Nicole sighed. All she wanted to do was eat and keep eating, but there was game stuff happening? Was that what Stella was implying? She’d gotten pretty good grades in school, but riddles and games like this definitely weren’t her thing.

“Can we talk about The Cruelest Jewel? The rules said we couldn’t ask staff, but you’re not considered staff, right?” Alex asked Jewel. He had ordered pancakes. Even half devoured and drenched in syrup, they looked perfect too. As did the second stack on the cart behind him.

Seconds.

Nicole turned around, and yep, there was another plate of french toast and bacon waiting for her on Prince’s cart. Her brain started sending signals to the rest of her: Food rationing was officially over for the weekend.

At home, every morning she ate the same thing—cereal and milk. She measured out exactly one cup of cereal and two thirds a cup of milk because it was the only way to make it last. Math was the one consistent universal truth of life: Each bowl was the equivalent of having spent $0.40 per meal. The box promised and delivered on twelve cups of cereal. If she ran out of milk and couldn’t get some for free at work, she’d use water or eat it dry. Still, that was twelve days of at least one meal per day. Guaranteed.

But if she won The Cruelest Jewel, it could be over indefinitely.

Which meant she had to pay attention.

“No, I’m not staff,” Jewel said, “but I did make the game and you brought up an excellent point. Addendum Number Two: There will be no discussions about The Cruelest Jewel during meals.”

“Thanks, Alex,” Harlow said, full of sarcasm. “Really.”

“Sounds good to me,” Nicole said brightly. And then promptly downed her entire glass of orange juice.

FRIDAY, 9:03 A.M.

Nothing sounded better to Nicole than a power nap.

But if she lay down, the sheer amount of food-coma energy pumping through her veins would render her unconscious for hours. Instead, she leaned against the wall in the hallway for support, semidelirious and stuffed.

“So, hey, Luna,” Harlow said. “Where were you guys this morning? Did you, um, find anything interesting?”

“Real smooth, Sherlock,” Stella said. She crossed her arms, tilting forward in Luna’s direction and back again, her necklace glinting as it came to a stop right in the middle of her forearm.

Harlow asked, “What? I can’t ask questions now?”

“Not like that,” Stella said.

“It’s okay,” Luna began while looking at Alex. “We just went for a walk outside and got turned around. That’s all.”

“That happens quite easily here,” Jewel said, joining them with Francis in tow. She closed the door to the Floral Sunroom behind her. “I have some business to attend to, but I’ll see you all at lunch. Stella. Harlow. Walk with me.”