Jasper led Makaela and Sebastian over to one of the private VIP booths. Vini and two of the nightclub security guards followed behind them like watchdogs.

Makaela made sure to keep track of them at all times, especially Vini. Her hand still burned from where his lips touched her skin. Whatever was in the air of the club had her in a chokehold before, but as soon as she heard that wretched man speak, it released her.

One of the security guards pulled back the booth's curtain. Jasper motioned for her and Sebastian to step inside.

Pulsing stars were stitched into the inside of the curtain, illuminating the luxurious room. A leather couch whiter than ivory sat in the center, bordered by smaller loveseats. A bucket full of ice and wine glasses sat atop a table nearby.

"Please, sit down," Jasper told them. He sauntered over to the table and grabbed a bottle. One of his guards brought him two glasses from a nearby cabinet.

Makaela reluctantly sat down on the couch. Sebastian joined her. The sofa felt like it was made out of cotton candy. Its soft material soothed her aching body. The pain in her shoulder had started to return, but it was negligible enough for her to ignore it.

With Sebastian at her side, she watched with keen eyes as their host poured them two glasses of blood-red wine. Her face scrunched at the sight of the sloshing liquid as he brought it to them. Its strong scent tickled her nose.

She wasn't in the mood for a drink. Especially under these circumstances.

They weren't in Nightfall for pleasure. They were there to find a jumpkey, and hopefully find a way to erase Imogen's memories of the last day and a half.

After pouring himself a glass, Jasper took a seat. He took a sip and crossed one leg over the other.

"I see you've made some renovations," Sebastian said as he looked around. He shifted in his seat, his fingers fidgeting with the armrest of the couch. His dark eyes wouldn't stop moving.

"You know me, Sebastian. I always have to have the best."

"Right."

Jasper took another sip of wine. He gestured at the two glasses before them. "Go on. It's imported straight from the vineyards of Thania. Best in the world, I promise you."

Makaela frowned. "I'm fine."

"Please. Just try it for me."

Her eyes narrowed. Before she could question it any further, Sebastian nudged her.

"You're offending him," he whispered. "Just drink a little. It'll be fine."

"But I don't want to."

"Makaela..."

Sighing, she waved him off. "Fine, fine." Men were so sensitive. She slowly lifted the glass to her lips. The liquid met her tongue. Her eyes widened. "Oh, wow."

The chilled wine soothed her tastebuds as it traveled down her throat. It had a unique, cultured flavor she couldn't quite distinguish. Red grapes? Maybe green? There were prominent notes of smoke and spice woven into the wine as well. Whatever it was, she couldn't get enough of it. Licking the droplets off her lips, she took another sip. Then another. A fire ignited within her core as she relaxed into the couch. Her eyes drooped slightly as she smiled.

Ahead of her, Jasper leaned back in his seat.

"You know," he began, "you don't do much to conceal your identity. I've heard the stories. The Order of the Black Lotus has been hunting down the lightweavers for nearly a decade."

She snorted. "I'm not scared of any Shades. Let them come."

"Be careful what you wish for, my dear."

Beside her, Sebastian set down his glass.

Makaela analyzed Jasper's features. She stifled a laugh upon realizing he resembled a fox. Or was it a weasel? Her brain was starting to feel fuzzy. His features were narrow and pointed like a weasel's were, but his green eyes were sharp. Cunning. All he was missing was a bushy tail.

The man clasped his fingers over his knees. His guards stood on either side of him, their still faces pointed forward. She noticed the white marks in their palms-signifying that they were Solaires.

Next to Makaela, Sebastian and Vini were locked into an intense staring match. Neither of them looked like relenting either. She rolled her eyes at them.

"Boys," she mumbled.

"So," Jasper said, cutting his eyes to the black-haired boy, "what do I owe the pleasure of you two highly esteemed individuals visiting my humble nightclub."

"Humble?" Sebastian laughed.

"Caught me."

Makaela forced a smile. "We need your help, Mr. Blackwell."

"Mr. Blackwell was my father. Call me Jasper, dear."

"Right. Jasper." She emphasized his name, giggling as she said it. The word sounded funny on her tongue. Sucking in a breath, she clamped her hands over her mouth. "Sorry! I didn't mean to laugh."

Sebastian leaned in close to her ear. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She frowned at him. "Do I not look alright?"

"I think you might've drunk a little too much."

