What if Nicole didn’t like pushy people, though? Stella could let her actions speak for her—put her skills on full display to show what a great catch she’d be. Nicole would fall right into her partner trap.

That could work. She could totally be subtle. Harlow didn’t know what the hell she was talking about.

Up the stairs and around two left corners, they arrived at a T-shaped hall. Well lit, with white walls trimmed in gold and six closed doors. Each one had a plaque in the center with a name engraved on it.

Luna’s and Alex’s doors were on the right. Directly across, Nicole’s door was next to Francis’s—presumably, player six. And at the end of the hall, Stella’s door was next to Harlow’s. Because of course it was.

“This is where you’ll all be staying. Think of them as hotel suites. If you need anything just give staff a call by picking up the phone and pressing zero,” Ethan said. “I’m sure you’re all tired, but as a reminder, anytime you want to wander around, be sure to take your tablets with you. I cannot stress that enough.”

“Watch this,” Stella whispered to Nicole, then raised her voice. “Why isn’t mysterious player six here yet? I don’t buy that ‘they got delayed’ excuse. There’s no way an obvious control freak like Jewel would tolerate that.”

Olive glanced at Ethan before hiding her smile behind her hand and looking away.

“That’s actually the truth,” Ethan said. “They’re just not here yet.”

“Because they were delayed.”

“Is that a question?”

“Am I lucky?”

Ethan’s amused half smile suited his freckled face beautifully. “Too early to call it.”

“These word games sure are interesting,” Stella said with a nod, walking backward toward her door. “But I’m on a different level. Adjust your expectations accordingly.” She held Nicole’s gaze and winked with her left eye.

See? Totally subtle.

Stella gasped, jaw dropping when she entered her room. Floor to ceiling, wall to wall, furniture, curtains, bedding—everything saturated in shades of red. Her laughter flitted quickly from a stunned whisper to staccato disbelief to finally, a throaty cackle.

Red. It matched the jewels on her tablet and her gem emoji on the map.

But this was so much more than that.

Red room of pain. Redrum. The Red Room. And on and on and on.

If everything was supposed to mean something and Jewel was telling a story, what exactly was she trying to say about Stella by giving her that room?

“Incredible.” She started cackling again.

FRIDAY, 2:00 A.M.

“Oh wow.” Luna all but floated from the door farther into her room.