I looked at Lucas. Stone-faced, he was struggling not to argue, but I could see concern simmering in his eyes.
"Your father invited us to the masquerade," I said softly. "Maybe we should go."
"As backup, I hope," Clay said. "Because if you mean what I think you mean-"
I lifted a hand. "Hear me out, okay? Yes, I mean Lucas and I go as guests, that we set ourselves up as bait."
Clay's mouth opened, but Elena shushed him.
"It makes sense, doesn't it?" I said. "Edward thinks we're dead. If he sees us there, it'll throw him off and divert his attention from Benicio. We'd be the easier targets-" I stopped and looked at Lucas. "Unless your dad finds out Edward can use our blood. Didn't he have his researchers looking into the ritual?"
"They didn't find anything."
"Good. So he might have a couple of guards tailing us, but he knows Edward's focus will be on opening that portal, not getting revenge by killing you. So he'd assume he's the main target. When Edward sees us, though, he'll realize we'd be easier to capture."
"But you're only trading one decoy for another," Clay said.
"True, but it's not an equal trade," Lucas said. "Paige and I know more about vampires than my father does. And we're certainly better equipped to deal with a direct threat than he is. It's been many years since he's needed to defend himself."
"I can pull bodyguard duty," Aaron said. "Watch over you from the sidelines."
Elena glanced over at Jeremy, who nodded.
"Count me in," Elena said.
"Us," Clay said.
"Not sure what I can do, but I'm in, too," Jaime said.
"I'll go as well," Cassandra said.
"Cool," Savannah said. "Do I get to dress up in a costume, too? Or should I help Elena and Clay?"
Everyone turned and looked at her. As her gaze went from my face to Lucas's to Jeremy's, her eyes narrowed.
"No way," she said. "Uh-uh. I'm not staying behind. I can help out. I'm at least as good a spell-caster as Paige-"
"Better," I said. "But you're also thirteen years old. No matter how good you are, I'm responsible for you. Not only might you get hurt by Edward, but you're still a prize for the Cabals."
"You're special, remember?" Elena said, offering a smile. "Just like Jeremy. You two can keep each other company, man the control center, eat lots of pizza, and stay up really late."
Savannah rolled her eyes at Jeremy. "Sucks being special sometimes, doesn't it?"
"It certainly does," Jeremy said.
Benicio was thrilled with our offer to attend the gala as backup for him, though I'm sure he had no intention of letting us watch his back. That was a job for a half-demon employee, not a sorcerer heir, but if it meant Lucas willingly appeared by his side at a public function, Benicio would humor us… especially if it also meant he could keep a closer eye on his son.
We devoted the day to preparing for the night. Our first concern was costumes. Though it was by no means our primary concern, it did need to be attended to first. Since it wasn't safe for us to be combing costume shops, where Edward might see us, we accepted Benicio's offer to bring materials to us. We left the guys to work on something for Lucas, while Cassandra, Jaime, Elena, and Savannah helped me. Once we came up with an outfit that could be put together quickly, I called Benicio and gave him my material list.
Next Lucas obtained blueprints for the hall and maps of the grounds. We used these to scope out routes Edward could take, plus the best places from which the others could hide and watch us. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon making plans.
At five we started getting dressed. The basis of my costume was a green silk dress. I used the minimal dressmaking skills I'd learned from my mother to sew on scraps and strips of green and brown taffeta. Next, I added real leaves and feathers. Then onto grooming. Cassandra did my makeup in golds and browns. Savannah painted my nails a mossy green. Jaime styled my hair in a messy, upswept do, and added leaves and feathers. Elena held the mirror.
Clayton flung open the bedroom door as Cassandra was zipping up my dress.
"Closed door means knock," Elena said, shooing him out.
"You've been in here for two hours," he said. "She can't need that much work," He frowned as he examined my outfit. "What the hell is she? A tree?"
"A dryad," Elena said, cuffing him in the arm.
"Oh, my god," Jaime said, surveying my outfit. "We forgot the bag!"
"Bag?" Clay said. "What does a dryad need with-"
"An evening bag," Cassandra said. "A purse."
"She's got a purse. It's right there on the bed."
"That's a day purse," Cassandra snapped.
"What, do they expire when the sun goes down?"
Elena pushed him out of the room. "Okay, do we still have time for someone to run out and buy something?"
"No!" Clay called back through the closed door. "Car comes in fifteen minutes."
"I'll have to skip the purse," I said. "I can slip my lipstick into Lucas's pocket. He's got his cell phone. That'll have to do."
Jaime opened the door and announced me with due fanfare. I accepted the obligatory gracious compliments from Jeremy and Aaron. Lucas smiled, walked over, and offered his compliments privately into my ear.
"Lucas!" Savannah cried. "Where's your costume?"
"I'm wearing it."
"That's not a costume, that's a suit! The same thing you wear almost every day."
"It's a tux," I said. "And a very nice one."
"But what are you supposed to be?" Cassandra said. "A cocktail waiter?"
"I was going to say James Bond," Jaime said.
"Don't look at me," Aaron said. "I was pushing for a knight costume, but these two"-he gestured at Lucas and Clay-"shut me down."
"And I wisely decided to keep my mouth shut," Jeremy said.
"If he doesn't want to wear a costume, he doesn't have to wear a costume," Clay said. "Hell, he's got a mask. Good enough."
Lucas held up a plain black eye-mask.
"They don't come in colors?" Savannah sighed. "At least you put in your contacts." She looked out the balcony window. "So do you get a limo?"
Lucas shook his head. "A chauffeured car, but not a limousine. My father finds them too ostentatious, even for formal occasions."
"Limos are for high school graduations," Cassandra said.
"And weddings," Jaime said.
"Not good ones," Cassandra said.
"I like limos," Savannah said.
"So do I," I said, sneaking a grin at Lucas. "Lots of room to… stretch out."
He paused, then the corners of his mouth twitched and he reached for his cell phone. "I believe we still have time to request a change of vehicle."
"Uh-uh," Jaime said. "I just spent an hour doing Paige's hair. No limos. Tell you what, though. You guys finish this and I'll rent you a limo for the whole trip back to Portland."
"Cool," Savannah said.
"Uh, right," Jaime said. "Okay, scrap that idea. How about a shorter limo ride and free baby-sitting?"
"Car's here," Clay said from his spot at the window.
"You guys scoot, then," Jaime said. "We'll meet you there."
Masquerade
The charity ball organizers had chosen a masquerade because of the event's timing-the night before Halloween. The party planners, though, had avoided the usual Halloween fare in favor of something more whimsical, accentuating the fantastical rather than the frightening. The ballroom was ringed with mannequins in incredibly elaborate costumes from children's fiction, from the Queen of Hearts to Puss-in-Boots to the Swan Princess. Paper dragons guarded the door, heads dipping and swaying in an invisible breeze. The buffet tables were floating magic carpets, the food forming the patterns of the rugs. Punch flowed from the mouth of an ice-sculpture phoenix, backlit by a small fire that melted the bird, only to have a fresh one arise from the bowl below. It was a glorious paean to everything magical, and I would have loved it… had I not spent every minute worrying about a certain murderous vampire. Mythical creatures make lovely ice sculptures, but far less enchanting enemies.