Pouting, she turned away from him. She had barely drunk the wine. Glancing at the glass, she realized there it was still half-empty. Or maybe it was half-full...

The room was starting to spin. She held onto the armrests of the couch and closed her eyes until it stopped.

"What exactly do you need help with?" Jasper asked her. He tapped the shoulder of one of his guards. They bent down to his level so he could whisper something in their ear. The guard grunted out a reply before exiting the room. Vini remained near the curtain, his dark eyes burning with malice.

Makaela stuck her tongue out at him and giggled.

Sebastian cleared his throat. "We need to get somewhere. I was hoping I could borrow your jumpkey."

"Who says I have a jumpkey?"

"You saying you don't have one?"

"Don't be silly. Of course I have one."

Sebastian slid a hand down his face. "Well, can we use it? We need to get going-"

Jasper tilted his head. He smoothened down his slicked-back hair, which Makaela personally thought had way too much styling gel coating the yellow strands.

"Why the rush?"

Sebastian pulled at his collar. "Long story. We just need to get there quickly."

"You're not in any kind of trouble, are you?"

He sounded concerned, but Makaela wasn't so sure. His voice had started to sound far away. Everything sounded muffled and muddled as if she were underwater. She lifted her arm. It felt like she was trapped in a vat of molasses.

Her heartbeat quickened.

"You can always come to me with any problems you have," Jasper told Sebastian. "I'll always have time for my favorite dueler."

"I thought I was your favorite, dueler," Vini said.

"Shut up."

Makaela suddenly felt hot. She fidgeted with the bottom of her dress. Sweat trickled down her spine, pooling at the small of her back.

"So does that mean my friends and I can use your jumpkey?" Sebastian asked.

"Friends?" Jasper asked, confused. "I only see you and your lovely partner here." He winked at Makaela. She wanted to jump out of her skin and hide.

"We came here with two other people," Sebastian explained. "They're somewhere in the club."

Makaela blanched. Where were Remy and Imogen? Were they looking for her? Had they gotten lost? What if something happened-

Jasper clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Where are you trying to get to?"

Makaela opened her mouth to answer, but a pinch to her side stopped the words. Features twisting in anger, she snapped her eyes toward the person beside her. Sebastian kept his face forward.

What was that for?

"We're headed up north," Sebastian answered.

"North, huh?" Jasper clicked his tongue again. Makaela cringed at the sound. "You know, that's where Hodvekt is."

"I know."

The faint sound of the music blasting through the speakers outside of their booth pulsed through the walls. Makaela tapped her fingers against the bare skin of her leg. Her mind kept wandering to Remy and Imogen.

She hoped they were alright.

"I keep hearing about some crazy incident in Alaska," Vini said. "Some red beam into the sky. Heard a ton of ordinaires are getting sick." He shook his head. "It's crazy what those ordinaires are doing to this planet. It's about time someone put them in their place."

Makaela's frowned deepened.

He sounded like Thorian.

Sebastian nodded, pretending to be interested in what he was saying. "Yeah, you're right." He stood up and walked over to Makaela, pulling her out of her seat. He turned back to Jasper. "If you'll excuse us for a moment. I need to speak to her in private."

"So, you and your friends need to go up north," Jasper said. He rose from his seat and gestured towards the shimmering curtain behind him. "I'd be more than willing to help. Please, accompany me to my office."

Everyone stood up-Makaela struggling a bit more than the others-and they exited the room. As Sebastian walked beside Makaela as they followed Jasper up a set of glass stairs, he bumped her arm lightly.

"You okay?" he whispered.

She nodded and stumbled a bit. Sebastian peered at her curiously and stifled a laugh.

"Are you drunk?"

"No..."

Though, judging by the slightly distorted images that flitted in and out of her vision and the grogginess she was experiencing, she might've been. She wouldn't have known, having never tasted a drop of alcohol in her life.

Xander and Uncle Olivier were avid tea drinkers. She wasn't sure a single bottle of alcohol was present in their chateau. Her face fell at the thought of them.

"You're a lightweight," Sebastian told her.

She pouted at him. "Meanie."

"Come on, let me help you." He held his hand out as he attempted to help her up the stairs.

"I'm fine." She swatted his hand away. At that exact moment, her foot got caught on a step, nearly sending her tumbling down the staircase. She gasped as her body went weightless for a moment. A strong arm snaked around her waist and yanked her forward. Before she knew it, she was pressed against Sebastian's chest with his concerned eyes staring into her own.

