“I don’t particularly care what you think,” I countered, hoping he would let the subject drop.
“Of course not, my mistake.” He grinned wickedly as he took in my discomfort.
We both knew I was lying, but he was gracious enough to let me pretend otherwise, at least for now.
Casimir held up the invitation card, which I now saw was encrusted in pearls and embossed with silvery cursive writing.
“You made a bargain to help me stop the Order,” he said. “It’s time to pay up. We’re going to this party.”
I glared at the invitation. “I have no desire to attend Bryce’s stupidparty. Least of all with you as my date.”Let Bryce have her fun with Casimir. Why the hell should I care?“Steal the stupid object yourself.”
“Ouch,” he whined, but his eyes glimmered with amusement. He leaned across the table and asked, “Who said you’d be going as my date?”
In spite of myself, a dull flush rose to my cheeks. “I didn’t mean—Not as a date—I—” I spluttered. Oh gods, this was mortifying.
“What I meant was, the Gilded Circlites throw these kinds of soirees every few months.” I sniffed. “It’s just an excuse to get hammered and go skinny dipping in their parents’ private pools. I have no interest in attending.”
“Drinking free booze, watching Ouverham’s elite get rip-roaring-falling-down-drunk, rummaging through rich people’s sock drawers…” He grimaced theatrically. “How utterly horrid.”
I glowered at him. “I think you just want an excuse to spend some quality time with Bryce Yu-Ri. I’ll bet she’s just your type,” I added maliciously. “Pretty, popular, and a favorite with the Gilded brats.”
Casimir eyed me, a slow smile curving his lips. “And you think you know me so well?” he asked.
I took advantage of his momentary distraction to snatch Bryce’s invitation from his hand. Casimir frowned as I examined the delicate paper, tracing a finger over a row of embedded freshwater pearls. The address of the manor was written at the bottom in elegant cursive. I’d never even seen a wedding invitation as lovely.
“Don’t I?” I muttered.
“Hmm,” he mused. “She’s attractive, I suppose.”
A leaden weight hollowed out my stomach. Ugh. He thought Bryce was attractive. And I’d practically forced him to admit it.
“Sure, if you love boring, brainless idiots,” I snapped.Great. Now I was a bad feminist, making shallow digs at other women.
A slow, wicked smirk curved Casimir’s lips. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you sound jealous.”
“Well, I’m not!” I spat.
“You’re being absurd,” Casimir complained.
I dodged Casimir’s hand as he lunged for the card, but he was too quick. He smiled at this small victory, flashing a set of gleaming white teeth. And then a striking thought cut through the haze of my jealousy.
“Casimir,” I began, and he looked at me sharply, noting the sudden change in tone. “Do you think Bryce Yu-Ri is the Keeper’s Heir?”
His expression was blank. “What makes you think so?”
I stood and began to pace in the small room. “Didn’t you just say her family owns a magical object? What are the odds that it’s just a coincidence? Besides, her family is one of the oldest on the island. She’s involved in almost every club and committee on campus…It would make her family the perfect guardians of the Order’s secrets.” I paused. A party would be the perfect place to probe for information. “All those liquored-up Gilded Circlites, drunk on bacchanalia and self-importance? All it would take is one loose-lipped sophomore to let something slip…”
“It’s an intriguing notion,” he admitted, throwing me a sidelong glance, a sly smile on his lips. “Does this mean we’re going?”
“Regardless of whether I decide to go,” I growled, “you will not be attending as my date. Or chaperone. Or babysitter.”
He stood from the table and took a step toward me.
Too close.
I lifted my eyes to his, scarcely daring to breathe, my back pressed against the wall, and his eyes pinning me to the spot.
“Someone’s got to keep you out of trouble,” he whispered, his breath ghosting across my face.