“How?” asked Hypnos. “The location of House Janus supposedly changes each year. The only time anybody ever sees that reclusive House is during a secret Carnevale. Otherwise, they consider themselves guardians of their treasure and never bother to auction it off or interact with the other Houses.”

“Carnevale is two days from now.”

“What is Carnevale?” asked Zofia.

“It’s a celebration,” said Enrique.

“I wouldn’t know,” said Hypnos bitterly.

Enrique cleared his throat. “It all started in the twelfth century.”

“Here we go,” muttered Hypnos.

Zofia knew that others found Enrique long-winded, but she liked listening to him. Enrique saw the world differently, and sometimes when he taught her something new, it was as if the world had changed ever so slightly.

“It’s thought to have originated as a celebration over Venice’s enemy, the Aquileia,” said Enrique. “People used to gather in the streets wearing elaborate masks designed to disguise an individual’s class and rank, so that all might join in the revelries. Eventually it became part of the celebrations for Lent, but it was outlawed about a hundred years ago by the Holy Roman Emperor, and so it can only be celebrated off-season and in secret, and the place to go is—”

“House Janus,” said Hypnos. “Though you need a special—”

“Mask,” finished Enrique.

He reached for the papers on the long table, holding up two illustrations of a Venetian mask. It had an odd design, the nose long and curved like a bird’s beak. The eyeholes were circular. The other sketch showed a checkered black-and-white mask outlined in glitter that would be held up by two long, black ribbons.

“This is how we find an invitation to House Janus’s Carnevale,” said Enrique. “Hypnos? Care to explain?”

“Supposedly, there is a place where one receives such invitation,” said Hypnos, picking at an invisible speck on his pants. “A mascherari salon, I’m told. Inside, one may pick their specific mask, and when it is held to one’s face, it reveals the party’s location through mind Forging, and then you must go to said location in all your finery and drink and dance the night away etcetera etcetera.”

Zofia frowned. “That is too many instructions to attend a party.”

“I know,” sighed Hypnos. “It’s all so dreadfully enigmatic, I can’t help but be lured. Its exclusivity taunts me.”

“But you said Carnevale is two days from now,” said Laila, slowly turning the ring on her hand. “And we have no idea where to begin with finding this mascherari salon.”

“No,” said Enrique, before he looked around the room. “But I think the information is hidden here. The matriarch told Hypnos that the safe house would have everything we need to find the map.”

“What about Séverin?” asked Hypnos.

Enrique’s mouth pinched. “What about him?”

“We were supposed to meet and figure out what to do next. How will he know what we’re doing if we don’t even know where to meet him?”

“Séverin needs to find the map for himself,” said Enrique, scowling. “He’ll do that with or without us, and our paths will either cross at Carnevale or in Poveglia. Trust me. He won’t miss the opportunity for a power grab.”