,” I insisted. “Did the doctor say when you’ll be good enough to leave?”

“Not yet. He’s checking on me later but he said my vitals are already pretty good,” he said, hopeful of a quick recovery. “I might be back by the end of the week, which is a little weird but not as weird as those dreams about your brother. Not that I know what your brother looks like now or I had a crush on him when I was seven.”

Feigning a laugh, I jumped down from the bed and wrapped my arms around his neck, careful not to squeeze too tightly.

“Hello Miss Byrne,” I heard, seconds after closing the door.

Standing behind me was a tall middle-aged man with dark hair that was somehow disheveled and neatly styled at the same time. His dark suit and polished shoes gave him the appearance of a businessman, possibly a lawyer. My first thought was that Chief Parker hired him to interrogate Will for a bogus confession about the accident, until I spotted the white rose tucked into his suit pocket.

Elena and Belmont were on either side of him, with her staring adoringly at his handsome face. The man held out his tanned hand.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Alistair Cowen,” he said, speaking in a throaty voice, with a posh accent. “I am one of Grandmaster Cullen’s trusted advisers.”

Cullen sent him to watch over me while the council handled the rogue reaper. Sensing my unease, he assured me that the council was utilizing its best resources, with Cullen personally leading the case. I had been reluctant to send him the note from the reaper, wondering if he would toss it in the trash, but he seemed to be at least willing to investigate my claims.

“Not that I don’t appreciate him looking out for me but um won’t it look weird if you’re following me around?”

“Only those with supernatural abilities can see me,” he explained, leading me out of the hospital. “I imagine this is difficult for you, Miss Byrne, but if all goes to plan, it will be over tonight.”

I hesitated, taking one last look at the hospital, before getting into the car, Cowen holding open the door. “Hot, British, and a gentleman? He’s like an older Edwin,” whispered Elena, smiling at him from the backseat.

“He’s old enough to be your dad and you still look fifteen,” I said, not wanting to relive her teenage Mr. Darcy memories. “Dial it back.”

“You could cut glass with those cheekbones,” she said, oblivious to my words. “Who cares?”

The whole ride to school, my eyes were on my phone, fearing that I would get a message that Will was once again comatose or worse. Encouraging messages from Katie were not enough to assuage my fears.

“So Mr. Cowen,” said Elena, breaking the silence. (“Alistair, please. No need for formality,” he replied.) “Tell us about you. Where are you from? What’s it like working for the council?”

“I was born in Kent. I’ve known the Grandmaster for many years. Our families are old friends and in a way, we grew up as brothers,” he said, unbothered by the intrusive questions. “My duties are to assist him in any way I can, mostly for intellectual purposes. I would protect him with my own life, if need be. That’s why I admire your friend.”

I glanced up from my phone. “Me?”

“Yes,” he said, as if it was obvious. “You’re compassionate and loyal, traits I hold dear myself. I watched you in the hospital before, with your friend William. He’s different than your ghostly companions, far more fragile, but you would protect them all the same, no matter the cost. Ah, here we are.”

Arriving at the school, I saw several of my fellow seniors carrying cardboard boxes filled with confetti, paint supplies, and paper mâché stars. “Thanks for the ride, M—Alistair.”

“We’ll meet back here at 4:15, yes?” he asked, opening the door for the three of us. “You’re staying behind for dance committee?”

I was taken aback by his knowledge of my schedule. “Yeah, I—wow, you do your homework. Thanks again.”

Elena waved at him as he drove out of the parking lot. Before I could dissuade her from her latest crush, a thin hand, each nail painted maroon red, latched onto my arm and I found Amity by my side. She rambled on about sending me a million texts over the weekend, the entire town hearing about the incident in the woods.

“If I was attacked by some psycho in the woods, my dad would keep me locked in my room forever,” she said, acting like I survived being mauled by a bear. “Chace was telling us about it last night at his place. You’re still going to winter ball, right?”

“Of course. You spent months planning it, Amy. I wouldn’t miss it,” I replied, having no choice.

She heaved a sighed of relief. “Good, because Claire’s bringing her secret older boyfriend and they’ll probably be making out all night, which is gross. I need someone who won’t ditch me.”

“I’m your girl. Why are we going this way?” I asked, passing the staircase. “We have History first.”

“Oh right, you probably didn’t see the email from Claire’s mom. After what happened to you, Chief Parker had the idea to teach us about self defense so no History,” she said, happily. “We get to miss two periods and learn to kick butt like Black Widow.”

