Page 85 of A Taste of Bliss

Shaun and the other guy, who I assume is either a band member or a tech, come sliding down next. Both are too short to be Wrath.

Pisces and Evan are the only ones tall enough that I’ve seen so far, but it’s not either of them. Pisces, I thankfully ruled out yesterday, and Evan is clearly the bassist, Eerie. No one else in the group playing sardines seems to have the correct build to be Wrath. Maybe he just isn’t playing.

The group reconvenes at the stairs of the building we started at. I fall into standing next to Amelia and Reese, who are unfortunately on the topic of having sex in tight spaces, the slide having sparked their imaginations.

I’m super thankful when Simon stands up at the top step, giving a little whistle to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, timefor round two! As per the rules, the one to find me first gets to hide next! So, Pisces, come on up!”

Evan cheers, giving a couple whoops of encouragement as Pisces heaves out a sigh and heads up the steps. Shaun measures out another dose of the invisibility potion and Pisces smirks at Evan, drinking it down without comment.

“Twenty minutes, Sces!” Simon calls to a now invisible Pisces.

I grab another drink with my band as we wait. Grim and some of the other Phantoms come over to chat again, and I fall into a nice conversation with Grim.

“You did really good in that last round.”

“I cheated,” I say with a smile.

Grim grins.

“That’s very, very naughty, Bliss,” Tubbs says, standing next to me. I elbow him in the stomach, and he groans, putting his hands up.

I notice Taser has stepped aside, gone over to chat with Evan and Simon.

“Bliss cheating?” Amelia asks, feigning shock. “She’s too much of a goody-two-shoes to do that.”

“I followed their guitar tech.”

“That isn’t necessarily against the rules,” Tubbs says.

I laugh. I guess not.

Amelia and the others keep talking, but Grim and I tune out of the conversation as we watch Pinkie head slowly over to where Taser is. The Phantom’s lead guitarist plants his feet right in front of Taser and the rest of our group falls silent. Taser looks at Pinkie, a snarl ripping from his throat. Pinkie lowers his head. I have to strain to hear what he says over the other people in the crowd.

“Could we talk?” Pinkie’s voice is low, but I’m able to pick up those words.

I can’t hear Taser’s reply, but I don’t need to as I watch him immediately turn and leave. He heads away towards the townhouses, ripping off his wristband and throwing it in a trash can as he passes it.

I want to go after him, but I know he’ll want alone time.You’re defeating the purpose of storming off,he’d likely say. I can hear it so clearly.

The twenty minutes are now up anyways, and it’s time for the next round to start.

I definitely do not want to be the first one to find Pisces, so I’ve already decided once we’re allowed to start seeking, I’ll be sticking around here, giving everyone else a head start.

I linger on the steps, making it look like I’m thinking about which way to go, as I scan my surroundings. My head is starting to hurt a bit as the alcohol amplifies my waning power. I try not to focus on it, instead thinking about if I were Pisces—an arrogant prick—where would I hide?

Probably somewhere showy and hard to get to. Like in a tree or something.

I decide I might as well search the building behind me. It’s got a ton of places Pisces could hide in, and while I’m pretty sure he went far away from here, it’ll take me a while to search the whole building, so I might as well.

Ideally I’ll be able to find him earlier on, but not too early. That way if Wrathisparticipating, I can maybe try to figure out who he is. Just as long as I’m not the first one there.

I steel myself and enter the building. There are the stairs that lead down to the ballroom, and off to both sides of the lobby are hallways that must lead to bathrooms and probably a kitchen. I decide to check the lower levels first and make my way up. I’ll definitely be staying far away from the garden. I suppress a shudder as images of two nights ago flash through my mind.

The ballroom itself is completely empty, but there are doorways leading to more bathrooms, and also outside. I check each space pretty thoroughly but doubt anyone would want to hide in a bathroom. There’s a doorway that’s slightly ajar and behind it, a stairway.

I pause at the top, wondering if this is one of those moments where in a TV show everyone is yelling at the dumb girl not to go down the steps. But I decide to anyways, figuring I might as well rule it out. I do want to get to the hiding spot so I can observe how people are acting. Maybe someone will slip up in the fun and games of it all and call someone Wrath and I’ll be able to figure out his identity.

One step closer to the life I want.