Page 19 of Haunted

“Yes, I am.” Her tone leaves no room for argument—the same voice she used when running for student body president. “If you’re walking into the lion’s den, you’re not doing it alone.”

“It’s not that simple.” I lean closer, lowering my voice despite the café’s ambient noise. “It’s an invite-only, Cora. Extremely exclusive. I can’t bring a plus-one like it’s some charity gala.”

“Then get me an invite.” She crosses her arms, her expression stubborn.

“You’re not listening. I can’t just?—”

“Get. Me. An. Invite.” Each word drops like a stone. “You know people there now. You’ve got connections. Use them.”

I push my hair back. The thought of Cora anywhere near the Hunt sends ice through my veins. “I don’t think I can. I barely got invited myself, and that was after weeks of careful positioning.” I couldn’t tell her how I had deliberately provoked Xavier.

“Try.” Her fingers drum against the table—a nervous habit she’s had since childhood. “Because if you don’t, I’ll go straight to Xavier Blackwood myself and get one.”

My blood freezes. “You wouldn’t.”

“Watch me.” Her eyes flash. “I’ll walk right intoPurgatory, find him, and introduce myself as the mayor’s daughter who’s very interested in his exclusive event.”

“Cora, you can’t?—”

“I can, and I will.” She leans forward. “Either you find a way to get me in, or I’ll find a way. Your choice.”

The idea of Cora—sweet, stubborn, completely unprepared—walking into Purgatory, heading straight for Xavier Blackwood without the faintest idea who she’s dealing with.

“Fine,” I concede. “I’ll try, but I make no promises.”

Cora relaxes slightly. “That’s all I’m asking. Just try.”

I stir my coffee absently, dreading the conversation with Xavier. “And if he says no?”

“Then I’ll handle it myself.” She shrugs. “If Xavier Blackwood won’t let me in when you ask, I’ll approach him. After all, I’m the mayor’s daughter. That carries weight in this town, even with people like the Blackwoods.”

I press my lips together, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. I love Cora—she’s been my rock since we were kids, sharing fruit snacks on the playground—but this is exactly the problem. She pulls the “mayor’s daughter” card like it’s a universal access pass, completely oblivious to the fact that men like Xavier Blackwood don’t care about local politics or whose daughter you are.

In Cora’s world, her father’s position is a currency that opens doors. In Xavier’s world, it would make her a target or, worse, a toy to break to prove he could.

“That’s not a good idea. Xavier isn’t impressed by local connections.”

“Everyone’s impressed by connections.” She waves her hand dismissively. “It’s how the world works.”

I want to shake her, to make her understand that the rules of her world—charity galas and city council meetings—don’t apply in the shadows where Xavier operates. But I can see that familiar stubborn set to her jaw. The same expression she wore when she convinced the principal to let us start a school newspaper in fifth grade by casually mentioning her father might attend the next fundraiser.

9

XAVIER

Fresh paint stings my nose as I step through the hidden door into the maze. Three days until the Hunt, and chaos still clings to the edges. The labyrinth stretches ahead—twelve-foot walls, cameras in the corners, trapdoors waiting in silence. My boots echo off the marble as I move through it, checking every shadow, every turn. There’s no room for error.

“The southeast corner needs reinforcement,” I tell the foreman trailing me. “And install the additional cameras I requested in the blind spots.”

He nods. “Yes, Mr. Blackwood. We’ll have it done by tomorrow morning.”

I run my finger along a freshly painted wall. Dry. Good. The maze is the centerpiece of the Hunt, where prey becomes lost, where hunters claim their prizes. Every corridor leads to a room that is designed with purpose, every turn calculated to disorient.

“The lighting?”

“Installed as specified. Red emergency lights can be triggered from the control room.”

I check my watch. “The rest looks acceptable. Has your team gone for the day?”