All the bookcases on the first floor swung away from the walls—and there were more behind them. An endless stream of green bookcases flowed out of the openings, turning and sliding and rolling on the newly created tracks. When the last one clicked into place, so did Luna’s idea. “It’s a maze.”

The entire open floor of the library had been crowded with bookcases with a clear entrance. Right in front of the staircase where they stood. Luna grabbed Alex’s hand, pulling him inside.

A uniform sea of green books on green bookcases. Nothing on the spines. No signs to guide them.

“This isn’t happening,” Alex said. “We’re never going to find the key now.”

“Yes, we are,” she told him. “Don’t say that.”

Luna’s heartbeat was erratic with excitement. Again. She would probably have to see a doctor when she went home to get checked out. The Cruelest Jewel wasn’t any regular, degular game. Of course, Jewel would make them work for it. She looked up at him, speaking with conviction. “Everything has been practically handed to us so far. This is how we earn our spot. This is where we prove we’re meant to be here.”

At the maze entrance, she plucked a book at random off the bookshelf and set it on the floor. “Do you see the black book on either of these two bookcases?”

He searched the one, while she searched the other. Row by row, from top to bottom. Luna selected another book, placing it on the floor at the edge of the bookcases she’d just checked.

Alex smiled, catching on. “Bread crumbs.” He did the same to make his side of the path.

“It might take a long time, but the challenge riddle basically told us to not give up. As long as we keep trying, we won’t fail. Me and you. Till the very end.”

“You and me,” Alex agreed. “We got this.”

KNOW YOUR PLACE

FRIDAY, 9:08 A.M.

“Stella,” Jewel said as they traveled down yet another seemingly endless hallway. “Why did you agree to come here?”

The more important question was, Who designed this house? Ghosts? No one in their right mind would possibly create something like this place. It didn’t seem that big on the outside, yet the sheer number of rooms and corridors screamed haunted maze, like that Winchester place. Their gem emoji—hers, Jewel’s, and Harlow’s—moved at a steady pace, matching their movements step for step, turn for turn. Nothing seemed amiss until Stella actually watched where they were going.

Interesting.

“Isn’t that obvious?” Stella said. “I wanted to get away from my parents. I said yes to your little trip and fought like hell to convince them to do the same. They’ve already emailed me four times this morning, by the way.”