In a normal high school, a lesson in self defense sounded uneventful. The instructor would teach them a few basic moves and pretend that they were now capable of taking down attackers twice their size. It was a different story when one of the instructors was Chief Parker himself. Seeing Garren did not lift my spirits since he looked like he would lose to a feisty chihuahua. Coach Anderson assigned each student to one of five groups.

“Wow, I guess I never realized what an asshole Chief Parker is since he was always on my side,” said Belmont, shaking his head. “I mean, he definitely put you two together just to—Byrne, where are you going?”

I stormed over to Chief Parker, ignoring the cheerful tidings of ‘Glad you’re back’ and ‘We were really worried’ from my classmates. If the incident happened a few months ago, I would have been ridiculed for days. The feigned concern was solely because of my newfound friendship with the ‘popular’ clique, Amity my only true friend among them.

“Change my group,” I stated, interrupting his conversation about football with Coach Anderson.

“Tessa, the groups were randomly assigned,” said Coach Anderson, surprised by my harsh tone. “What’s wrong with your group?”

“I don’t know, sir,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Why do you knock over the stapler every morning in the principal’s office ‘by accident’ just to watch Ms. Jones pick it up?”

“Watch it,” he hissed, his face as red as his hair.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought we were asking each other rhetorical questions,” I said, unapologetic. “No? Okay, well I want to change groups because I don’t want to be within ten feet of his dirty mutt of a son.”

Coach Anderson was too busy struggling to come up with a response to notice that Chief Parker’s eyes turned scarlet red. Elena squeaked in fright and even Belmont reluctantly raised his fists. I stood my ground, refusing to even blink, as a challenge for the police chief to show everyone his true self.

“Heh, teenagers, sir. You know how they can be at times. One minute, you’re best friends and the next, you wish they were never born. Hormones, am I right?” said Garren, chuckling nervously.

Cowen was in the corner, by the bleachers, reaching inside his suit. He lowered his hand at a slight twitch of Garren’s right eye, who passed it off as a nervous tic. Garren wondered aloud if it was best for me to sit out the lesson, afraid that it would trigger painful memories of the attack in the woods.

Chief Parker’s eyes returned to their usual dark brown color. “Every student is required to participate, Garren. It’ll be good for her. She should know how to fight back when—if she ever finds herself in that situation again. Sadly, it’s common for girls her age.”

“Of course, sir. Self defense is important,” he conceded. “I’ll get her back to her group and we can begin.”

He placed his hand on my shoulder, gripping it hard enough that he was pressing against bone. I was about to yell at him when I realized that Chief Parker was eyeing our every movement.

“Pretend to trip and I’ll say you need the nurse. You can’t be around Chace or his father right now,” he said, barely moving his lips.

“I’m not scared of them,” I muttered, mimicking him.

“Tessa, your father told me about your visit with Damon. This is why twin reapers are dangerous,” he whispered, squeezing my shoulder. “You’re meant to be kept apart. If you’re in close quarters for too long, especially if you make physical contact, you begin to absorb each other’s power and personality. It’s Damon’s anger that is fueling you and being around Chace will make it worse.”

I wrenched my shoulder from his grasp. “I am not running like a scared little girl, Oliver. If he wants a fight, he’ll get one.”

“Tessa, maybe Oliver’s right,” suggested Elena, looking at me like I was a whole new person.

“You wouldn’t be dumb enough to pick a fight with Chief Parker. Nurse Simpson is easy to trick. Tell her you’re not feeling well and we can go back to the hospital.”

“No. I’m done being a coward and letting people walk all over me because I’m nice,” I stated, plainly. “You know what nice gets you? Nothing. I’m not taking shit from anyone, not Hilton, not Baxter, and definitely not from a freakin’ dog.”

Tuning out their concerns, I headed over to my group. Danvers was imitating a lewd sex act to Hilton’s disgust and Parker’s amusement.

“If your new girlfriend likes that, she’s blind or desperate. Speaking of pathetic Lily Grove girls, Byrne is here. Can this day get any worse?” she asked, scrunching her nose.

“I bet your parents say that every morning when they see you.”

A trio of nearby girls gasped while Danvers sniggered under his breath. Hilton shot me one of her trademark icy glares.

“I must’ve gone temporarily deaf for a second,” she said, her sugary sweet voice belying her anger. “What did you just say? I’d think before you answer, Byrne.”

“I bet your parents say that every morning when they see you,” I repeated slowly, with random hand gestures. “Is the space between your ears not connecting the dots?”

