Public Enemies by Ann Aguirre Read Free Book Online

faint smile, he took my hand. Yeah, you’re relaxed. You’ve got nothing to lose, you already bargained it away. I wanted to yell at him—to ask him how he thought his mother would take the bad news. Now that I’d met her, I felt even worse.
    â€œCome on.”
    When we approached the door, it opened in the kind of spooky-squeaky slow motion from haunted houses, but when I checked, there were no wires or sensors I could see. Inside, it felt ten degrees colder, and it was chilly enough to snow outdoors. I huddled deeper into my coat as my breath misted white. The ornate marble floor was chipped, the pattern obscured by years of neglect. Here and there, tiles were broken, as if from great impact, and ominous stains discolored the lighter squares. This place only needed the classic warning sign: ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE WHO ENTER HERE.
    â€œThis party sucks,” I muttered. “Where’s the evil butler to take our jackets?”
    â€œYou’d freeze without it.”
    â€œTrue.” I didn’t hear any music, but really, what did I know about the Feast of Fools? An Internet search had only uncovered a bunch of stuff about the Catholic Church. And that definitely didn’t apply here.
    Kian navigated the warren of hallways as if he’d been here before. We passed shadow-drenched parlors that were sinister in their silence, especially when I registered the flickers of movement within. My heart kicked into overdrive as we rushed past. Sometimes I shut my eyes against the sensation of something standing directly behind me: scrape of unseen claws on my jacket; brushing chill on my cheek. I shuddered as Kian quickened his step.
    â€œThis is just the gauntlet. We’ll be there soon.”
    â€œSounds like you’re a pro.”
    â€œWedderburn’s sent me before when he didn’t feel like putting in an appearance.”
    â€œKind of like his emissary?”
    He nodded, tightening his hold on me. “Don’t let go, okay?”
    â€œAre you kidding? Let me guess, in this scenario, we’re the fools they’re feasting on.”
    He ignored my nervous wisecrack. “Seriously, Edie. Not even if you think I’m on your other side. You might feel someone take your hand, it might even look like me, but don’t let it lead you away.”
    I swallowed hard. “I promise.”
    By the time we got to the heavy double doors, I’d probably put bruises on Kian’s fingers, but he didn’t seem to mind. “This is the ballroom. I can’t even begin to explain what it’s like inside, so it’s easier if we just go in and get this over with.”
    â€œConfidence, I am now full of it.”
    In response he kissed my forehead. “Stay close. I’ve survived two of these, one entirely on my own. So if you stick with me and don’t draw attention, you should be fine.” With that, he held out a hand. “The invitation. You brought it, right?”
    â€œYeah, here you go.”
    While I watched, partly in fear and the rest fascination, he set the vellum against the wood, which rippled like flesh, then a mouth appeared, grotesquely misshapen, and the thing devoured our card. Only when every morsel was gone did the doors pop open. As requested, I was Kian’s shadow as we slipped inside. It scared the crap out of me when the whatever-that-was made a … digestive sort of noise as it shut.
    â€œDid we just get eaten ?” I whispered.
    â€œIt’s one of the Harbinger’s parlor tricks.”
    â€œThen I’d hate to see a real application of his power.”
    I was trying to be funny, but Kian nodded. “You really would.”
    At first the ballroom was too dim for me to get a sense of what I was seeing. My eyes tried to adjust to the darkness but a blinding strobe flooded the room at random intervals, leaving me purblind. Audio tried to compensate but the room was full of echoes and reverb, disorienting me