The address on Finn’s invitation is easy enough to find. The rest of the houses on the street are sleepy and still, but this one buzzes like a beehive. The gates are flung wide open, and staff haul in carts and carts of silver, linens, and wheels of cheese wrapped in wax.

A horse drawing a carriage whinnies and starts as yet another automobile pulls up and begins unloading what look to be tanks of live lobsters.

“Looks like it’s shaping up to be quite the party,” Oliver says.

My stomach is in knots at the thought already. “I don’t like the idea of you being alone with him.”

Oliver flexes his hand at his side. “I can handle Finn.”

I hate knowing that without my magic, he probably stands a better shot against him than I do. I want to be able to protect him.

“What if you don’t get the information you need at the party?” I look at the high gate. “This could be our only chance to get in.”

“Finn is being awfully squirrely about what this party entails. I don’t feel good about it,” Maxine says.

“I agree,” Lena says. “We don’t know anything about the members of this club. It could be anyone.”

“We need to come too. It’s decided,” I declare.

“How?” Oliver protests.

From across the street, I spy a trio of three maids dressed in identical black uniforms, carrying a wooden trunk into the service entrance.

I gesture to them with a jerk of my chin. “We’ll become invisible.”

Maxine grins. “Oh, I do love to play a role. What should my name be? My story? Can I be an heiress who has fallen from grace?”

“Sure, Maxine,” I say with an eye roll.

We watch the staff from across the street for a moment more, lost in thought. “I have no doubt that the guests won’t look at our faces, but what about the other staff? Won’t they notice rather quickly we don’t actually work there?”

Maxine shakes her head. “A party this big will have extra hands hired for the night. We’ll blend right in.”

Lena nods. “It’s not the worst plan we’ve ever had.”

“Oh, can we please not use that as a metric? When it comes to our plans, the bar is in hell,” Maxine replies.

“I still think it’s a good idea,” I say.

Oliver frowns. “I don’t like it.”

Maxine laughs. “You don’t have to.”

I reach out and nudge his hand with mine. “It’ll be fun. You’ll see.”

The rest of the day passes quietly. Finn joins the family for dinner against Maxine’s will. Her mother set a place for him, insisting on meeting her daughter’s mysterious guest. Finn, never one to turn down a dinner party, borrows a jacket from Maxine’s stepfather and is seated directly between Maxine and Nina.