“You filthy—” Parker moved between us. “He can’t be your guard dog 24/7, Byrne. Watch your back.”

“Sure. Let’s see what the fuss is about,” I said, with a shrug. “Your boyfriend likes to do that too. Hey, you know what? I bet when you two are getting hot and heavy, he’s thinking of me. Second place to me when it comes to daddy and the boyfriend. Tragic.”

Hilton’s cheeks puffed out like a bullfrog’s. Her string of curses was drowned out by Coach Anderson’s shrill whistle. He ordered each group to split into pairs. If Parker was not standing like a statue, Hilton would have chosen me as a partner to ‘accidentally’ kick in the face.

“What the hell is going on?” Parker asked, as Hilton dragged an entertained Danvers away with a tug of his ear. “This isn’t you.”

“No, this is me,” I countered. “This is me when I don’t care about people’s feelings or being nice. Unfiltered and not giving a damn. Do you have a problem with that, Scooby-Doo?”

Chief Parker began to demonstrate the first move with an officer: flipping an attacker over their back. Garren and the other officers walked around the room, placing students in the correct position.

“Oliver, he doesn’t need help. He has tons of practice with this,” I said, as Garren started to adjust Parker’s hand on my waist. “I bet he does it to the girls he brings to the Falls, after they see he’s a sleazebag but he can’t have them run off.”

His grip loosened on my throat. Judging by Belmont’s expression, I had hit a nerve.

“Aw, is the puppy sad?” I asked, pretending to wipe away a tear. “You should be happy. If this were the back row of a movie theater, you’d have me right where you want me. It used to be Vivienne’s favorite too. Are you jealous that she beat you to it, to that first taste?”

“Byrne, that’s enough. Come on,” said Belmont.

I elbowed Parker in the ribs and flipped him onto the rubber mat. He rolled over to his side, groaning in pain. His friends looked between their brawny captain and me, a girl who weighed about a hundred pounds soaking wet, at a loss for words. Lying that I looked a bit flushed, Garren pulled me out into the hallway. Cowen, as if he could teleport from room to room, was somehow already there, his expression both sympathetic and, in my addled mind, intrigued.

“Until this wears off, you need to go somewhere quiet.”

“Because I hurt Chace Parker’s feelings?” I asked, pouting. “Who knew he even had any?”

“It raises questions when a tiny girl can toss a star running back with the ease of a feather,” he pointed out, indicating my petite frame. “Caleb has done a fantastic job at hiding his true self but the second he has you alone, he’ll attempt to finish what he started in those woods.”

“Tessa, I know you,” Elena said, grabbing my hands. “It’s Damon messing with your head. I mean, Fin was horrible to you for years but you’re still helping him...because you’re good. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. You believe in the good of people and that’s what makes them better around you. That’s why you’re my best friend.” She frowned at my fit of giggles. “What’s so funny?”

“Best friend,” I said, mockingly. “We’re not friends. I’m your charity case. You thought you were better than your real friends because you didn’t make my every day a living hell but you didn’t stop them either. You were just a bitch in sheep’s clothing. That’s why you didn’t pass on, right? Because you knew when it was your time to be judged, you wouldn’t go to the nice place like your parents and Abby and then they’d know the truth about you too. The only reason you hang out with me is because I’m the only one who can see you.”

The sight of a single tear trickling down her cheek sent a shock to my system, like waking up from a nightmare. Everything that happened in the past five minutes played over and over in my head. She was right. No matter how much I hated Parker or Hilton, I would never be as cruel.

“I didn’t mean—I’m sorry,” I stuttered, feeling like I was temporarily possessed. “I shouldn’t—I just want to be alone right now.”

“Tessa, wait!” cried Elena, as I disappeared through the doors.

Keeping my eyes on the ground, I sped past the football field and continued walking down the street. I stopped when my feet began to hurt and was surprised to find myself at the sandbox in the local playground. My fingers traced over the E + T that Elena had carved into one of the wooden edges with her dad’s pocket knife, the day before second grade.

I remembered the first time we met: me, the awkward new girl in town, dressed in a hoodie and jeans to hide the markings on my body that increased by the day, and her, the bubbly girl in a pink floral dress and matching bow in her hair. My mother encouraged me to play with the other kids, to get my mind off of Damon, but I was too much of an introvert to approach them.

I had just avoided getting hit in the face by a purple bucket when I spotted two boys, no older than nine, destroying a curly-haired girl’s sand castle.

“You’re such a butthead, Nate!” the girl shouted, stamping her foot. “Knights are supposed to protect the castle!”

