“Then maybe you shouldn’t have said it out loud.”

Nicole side-eyed him. Judging by the half smirk and expectant look in his eyes, there was a 75 percent chance he was teasing her—and hoping to do it again. The thin ice under him had already begun to splinter. Instead of responding, she opened the package, pulling out an iron box no longer than her palm with a small star-shaped hole on the top. She shook it by her ear. “Doesn’t sound like anything is inside.”

“There’s something on the bottom.” Francis reached up, taking the box and turning it over.

And lastly, for you, a locked iron box

Occupied by birds with skeletons of tin

Keen eyes can solve the mystery within

But not before finding a lost arctic fox

The Green codex and the Red paradox

Nicole stared at the words, willing them to magically make sense. Green meant Luna and Red meant Stella, but the rest? “What is it with her and riddles? Why can’t she just make this easy and get it over with?” She opened her door and headed for her nightstand. The box soared after she threw it, bouncing on the bed before teetering to a stop, riddle side up.

“Because she likes to watch people struggle for fun.” Francis sounded so resigned she nearly laughed. He retrieved the box, holding it loosely in his hand and out for her to take. “I really hate her sometimes.”

“Who? Jewel?” she asked, trading his tablet for her present.

“Who else?” While the tablet booted up, Francis attached the strap and then slung it across his body. It landed near his hip. “We’re really not friends. She’s friends with my friends, and Ethan is my best friend. More than anything else we orbit around each other because we have to.”

“Then why did you agree to be here?”

“Good question.”

“And does it have an answer?”

“Yes,” he said. “Why are you here? I heard you didn’t come willingly either.”

She wondered if she should tell him. He said either. Meaning he probably already knew about her side deal with Jewel or assumed she’d made one because he did too. If she told him her secret, maybe he’d share his.

“I did,” she said, feeling bold. “Sort of. Jewel promised me a role in her next web series and a meeting with her agent. She even said there’d be a way for me to earn a bonus, which I know now is the prize money.”

Francis surprised her again by looking genuinely concerned. “Be careful with that. Anytime she promises something, her puppet master strings are usually out in full force.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, stepping closer and lowering his voice. “This isn’t the first time she’s hosted a game like this.”