“Clearly. How can you not care who your partner is? I’ve been dying to know since I was twelve.”

“Maybe it’s not the same without the buildup.”

Peering into the mirror, she fluffs her hair and dots purple gloss on her lips. “I wonder who Garrett will pick.”

Closing my eyes, I hope he’s changed his mind, even though my instincts tell me it’s a done deal. “I have no idea.”

The Lodge is buzzing when we arrive. Everyone is dressed in the latest fashions, and this could easily be an Intersection assembly, except for the Disconnect makeup. I feel a little out of place in my casual outfit. Fortunately, my stalling has successfully made us late, and we’re the last to arrive. Robie appears at the front of the hall just as we settle into the back row.

Garrett is sitting in the front row, Chloe’s hand resting on his knee. She’d burst into the Summit last night seconds after Garrett “claimed his prize,” and he’d dropped my arm immediately. Again, hope that he changed his mind surges through me and is instantly squelched by a thud of disappointment at the possibility he did. I don’t want him to choose me, do I? No. I try to convince myself.

Rayelle leans over. “Remember, no matter what happens, we’re meeting in the Vault at the Acropolis this afternoon.”

“I’ll be there,” I promise.

“Good morning.” Robie clears his throat, silencing the room. “I won’t waste your time by prolonging this—you know why you’re here. We’ll be giving you the details of this year’s Initiation Heist and assigning partners. If this is your first heist, remember the Initiate is in charge. You will do as they say. You are to follow their directions explicitly, no matter what. This is their final test, and they are the responsible party. The rest of you are here to learn.”

Giggling, Chloe whispers something in Garrett’s ear. He won’t choose me. She’d never stand for him spending so much time with another girl.

“The assignment is real,” Robie continues. “No one you interact with will be privy to your mission, unless they’re one of our former students working undercover as a contact. It will require using all your skill and knowledge. You may get caught. If you do, you will not admit any affiliation with Keystone or implicate us. If your identity is exposed, your life as a thief is over. In exchange for your silence, we will do everything we can to establish you as a Maker, but you will no longer be welcome here. Any secrets you hold must be taken to the grave.”

He lets the words marinate, and Rayelle leans over, whispering, “It’s really bad if you get caught. It happened to a team two years ago, and they’re still in jail.”