“Aw, is the princess gonna cry? It didn’t look much like a castle to me,” teased the taller of the two, digging his sneaker into the sand. “Tell you what, you let me give you three indian burns and I’ll help you build it again.

“No way,” she said, backing away from the older boy. “That hurts!”

“Leave her alone.”

The boys turned their heads and sniggered, seeing that I was about the size of a twig and only reached their waist. Behind their backs, the girl shook her head.

“Look at that, Billy. Fresh meat,” he said to the other boy, who cracked his knuckles. “What did you say to me, pipsqueak?”

“I said leave her alone," I repeated.

“Or wh—oof!”

He was silenced by the bucket smacking his stomach and swiftly fell to his knees. His friend lunged at me but I easily tripped him, causing him to stumble into the swing set.

“Go away or I’ll make you both eat your underwear," I said, raising the bucket like a deadly weapon.

The girl was stifling her giggles into her hand. “Y—you better stop laughing, Ellie. I’m telling Aunt Lillian!” threatened Nate.

Bent over in pain, he forced his friend to follow him up the small hill. “Sorry," I muttered, losing my short-lived confidence.

“Why are you sorry? That was funny," she said with a wide grin, a few teeth missing. "My mom knows he’s a bully. She won’t yell at you.”

“That’s good." I handed back the bucket. "I should go.”

The girl moved in front of me. “Wait! I’ve never seen you around here before. Do you want to play with me? Nate and Billy were supposed to be my knights but they were really bad at it. You can be the knight instead.” She tapped both of my shoulders with her purple shovel. “I name thee...what’s your name?”

“Tessa,” I replied, shyly tugging on the bottom of my hoodie.

“Ooh, that’s pretty,” she said, her big, brown eyes shimmering in the light. “I name thee Lady Tessa, knight to the beautiful Princess Elena. You will be sworn to protect the princess from any danger, from now until your last day.”

SNAP.

I whipped my head around at the sound of a broken twig. My heart sank when I came face to face with Cowen. Practically reading my mind, he explained that he told Elena it was best if he spoke with me, finding it easier for someone to clear their head with a stranger. If he was able to find me so quickly, he really did his research before taking on the job of being my bodyguard.

“You don’t have to worry about the council finding out about your visit to Erinyes. I have a soft spot when it comes to family,” he said, a meaningful look in his eyes. “It must be even harder for you, being a twin. It’s a bond unlike any other, a connection that only can be understood by a fellow twin. The ritual happens to be one tradition that I never agreed with, too archaic and brutal.”

“I never should’ve gone there,” I said, chastising myself. “I thought it would help but it caused more problems. The reaper threatened him, the guards are probably treating him worse than before, and being near him turned me into a temporary bitch. How can I face Elena after what I said?”

“She knows you didn’t mean it, even if that’s not strictly true.” I looked at him, curiously. “You and your brother are quite opposite. He doesn’t care about the opinions of others. He will say what’s on his mind. You, on the other hand, are careful with your words. A girl like Claire Hilton makes your life unbearable yet you would never be as needlessly cruel. You may come to blows from time to time but you hold back, bottling up your feelings. It’s why you’ve reacted so strongly to your brother’s presence. It must be—”

“Horrible?” I asked, fighting a laugh. “That’s an understatement.”

“I was going to say liberating.” I was not expecting that answer. “No matter how horrible you feel, you did speak the truth to her. You may not have meant to speak so harshly but it is your truth, how you’ve felt when she ignored you around her other friends. There’s nothing wrong with that, Tessa. It’s why I’ve asked her and Fin to stay away for the night.”

Had he lost his mind? “What?” I said, thinking I heard him wrong. “Why would you do that?”

“If the reaper does show up tonight, you may be called upon to aid in the defense and as admirable as your loyalty is, emotional attachments can be a weakness in battle,” he stated, speaking like a soldier. “You cannot concern yourself with their safety. Rest assured, they are under council protection. The Grandmaster agreed with my decision.”

As much as I wanted to trust Cullen, Elena and Belmont’s disappearance deepened my anxiety. I had planned for them to be at a dance, to act as lookouts for any strange behavior. Instead, I would be fretting over them, hardly focused on the reaper’s possible attack.

After a few hours of last minute decorating, Cowen drove me home and I began to get ready for the dance. It was difficult without Elena’s expertise in hair and makeup but I tried my best. I left a post-it note on my mirror, in case the council allowed them to return, and walked downstairs, holding a white embroidered masquerade mask. My mother took so many pictures of me that I was going blind.

