“That dress is a big deal too. It was passed down from your grandmother to your mother, and then to you before you gave it to me, right?”

Then a miracle happened. It was happening in the form of glistening tears in my mother’s eyes. “Right.” She turned to Kris, smiling. “She doesn’t need a dress. She has one.”

I stood there, realizing that a second miracle had also just happened: my mom had agreed with me.

After that, my mom was in a good mood. She even allowed me to take her car to drive to the beach party with Kris that evening. After quickly showering, playing dress-up, and—most importantly—making sure I had the page from the book with me, I went to the Royal Quarters. Kris was waiting for me outside. “I think it’s going to be so much fun, Ave! I’m so excited that you can participate in the Gathering events again.”

It was unlikely that people would immediately think of beaches when they thought of Alaska, but believe it or not, there were about five thousand miles of coastline and several beaches. It was almost a three-hour drive to Wonder Lake, where the party was held, and by the time we got there, the bonfire had been set and the party was in full swing with music and dancing.

We walked toward the bonfire, glad that we had decided to wear our faux-fur coats because it was freezing. Despite the temperature being fifteen degrees Fahrenheit, the guys looked as if the cold did not bother them at all. Maybe they were just playing it cool, or perhaps the heat radiating from the bonfire was enough to keep them warm while dancing. Kris clicked Domenico, who was among the guys crowded around the bonfire. Unlike the others, he wore what people normally wore during the winter season in Alaska: a scarf, a beanie hat, some gloves, and a long navy-blue coat. Domenico ran to meet us and took Kris’s hand, raising it to his lips as he said, “Buonasera, amore.”

My best friend giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her closer. They went to dance while I stood by the bonfire to warm up, counting the minutes until Adrian arrived. Being the third wheel was never enjoyable.

As I walked aimlessly around the party, I could hear familiar voices shouting back and forth. I quickly pushed through the crowd that had gathered around the source of the commotion. In the middle of the circle of nosey people, Damian and Adrian stood a few feet away from each other. Two or three people were holding their arms to separate them. It was a good thing they were being held back because I saw venom in Adrian’s eyes, and he looked ready to strike. How did I not notice him arrive?

“Walk away, Tavoularis, or there’ll be hell to pay.”