The fury on Aristelle’s face makes me a little less scared of Lucius. “What’s the matter with you?” she hisses as she grabs my arm.

I open my mouth to snarl back, but then I see Diantha behind her, trembling so hard it seems only Reina’s arms hold her together. They’re scared of him—more scared than they were of vampires in a dark alley. I swallow down my defense.

“I’m sorry,” I say instead. The words aren’t easy for me.

Aristelle lets go of me and stalks away, and it’s Xander’s turn to grab me, squeezing my upper arms and spinning me toward him. “What were you thinking?”

“Tell me what happened to the other apprentices,” I shoot back.

He freezes for a second, like he doesn’t know the answer.

“Exactly what he said, Ava. Exactly what we already told you. You go home without any memory of this. Everything else is part of an elaborate show to test you.” His words are hard with impatience. As he speaks, he looks over my head in the direction of Lucius. “Just keep doing what you need to do to win.” He finally stares back down at me. “Will you?” He gives me a hard shake, and my head bobs from it, looking like a nod.

He lets go of me, satisfied.

Past his shoulder, Roman watches me.

“I’ll be right back,” I say to Xander.

I push through the crowd, dodging over-the-top magicians that somehow seem garish now in this room that reeks of blood.

I walk up to where Roman’s standing, watching Willow dab her newly red gown with napkins.

“Did you change my dress?” It’s not the question I mean to ask, but somehow, despite everything, this answer still matters.

I stand close enough that my shoulder grazes his upper arm. And my mind screams vampire, but if he’s trying to intimidate me, I want him to know it won’t work.

“That’s what you want to ask me?”

“Yes.”

His body rises and falls with a shrug. Answer enough.

“You don’t scare me.”

His eyes widen. “Ava… that’s not—”

I’m looking at his face, his lips, remembering them pressed against mine and then pressed against a vampire’s throat, and whatever I might understand about vampires, however my feelings might have changed, my gut reaction still makes my stomach heave and my fingers tremble.

I back away, searching.