“I don’t want you to worry, Celia,” assured Cowen. “She’s in good hands. Hopefully, we’ll be able to put this nasty business behind us for good.”

Her smile faltered slightly. “If you need any help, don’t hesitate to call, Liam.”

Hearing a soft knock, Ryan opened the door and greeted Amity. She looked even more beautiful than usual, her maroon dress complimenting her curves.

“Aw, you must be Ryan,” she said, bending down to my little brother. “I’m Amity. Is your sister ready?”

He untied the blue and gold yarn bracelet around his wrist, one Rosa had given to my mother for his protection. It was enchanted to repel any dangerous beasts, particularly hupias, from getting near him.

“It’ll protect you from the monsters at the dance,” he said, placing it on her own wrist. My father chuckled, passing it off as an overactive imagination. “Just in case Tessa isn’t there to beat them up.”

Amused by my brother’s so-called imagination, she joked that after tossing Parker like a rag doll, she believed I was a secret ninja. Not wanting to relive gym class, I grabbed my clutch before heading towards the door.

“We don’t want her out too late, Amity. With what happened this past weekend, we’re more protective than usual,” said my father, holding the door open.

“Girl Scout honor, Mr. Byrne.” She squeezed my arm as we walked down the driveway. “Okay, who was Mr. Tall, dark, and handsome? Tessa, don’t hold out on the details. We’re friends and friends don’t keep hotties like that a secret. Spill.”

“The guy is um—he’s my uncle, on my dad’s side,” I said, thinking on my feet. “He’s staying with us for a bit, not really sure how long.”

I dreaded hearing another girl gush over the handsome guard, when the shocking realization struck me like a speeding train. Amity was talking about Cowen, a man who should have been invisible to her. No matter how many conspiracy theories I thought up in my head, it circled back to one explanation: her somehow being supernatural.

A bump in the road shook me out of my stupor. No longer coming up with theories to explain Amity’s ability to see my supernatural bodyguard, I noticed that I was inside the limo with her, her date Erik (or ‘Eight pack Erik’, a senior on the swim team), Danvers and his date (a pretty blonde named Serena with an infectious laugh), and Hilton and Parker, who were too busy sucking each other’s faces to acknowledge me. Parker eyed me between kisses, as if gauging my reaction, but I was too busy staring at Amity, who was deep in conversation with Serena about the upcoming spring musical.

Danvers placed a shot glass in my hand. “What’s your poison, Byrne? You’ve got to catch up before we get to the school. We’ve already had three shots a piece.” At my silence, he grabbed a bottle to his left. “I’ve got a sixth sense with these things. I bet you’re a whiskey girl,”

If the reaper does show up tonight, you may be called upon to aid in the defense. Cowen’s words at the playground were a chilling reminder that I was not a normal teenage girl, going to a school dance. Instead of drinking punch and dancing with friends, I had to fight monsters killing my classmates, kids I grew up with over the past ten years. What if Cullen’s men weren’t enough to stop the reaper? What if at the end of the night, the school was a pile of rubble?

I downed the shot then took the bottle and chugged it, ignoring the burning sensation in my throat. Immediately regretting my poor choice in coping mechanism, I lowered the bottle, to see them wide-eyed and mouths agape.

“Tessa, are you—”

“Byrne, holy shit,” cackled Danvers, high-fiving me. “Who knew you were such a beast? That was awesome!”

The limo stopped and as I stepped out, feeling tipsy, Parker pulled me aside. His lips were moving at a frantic pace but his voice sounded a thousand miles away. Hilton paid him no mind, too concerned with finding her real date.

“Tessa,” he repeated, giving my arm a quick shake. “If something’s going on, you need to tell me.”

Parker took several step backs as Cullen and Cowen descended down the steps of the school, dressed in crisp black suits and holding matching masquerade masks. He shifted his gaze to the sidewalk, when Cowen reminded him of his deal with the council. After I left and he continued to be interrogated, the council considered sending him and his father down to the Underworld, for breaking the law. To change their minds, he swore to stay away from any reapers, particularly me.

Cullen stood between us. “I showed you leniency, Chace, and here you are, not just near Tessa but blatantly putting your hands on her.”

“I would never hurt Tessa,” he stressed.

“Your past says otherwise,” Cullen countered, a fire in his eyes.

Parker meekly began to defend himself before Cullen raised his hand, an ornate silver ring gleaming in the light of the street lamp.

“You’re not here because I broke some pinky promise. Is it the reaper?” asked Parker, lowering his voice around a group of passing senior girls. “Please, I want to help. I’m not working with my father.”

