Giggling, Wynn sinks down next to me. “It is sort of funny. But I wasn’t talking about the bunny-killer.” She falls back with a whimsical sigh. “In a few hours, you’ll be in an entirely different world.”
“I know.”
Her finger needles my ribs, forcing me to squirm away. “I’m going to need a bit more ‘this is the best night of my life’ and less ‘I’m heading to my own funeral.’ It’sSamhain, Allette. The night you’ve been dreaming about since you turned five has finally arrived.”
She has a point. I need to snap out of this mood and be happy. But sometimes it’s difficult to enjoy today when you’re dreading tomorrow. And it’s not only tomorrow I’m dreading;it’s the next two weeks. “Take off that mask. It feels like I’m talking to one of those marble statues in the park.”
Wynn tugs down the mesh barrier, revealing a pair of stunning gray eyes surrounded by thick, dark lashes. Smiling, she brushes away the solitary silver curl peeking from beneath her black hood.
“I wish you could come with me.” Unfortunately, the portal empties into the humans’ sky, and without wings, she’d never survive the fall. I could’ve asked one of my boarding school friends, but they’re not nearly as fun as Wynn. Besides, they’d probably turn up their noses at having to cover their perfect faces for some common festival among human peasants.
For me, tonight isn’t only about experiencing a new world. It’s an opportunity to become someone else.Anyoneelse. How magical is that?
Wynn laces her gloved hand with mine, squeezing my fingers.
“You know, I could always carry you,” I say, only half joking.
Her carefree laughter brings a smile back to my face. “Your aunt may be willing to bail you out of prison, but I doubt she would do the same for me.”
I’m not entirely sure Aunt Marjorywouldbail me out if I were arrested, but that is neither here nor there. Flying with an adult passenger is technically illegal for anyone besides the guards, but if we don’t get caught…
The more I think about it, the more I realize this could actually work.
I roll onto my side to face Wynn, gauging her reaction. “No one needs to know. We could wait until everyone is gone and return to our realm well before sunrise.” Stars, why didn’t I think of this sooner?
Wynn bites at her bottom lip.
I know that look. She’s considering it.
I launch to my feet and go straight to my armoire, dragging out a spare pair of leathers, a black shirt, and a jerkin with a hood. “Here.” I drop the clothes onto her lap. “Wear these, but bring your warmest dress and cloak. And a mop cap to hide your ears and hair. We can meet outside the servants’ entrance at midnight and go down to the portal together.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Wynn tugs the mask hanging loosely around her neck.
Right. She needs a mask so she doesn’t stand out at the celebration—and not the kind she wears with her uniform. An animal or ghoul of some sort. Unfortunately, the shops that sell such things will surely be closed by now.
There must be something around here that she can use. Maybe Aunt Marjory has a mask tucked away somewhere.
The thought makes me chuckle. That old crow probably hasn’t had a day of fun in her life. No way would she have gone through that portal when she was younger and riskedspillingsomething.
Think, Allette.Think.
My mother went through.
Her stories of visiting the human world with my father are what made me so obsessed with Samhain in the first place. Perhaps there is an old mask hidden in her box of keepsakes. I pace back over to my closet and drag out box after box until I find the one with my mother’s handwriting across the top. Inside are a few trinkets from when she was a child and some costume jewelry I remember wearing when I used to play dress up. And there, at the very bottom, sits an iridescent purple and blue peacock mask.
The craftsmanship, the colors, the faux gemstones around the eyes.Exquisite.
I’ve been to all the shops and never saw one as stunning.
When I show the mask to Wynn, her mouth falls open.
“I’ll wear this one and you can use mine.” I swap the peacock mask for the one already packed in my rucksack, handing the hand-painted black cat mask to my friend.
Wynn is back to worrying her bottom lip as she turns the mask over in her hand. “I still don’t know. We could get into a lot of trouble.”
True. But it’ll be worth it. Besides, we aren’t children anymore. We know how to move around without getting caught. Two weeks ago, I accompanied her to a pub in the city. While that wasn’t exactly illegal, if my aunt had found out, she’d have had a conniption.
“Come on, Wynn. What good is a life without a bit of risk?” There is no telling what will happen in the next year. If Aunt Marjory has her way, I’ll be marching down the aisle by spring. And if my darling husband-to-be doesn’t approve of his wife gallivanting with humans every Samhain, this may be our only chance. “Do you want to go?”