She’s standing halfway between the wardrobe door, hiding most of her front, so I can’t see what she’s wearing. “What about you?”

She steps out reluctantly, wearing a dress the color of sunsets and autumn leaves.

My jaw actually drops, and it takes me a few seconds to recover.

“Doesn’t she look great?” Ashley says, beaming with pride. She looks gorgeous too.

“Zora, you look like…like actual flames! Linus, take a picture.” Linus snaps a photo as Zora strikes a pose. “I should send this to your sisters!”

“Don’t you dare!” Zora shrieks.

“They’ll go nuts,” I explain to Ashley’s confused face. “They’re always trying to get her to dress up in beautiful dresses and she always refuses.” Then I look over to Zora, raising my eyebrow. “Hmm, what makes you so keen to do it this time?”

Zora’s lips scrunch up into a pout. “None of your business,” she says with a laugh in her eyes.

“Yeah right! She has a crush!” Then I realize she must be dressing up for Nathan, and the realization deflates my excitement. Luckily Zora doesn’t notice as she’s too busy throwing a pillow at my head. I duck, and Ashley giggles uncontrollably. Then she looks down at her watch and exclaims in surprise.

“We’d better get down to the party—people are going to be wondering where we are!”

“Let’s go,” I reply. Do you think I look ready? I ask Jinx.

>>As you’ll ever be. I’ll roam the perimeter, but if you need anything, I’ll be there.

Thank you.

I know the finishing touch that is missing, though. Slick. He’s plugged into the mains, charging in secret so no one asks why I don’t have him leashed up. I swallow, steeling myself before picking him up again and placing him on my shoulder.

>>Anything you need from me, Lacey? Are you sure you don’t want to update?

He sounds so innocent, but I can’t help the little shiver that runs through me.

I have an urge to see Tobias and find out the game plan. This kind of partying, networking, whatever it is—it’s so not me. I want to be somewhere quiet, where I can work on the plan for tomorrow, where I can tinker with something, do something with my itchy hands. I wring my fingers together, flexing and bending them, until Zora notices and reaches out to grab one of them. “You need to act normal,” she whispers to me. I catch her eye and nod. “Normal” is not “normal” for me, but I know I can act it for a day.

And Jinx will be in the room too, in his strange disguise. Not too much can go wrong with him there.