Page 20 of All Hallows Masque

“There's no one matching that description here,” he replied, and I believed him.

My head bowed as I stared into my drink. Death was the most likely person Cruelty had locked up to use against me, but if she was telling the truth, one of my husbands was here somewhere tonight. And if I found him, we could go home.

“What about a tall man with white hair and gold eyes? He’d probably be pissing people off by being judgy and a little snappish, but he’s so goddamn beautiful there’d be no missing him even in a mask.”

Which was what made it so terrifying that I hadn’t found him. Not Miz, not Tor, not Madde, not Death.

The bartender was already shaking his head. “I’ve heard about a lot of people, darling woe, but not him.”

“What about a shorter man with a shaved head and a million tattoos? You’d know if you met him; he has a way of moving through the world with so much confidence that it bends around him, but he’s the sweetest, kindest person. Tell me you’ve methim.” My voice strangled but I ignored it, choking back vodka and wondering why the buzz wasn’t hitting me yet.

The bartender shook his head with a sigh.

“Or a redheaded man who literally can’t stand still, always talking and smiling and laughing. He’s practically covered in freckles from head to toe, and has the most vivid blue eyes. He’s a little crazy but so sweet, and I know he’d be looking for me. He calls me lioness. Please. You must have met him. You must have metoneof them. It’s the only reason I’m here.”

Pain twisted my chest into a knot as I stared at the masked stranger, all my hopes, all my dreams hanging on his response. I knew what it would be when his shoulders slumped and he sighed, genuine remorse in his hazel eyes.

“Darling, I hate to add to your sadness,” he said with sympathy that made my chest hurt more violently. I looked away from him, a lump in my throat. “But none of them are here.”

“I know,” I rasped, my voice choked. They weren’t. I knew them too well, would have felt it the moment any of them walked into the room. Cruelty lied to me. This was all another trick.

I could have sworn I saw a flicker of darkness beside me, like shadows reaching out, desperate to touch me, but there was nothing there.

I jumped when a warm hand covered mine, squeezing. “I wish I had another answer for you,” the bartender sighed. “For whatever it’s worth, you have my heart, darling woe.”

“God, stop flirting,” I groaned.

“I’m not,” he protested. “I mean it. Literally. I—ah, shit,” he groaned, his attention on something beyond me as if he’d felt the atmosphere of the room twisting, darkening before I did.

“What?” I demanded, turning to scan the opulent room, the masked faces, the twirling dancers. A space had cleared in the middle of the floor but not for more dancing. No, three peoplestood in a tight circle, draped in ink-black robes with their hoods up to conceal their faces, heads bent together.

Cold shot through me like adrenaline as they began to murmur, then to chant louder than the string quartet played.

The fucking robed figures. The bastards from Ford’s Halloween party that started all this wereback.Which could only mean one thing.

Cruelty was casting a curse.

13

Cat

“What is she doing?” I demanded, whipping around to give the bartender a panicked look. My heart crashed when I found the space behind the bar empty. He was gone. “Fuck,” I hissed, staring back at the tight circle of robed figures. These bastards had brought Nightmare back, and killed Orwell, Milani, Rone, Mason. They were the reason I was cursed, the reason I killed Darya, the reason Byron and Honey were dead. Rage struck my bleeding, grieving heart like a match against touch paper, and I was shoving off the bar and pushing through the crowd in an instant.

Woah, shit.The world swooped and swirled around me, and my legs were nowhere as stable as I expected. Those double vodkas had done something after all. But being wobbly and lightheaded wouldn’t stop me attacking the robed bastards.

An elbow hooked mine, dragging me to a sudden stop. My head jerked on my neck, giving me fucking whiplash, and Iglared at Cruelty with the full force of my hatred. I couldn’t fake being her bestie right now. I wanted her, and the robes, and whoever the fuck else was heredead.

I blinked until she came into focus.

“Isn’t this fun?” Cruelty asked with a smile brighter than the sun. Her hair was still arranged to perfection, unlike mine, where strands had worked themselves free. Probably because talking to so many strangers made my skin buzz and I kept trying to run my fingers through my hair. Her makeup looked identical to earlier too, and I was sure I didn’t want to know what mine morphed into. She was clearly immortal. It was worse because she didn’t give me even a judgy once-over. She just beamed at me, like my presence was a gift she truly valued.

That knocked the rage out of me and I forced my breath out in a long sigh.Be friendly, get her on side, and find out what she has planned for my husbands.Thenyou can kill her.

“Does it remind you of your glory days?” At my blank look, she laughed loudly, her glittering voice rising above even the robed cultist’s chanting. “The Halloween party, silly.”

“Yeah.” I cleared my throat when my voice came out gravelly. “It’s exactly like that. What curse are you casting?”

“Curse.” She scoffed, knocking her shoulder into mine. “That’s such a dreary, boring way to describe it. I like to think of them as little pockets of delight. Gifts.”

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