“I know. This is the tenth time,” she said in a mock whisper, fully ignoring the way she allowed herself to lean in closer to him. Of course she had heard about the previous Golden Weekends and how nobody talked about what happened during them, as if it were some sort of secret club. A game made the most sense. The silence that followed didn’t—not that she cared. She didn’t join Golden Rule to solve puzzles. She joined to get famous.

“No, it isn’t,” Francis said. “About five years ago, way before she blew up with Golden Rule, she invited a group of us here, to this house, for a party, but really, she made us play a game. She had help, Ethan, some of our other friends, but the game was … hard.”

Imagine that. Golden Weekend X was actually number eleven. She wondered if Francis had any other secrets to share. “How hard? Like on a scale of one to ten.”

“Twenty. My team didn’t even finish. If this game is anything like that game, this weekend is going to be hell,” he said.

“A hell that you’re willingly walking through. What did she promise you?”

Francis leaned against her bedpost, suddenly looking away and at the floor. “Something I didn’t think she could actually make happen. That’s why I wasn’t here last night. I didn’t believe her and refused to show up until she proved it.”

“Are you sure you’re not friends?” Nicole teased, holding up her iron box. “Your answer was just about as cryptic as this riddle.”

Francis scoffed, a half grin out in full force. “Let’s just say, it’s nothing on par with five hundred grand. Winning might be worth that to me.”

“Which one means more to you?” She matched his dry tone, watching him carefully. Something felt off about his answer, like he wanted her to believe the money was more important but meant the opposite.

Constantly striving to improve her acting craft influenced everything she did on the screen and off. And everything about Francis in that moment—his stance, his tone, his answer—felt like he was purposefully trying to mislead her.

She didn’t get an answer.

Their tablets began vibrating as The Cruelest Jewel app opened on its own. “I’m supposed to go to Winterwonderland,” Nicole said, switching to her map.

“Imagine that.” Francis held up his tablet.

Please proceed to Winterwonderland.

Your key code: 14082309180525

Same location. Same code.

YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY

FRIDAY, 9:08 A.M.

Alex flopped down on Luna’s bed, defeated by their failed search. And jet lag. “I don’t think it’s here.”

“Then where else would it be?” Luna sat next to him with a pout. “We tried everything. She wouldn’t have given this to me without a way to open it.”