With Fear or Without

39- A Lukewarm Reunion

Finding the party was the easy part.

Looking like they belonged? That was a different story.

After stepping through the blackness of the doors, they followed a single stone hallway until they emerged into a large entryway. The ceiling arched high above the marble floors with a rose glowing outline. As with every place they had been in so far, the hall was well lit despite the bare marble walls and lack of light sources.

People filled the hall, in every color and style of attire imaginable, all mingling and sharing smiles and laughs as they made their way to the grand arch at one end of the hall. Men and women, young and old, but none with hair as bright as Andy's, and none with complexion darker than Charlie.

Great, Cleo couldn't help but think, another thing to make us stand out in a crowd.

Under the arch, two men stood dressed in all black with thin rose-gold belts. They took envelopes from each group of party-goers and stuck them into a mailbox-like slot in the walls beside them.

"We are so in over our heads," Charlie said, marveling at the overwhelming scene.

"At least no one can immediately notice we don't belong," Cleo offered. She remembered how Remie had told them that the trademark Helopera glow on their arms would not be noticeable where they were. Why, Cleo definitely didn't understand, but it was an advantage she was willing not to question.

"Right, cause our total lack of knowledge will do that for us," Charlie countered.

"One problem at a time," Andy reminded them. She led them towards the invitation checkers, saying over her shoulder, "Let's get in first."

"Couldn't we just stay out here?" Charlie hissed to Cleo. "Avoid having to sneak out altogether?"

"I don't know," Cleo whispered back. "Seems too easy. Plus we should be inside to see what happens at midnight."

Charlie didn't look convinced (as usual), but they didn't argue any further.

Cleo's heart pounded louder in her chest, her dread somehow drowning out the conversations surrounding her. Finally they reached the front of the crowd and the tight-lipped burly man in black held his hand out to the trio. Cleo handed over their three rose envelopes, holding her breath as he opened and examined them.

He broke the seal on one of the envelopes and grunted. "These aren't valid."

"What do you mean they aren't valid?" Cleo demanded. Of course. Of course something could go wrong so quickly.

The man held open the envelope and waved it at them. "No glow, see? These have been deactivated."

Sure enough, the sheet of paper inside was blank. No writing, no glowing, nothing.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave the Rose property," the man said, his politeness barely veiling a threat.

Cleo was just slipping into full on panic when a figure came rushing towards them from inside the ballroom and a familiar voice came to their rescue.

"This was a mistake, they're with me."

Rowana stood opposite them, addressing the guard with sure authority. Her dark hair was pulled back in a French twist, wisps of hair hanging to frame her face. She wore a magenta dress, fitted to her waist and flaring out to a high-low skirt just past her knees. Two straps held the top of the dress, crisscrossing over her back like a corset.

The trio gawked at her, mixed emotions preceded by simple and utter shock.

The guard hesitated, then bowed his head slightly at Rowana and placed their invitations in the slot on the wall. "Of course," he said simply, gesturing through the entrance without further protest.