The school’s ice rink is right by the edge of the forest, far enough away from the closest building that it’s kind of eerie to head over to it in the dark. It’s hard to be too freaked out when Rose’s bodyguard—the shorter one, who Rose told me once is her favorite—is hanging out a stone’s throw away from us, at least. He stops outside of the door to guard it, and Rose and I head on inside, where she flicks a switch and floods the small rink with light.

“I’m surprised we’re allowed to be in here,” I say as Rose passes me a pair of skates in my size. They’re made of leather, and they look a hell of a lot more beat up and cheap than Rose’s personal pair, but they’re still a step up from the plastic rental ones I used the couple of times I tried ice-skating as a little kid. “We are allowed to be here, right?” I ask, suddenly suspicious.

Rose glances up at me as she ties her laces. “Yes, Danni,” she says. “The rules are a minimum of three students have to be here at all times if there’s no adult supervision.”

I know I said I’m fine. And I am, I swear. But my stupid freaking heart skips a beat when she says my name.

“Three?” I echo.

“Yes. Presumably one to collect the severed limbs from the hypothetical skating accident while another runs for help and the third loses consciousness.”

“That’s not what I meant,” I say. “It’s just the two of us.”

Rose gestures behind her, at the door with her guard standing on the other side.

“But he’s not in here,” I say, “so we’re breaking the rules. What if something happens and we can’t get his attention?”

“Danni, he’s not even fifty feet away.”

“It could happen, though. Rules exist for a reason.”

She gives me a triumphant look and shoves a hand in her jacket pocket. “That’s what my panic button is for.”

“You have a panic button?”

“Of course I do.”

Right, panic button, duh. Silly me.

I slump onto the bench beside her and start putting on my skates. She watches me lace them for a little while before she kneels in front of me and looks up through her lashes. “Let me help,” she says. “You should lace them back on themselves, like this.”