“We’re talking about well-trained Strategia guards and hired thugs. Anything we do will be spotted for what it is and probably be just as obvious as knocking out a couple of guards,” Aarya says. “At least if we take out the guards we buy ourselves ten minutes or so.”

“Ten minutes if we’re lucky,” Ash says. “And we don’t even know what we’re looking for in there. We may go through all the effort of getting in just to have to bolt before we find whatever November’s dad wanted her to see.”

I shift nervously in my seat at the thought of being this close to my dad but with no clear idea how to get to him.

“And we’re back to square effing one,” Aarya says, sitting back in her chair, exasperated. “If we keep this up, we’re not going to the ball at all.”

“Cinderella,” I say reflexively.

Aarya grunts. “If only we had a fairy godmother or, I don’t know, Professor Hisakawa to brew us up a concoction.”

I freeze, her words triggering the memory of a near-forgotten conversation. “Matteo!” I blurt out.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Aarya says. “But I’m definitely intrigued by a plan where Matteo is the fairy godmother.”

“Actually, he might be,” I say, unsure how much I can say and still keep my word to him. “I went to see Matteo before Ash and I left the Academy to ask him—actually, more like implore him—to help in any way he could.”

Ash looks at me questioningly.

I don’t meet his eyes, feeling guilty that I didn’t find a time to tell him. “Matteo gave me the contact info for an apothecary here in London, but—”

Ash opens his mouth, but before he can get a word out, Aarya smacks the table. “Are you kidding me? You have a contact for a Bear apothecary? Why didn’t you lead with this information?”

“Matteo made me give him my word that I wouldn’t share the contact with anyone,” I say, briefly stealing a look at Ash.

“Extenuating circumstances,” Aarya says, like that’s a reason. “Besides being able to get us something to sneak into the ball, an apothecary is without a doubt one of the best resources for acquiring something that will kill Jag.”

“No, Aarya,” I say. “I’m not breaking Matteo’s trust and betraying Bear Family secrets.”

“First of all, Matteo doesn’t even like you,” Aarya fires back. “Second, you’re not even really a Bear. And third, you have no idea how to handle an interaction with an apothecary. They are the secret-holders of the Strategia. They take no shit and they only help who they want to help. If you go by yourself, you won’t last five minutes.”