“If you wish to help, dog, you’ll go inside and act as if everything is normal,” said Cowen, hands behind his back. Parker’s eyes flickered red. “With a temper like yours, you’re no help to us.”

“At the trial, you told me that you wanted to be better than the past Grandmasters...that you wanted to bring about change,” he told Cullen, who looked torn between empathy and indifference. “How are you any better if you paint me with the same brush as my dad?”

Cullen was resolute in his decision to keep Chace in the dark. Though he admired his willingness to help (“Even if it is borne out of selfish desires,” he said, his pale blue eyes passing over me), his concern was that Chief Parker could have an involvement in tonight’s planned attack and pitting father against son only complicated matters. His men were here to prevent a war, not start one.

Knowing it was a losing battle, Parker marched up the steps to the school and settled back into his old ways, stealing a six pack from a passing sophomore and knocking him him into the wall. It felt like the calm before a raging storm.

“I know you’re worried for him but he’s right,” said Cullen, glumly. “He isn’t his father...not yet. He’s a lost pup. As much as I’d appreciate the help, we don’t need any unexpected variables in the mix.”

I was still reeling from the fact that Cullen, basically the king of the reapers, was at my school dance. “I get that but um—when you said you were sending people, I didn’t think you meant—it’s um—heh, you’re here, dressed fancy.”

“This reaper endangers us all, Tessa. What kind of example would I be showing if I allowed my people to rush into danger while I sat comfortably in my home?” he said, boldly. “I have guards stationed within the dance itself and Li and a few others are guarding the perimeter. Ah, here she is now.”

Instead of the Asian rocker who had been less than impressed with Belmont, a black fox emerged from the bushes, followed by a raccoon and a tabby cat. I did a double take as three women replaced them, thinking that it was an effect from the alcohol.

Aside from their shared affinity for black clothing, the two women on either side of Li could not be more different. The one on her right (the raccoon) was not much older than myself, probably just out of college. Her sleek black hair was tied in a high ponytail that exposed the crow tattoo behind her right ear, one of many tattoos on her body, and she was dressed in a similar style to Li. The other woman was certainly pushing her fifties yet looked like she could knock someone out with a single punch.

“Outside’s all clear, Ced. Never seen a shapeshifter before, huh?” Li asked, seeing my bewildered expression. “I’m half kitsune on my mom’s side and Evani and Tala are skin-walkers. It’s a secret among the guard and Cullen’s trusted advisers so that reaper will be in for a surprise.”

“You look like your grandmother when she was your age,” remarked Tala, with a kind smile. “I haven’t been to see her in awhile. I’m sure she misses these outings.”

“My grandmother was part of the guard?” I asked, never hearing her mention it in her old stories of being on the council.

Tala nodded. “She was one of the greatest among us. It was a shame what happened to her, a coward’s move.”

Cullen discussed the basics of the plan. He and Cowen would pose as chaperones at the dance while Evani and Tala used their abilities to blend in with the high school crowd. Li and the rest of the guard would remain outside, reporting any strange sightings. If the reaper attacked, the guard had strict orders to evacuate the school.

As if he could see my insides twisted into knots, he led me away from the others. “I can see you’re nervous. What’s on your mind?”

“Murphy’s law,” I said, fighting the urge to vomit whiskey all over the sidewalk.

“Come again?” he asked, perplexed.

“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong,” I explained, twisting my mask in my hands. “You think this plan is foolproof and I don’t want to doubt you...trust me, I don’t want to have to fight monsters while Hilton is getting crowned Ice Princess or something but my grandmother always says that you have to expect a plan to fail. Do you have backup plans, like Plan B to Z?”

“There is no need for that.” If I was not terrified, I would find his optimism encouraging. “Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, let’s take a positive approach. My guards have never let me down. We’ve dealt with far worse than a rogue reaper, Tessa. Tonight, all this pain and misery they’ve inflicted will be a thing of the past and you can move forward, look towards your future.”

“Well, if you’re right, that’s exactly what I want to talk to you about. I know it’s a long shot but—”

“Enough with the pep talk, Ced. Her friends are starting to wonder where she is and I’d rather not deal with a puppy on steroids,” interrupted Li.

In a split second, she returned to her fox form and Evani and Tala had disguised themselves as two junior girls. Taking a deep breath, I tied the lace mask around my face and followed Cullen into the school, Evani, who had taken on the appearance of one of Hilton’s minions, looping her arm through her mine.