“I’m only ever serious about three things in my life, and this is one of them.” No taunting half smile, no quirked eyebrow. Nothing to make it seem like Stella was being anything other than 100 percent genuine. “This isn’t a curious case of hyperbole. My parents will literally storm your gates to come get me. If they even think something has happened to me, you can kiss life as you know it goodbye. They will ruin you.”

“Yeah, my mom is overprotective too,” Alex said. “I don’t think she’d be okay with not being able to reach me.”

“Too? What too? I didn’t say overprotective. That’s not what I’m talking about. They are my jailers. My parole officers. I’m on a get-out-of-jail-free card that they will promptly revoke if I miss a single check-in. You’ve talked to them,” she said to Jewel. “Do they seem like rational, levelheaded people to you?”

Jewel fidgeted for a moment, tapping her foot, eyes on the ceiling. “Fine. Tell them I will arrange for someone on my staff to provide your legal guardians”—she glanced at Nicole—“or emergency contact with an email and phone number they can use to contact you through your tablets, if they’d like. Be aware that all correspondence will be screened and monitored.”

Everyone did as they were told, texting updates to their people. Luna messaged Tasha first.

Luna: I was right. We’re not allowed to have our phones, but they’re giving us an email to contact you. I’ll write soon! Having a great time—I love you!

And then the Goldspiracy Founder group chat, which was filled with unread messages.

Luna: Phones are being confiscated now. “See you on the other side!”—actual quote from Olive that I heard with my own ears tonight. Ethan is here too. Totally cried when I saw Jewel ahahahaha OKAY BYEEEEEE

And lastly, she opened the Goldspiracy Forums and went to her drafts. She’d written her final message days ago, a goodbye of sorts. When she returned from GWX, she’d be changed. Different. SilentStar would be no more—a reinvention would be mandatory. She hit POST, breathed through her scarf, and turned her phone off before handing it over.

“And that’s a wrap for now.” Jewel clapped her hands twice. “Ethan will take you upstairs to your rooms. And if you’re lucky, he’ll answer some of the questions I can see burning in your eyes.”

“They’re not lucky,” Ethan said with a grin.

“Oh stop.” Jewel’s quick frown was adorable, the kind of frown an older sister unconsciously mastered after a lifetime of gentle annoyance.

“I’ll go too. You can ask me questions instead,” Olive said, speaking to the room, but gazing up at Ethan.