She hiccupped. "Oops."

Jasper and Vini turned around.

"Everything alright back there?" Jasper inquired with a tight smile.

Sebastian nodded. He kept his arm around her as he helped her up the staircase.

Makaela poked his cheek. "You didn't let me fall." Her words were jumbled. Sleep was taking hold of her.

"Of course I didn't."

They continued up the stairs and away from the noisy crowd dancing below their feet.

#

Makaela collapsed into another sofa just as soft as the one downstairs. While trying to take in the décor of Jasper's office, her vision swam like a salmon in a stream. She pressed her fingers against her temples, urging herself to focus.

Sebastian was right. She was a lightweight.

Jasper's office was just as lavish as the rest of the nightclub. Everything in the room was either black, silver, or white. It looked like the backdrop of a silent movie. Abstract paintings of odd shapes and figures lined the walls. Strange sculptures were placed about the room, their eyes tracking Makaela as she moved in her seat.

She blinked tiredly. It was becoming a struggle to keep her eyes open.

What was in that wine?

Jasper had his hands clasped atop his bare, black desk. He stared at her and Sebastian, who sat on the opposite side of the table.

Her lidded gaze settled on the strange mask mounted on the wall behind the man. She squinted at it. The colors of the room reflected off the metallic surface.

"It's a fox mask...just like your face." She giggled.

Beside her, Sebastian facepalmed. Jasper simply laughed, his green eyes twinkling.

"I get that a lot."

"Sober up, Makaela," Sebastian hissed in her ear.

I'm trying. She couldn't tell if she had said that out loud or not.

Something was definitely off about the wine Jasper gave her. While she wasn't a drinker, she knew alcohol shouldn't have had her feeling like that-especially since she only had a few sips. Her brain went to work as she stared at the vibrating ground beneath her feet.

"She's a keeper," Vini said from the corner of the room.

"You wanna get punched again?" Sebastian snapped.

Jasper pressed the points of his fingers together. "Where did you say you were headed? You never gave me an exact location. I'll need it to program the jumpkey for you."

Even in her drunken state, she noticed the shift in his tone. It was insistent. Adamant.

Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. We're going to Hodvekt. I need to visit House Brynjir."

"What for?"

"I'd rather keep that to myself."

"Understandable."

"If you could program that jumpkey for us, we'll be out of your hair in no time."

Jasper stood up from his desk. He turned around and faced the mask hanging on his wall. With his hands clasped behind his back, he hummed a tune to himself. Sebastian tensed. Makaela's eyes were barely open enough to notice Vini had moved in front of the door.

"Thank you, Sebastian," Jasper said, his back still facing them.

Makaela squinted. Huh?

Realization struck her across the face like an opened hand. Her mouth dried as if she swallowed a mouthful of sand. Her heart thudded against her ribcage, desperate to break free. It was

"You know I run a business," Jasper continued. "Certain things must be done if I am to maintain my reputation. My status. My power. You understand that, yes?"

Sebastian shot up from his chair, his already pale face turning bone white. "What are you talking about, Blackwell?"

Jasper removed the fox mask from the wall and held it in his palm. He turned it over, examining it like an archaeologist would a rare artifact. "You see, Sebastian, I have received a very generous offer from the Order-an offer that would see me become the most powerful Solaire alive. Quite frankly, I believe in their philosophies. Once they wrench this world free from the hold of the ordinaires, I'll be left in charge of my own little kingdom here." He spun around, boasting a cheeky smile. "Isn't that great news?"

Makaela sucked in a sharp breath.

"You're kidding me right?" Sebastian was boiling with rage. "Please tell me you're kidding me."

"I'm afraid not, my dear Sebastian." Jasper offered him an apologetic smile. "Try not to take it personally. After all, it's just business." He snapped his fingers. Seconds later, four clouds of black exploded into each corner of the room. Masked Shades emerged from the darkness, their robes billowing around them.

Makaela recognized two of the masks. A bear and an owl. Igor and Ulrich. Her eyes widened. The Rabbit usually traveled with the Owl. Only the Vulture had been killed during the fight on the train.

Where was the Rabbit?

Ulrich, The Owl, stepped forward with dark magic pouring from his hands. "Hello, again."