Page 664 of Coal Hearts

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Ily

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HALLOWEEN

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I TUGGED AT THE GAUZY, DIAPHANOUS material.

So sheer it hid nothing, so many layers it made my physical body look as if I’d become a creature made of light.

Turning in front of the mirror in our bedroom, I plucked the floaty whiteness, watching as the fabric whispered back to the other layers, looking like closed flower petals. The halter top wrapped tight around my throat, the train behind me as translucent and cobweblike as the rest.

Set against the black of my hair and rich tan of my skin, I had to admit...pure white rather suited me. The small crown I wore glittered with a million cubic zirconia. I might not have gotten my wish to wear the Crown Jewels, but tonight, I’d been transformed into a princess.

Victor had spent the past few weeks planning this masked ball for Halloween.

Our costumes had arrived this morning.

The energy in the fortress buzzed with anticipation and intrigue.

Last Monday, most of the Masters flew back to their families and despite it being a weekend now—the busiest time here at Joyero—only ten Masters had flown back in. The rest were either celebrating in their own way or not invited to Victor’s event.

Ben and Stewart had nodded at us over breakfast.

Abby and Penelope had become invaluable as they whispered the locations of five guns that’d been hidden in the foyer, library, games room, ballroom, and kitchens. Peter and the rest of the jewels knew where extra bullets were stashed along with a few lighters May had given us from the kitchens. We also had two butane torches used to melt sugar on the regular crème brûlées Victor ordered.

We had guns.

Ignition.

And bombs.

We still hadn’t made the larger, more dangerous presents that would take out certain structural integrities of the fortress, but we’d done enough that waiting for Christmas started to grate.

Every day was painful.

Every night was terrifying.

Victor didn’t act like he guessed anything was afoot but...we could never know for sure.

At least he’d been distracted with organising this ball.

He’d joined Henri and me for lunch, giggling like a freaking loon as if he genuinely couldn’t wait for this evening.

I’d never expected the dominating psychopath to place weight on something as silly as a dance. He actually believed the jewels were excited to be dressed and paraded, then abused and fucked as the evening went on.

Scooping the delicate mask from the bed, I secured the ribbon behind my head and blinked through a million facets of light. Every inch of the mask blinded with shimmering crystals, turning everything into rainbows.

“Are you ready?” Henri asked, striding from the bathroom where he’d dressed.

With his eyes on the floor as he tied his own mask behind his head, I had a quick moment to study him without his stare on mine.

And good grief...

Could someone fall in love multiple times?