Tahira received the same instructions from the guard and, like Ariana, placed nothing on the belt. She moved through the gate in front of Rob, and Ariana held her breath. Instantly, the red light atop the arc of the gate started to blink and a discreet but irritating alarm pealed out. The key had done its job.
"Miss, would you mind stepping this way?" a middle--aged guard said to Tahira in a Norwegian accent.
"Me?" Tahira asked, annoyed.
"Yes, please. I'll need to check the contents of your bag."
Ariana pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. So far, so good.
Tahira groaned and tipped her head back dramatically. "Do you have any idea who I am?" she said, thrusting her clutch at him.
He blinked at her, his face a blank. "No. I'm afraid I do not."
Then he unceremoniously dumped her stuff out into a plastic bin. Ariana moved slowly in the direction of the door, loitering just behind the guard. She glanced down at the bin and saw a compact mirror, a tube of lip gloss, Tahira's ID, and her EpiPen. The key Ariana had planted to make the metal detector go off hadn't fallen out. It was probably wedged into the tight outside pocket, which the guard hadn't noticed yet. All the better for Ariana. He looked the things over and, finding nothing metal, turned to the second guard.
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"We'll need the wand," he said.
"The what?!" Tahira screeched as the second guard approached with a metal--detecting wand. She backed up a few steps, nearly tripping on the long hem of her gown. "You are not using that thing on me. Rob! Get your ass over here!"
Rob, however, was being detained by a third guard on the other side of the metal detector, which the security team evidently did not want to use until the current situation was sorted out. The line of partygoers was starting to back up, and everyone was standing on their toes and straining their necks to see what the commotion was.
"Can't do it, sweetie!" he said in a bored voice.
"I have rights, you know!" Tahira shouted. "And I'm a dignitary's daughter, which means I have bodyguards! God, why did I tell them to stay home? If you give me my phone I can have them here in five minutes and they'll kick your scrawny Norwegian butt right back to Oslo."
"As appealing as that sounds, it's not necessary," the first guard said, approaching Tahira, who was trying to wrench her arm out of the second guard's grasp. "Now if you'll just stand still for a moment, miss. We're simply attempting to do our jobs."
"You people suck, you know that?" Tahira ranted, making an even bigger scene. So much for that image she was trying to maintain. "I don't know why we're allies with you old--school bastards. Norway sucks. In fact, Europe sucks!"
There was a general gasp from the waiting crowd, which was probably full of European dignitaries.
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"Yeah, that's right! I said it!" Tahira said, still squirming. "I hate Europe!"
Now the crowd started to murmur and shout. Ariana laughed and, with both guards now fully occupied by a screeching brat and a potential revolt, she quickly grabbed Tahiras EpiPen and slipped it into her purse. Then she turned and joined the party.
Part two of her plan was complete.
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THE TOUR
"Ana! Ana! Ana!"Brigit half--scurried, half--wobbled across the crowded ballroom, forcing ladies in couture and men in tails to dodge out of her way as she went. A woman in a glittering tiara laughed in an indulgent way as the princess raced around like a girl half her age. Ariana smiled as she caught Brigit in her arms before she could fall forward in her high heels. It must have been nice to have an entire country looking after you, indulging you, like you were a favorite daughter.
"What? What is it?" Ariana asked with a laugh, clutching Brigit's elbows as Brigit clutched hers.
"I did it! I did my task!" Brigit whispered breathlessly, her chest heaving up and down.
"You embarrassed the crown prince of Jordan?" Ariana replied under her breath. "How?"
"I was standing with him and Prince William and a couple of the
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senators' sons and I said I smelled dog poo and I made diem all take off their shoes to check, which of course they did because I'm the princess and when you're within these walls you pretty much have to do whatever I say," Brigit rambled, leading Ariana toward a velvet bench near the wall and dropping down. "That was pretty much all I had to do," she said, lifting her palms and laughing.
"Make him take off his shoes? How is that embarrassing?" Ariana asked, setting her empty champagne glass down on the table next to her. It was immediately whisked away by a white--gloved waiter.
"Because the crown prince of Jordan wears lifts," Brigit whispered conspiratorially. "When he took off his shoes he was at least three inches shorter, and now all the guys know! You should have seen the look on his face. I thought Will was going to die laughing."
"Wow. You are evil," Ariana said jokingly.
"I know, right?" Brigit said, holding her hand over her mouth. "Maybe I should have asked him to teach me how to walk in these heels." She tugged her skirt up slightly to show off her sparkly shoes. "Can I take them off yet?" she whimpered. "I swear I almost took down one of the tapestries back there just trying to bow to that guy from the Japanese embassy."
"No. You are not removing the shoes," Ariana said, placing a calming hand on Brigit's arm. "You're doing fine. It's only a few hours."
Brigit rolled her eyes just as Kaitlynn appeared with Lexa, Conrad, Adam, and Soomie in tow.
"Brigit, this party is amazing," Kaitlynn said, her face flushed with pleasure.
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"Eh. It's okay," Brigit said with a shrug.
"And this building is beautiful," Kaitlynn added, looking around at the high ceilings. "Would you mind giving us a tour? I mean, of whatever parts we're allowed to see?" she added with an endearingly self--deprecating laugh.
"Sure," Brigit said, reaching her arms out to Kaitlynn for help. Kaitlynn hoisted Brigit up onto her heels as gracefully as possible. "You coming, Ana?"
"I'm in," Ariana replied. Even though she had assured Kaitlynn countless times that she was taking care of the Stone and Grave situation, she still didn't relish the thought of leaving Kaitlynn alone with any of her friends. "Let's do it."
Brigit took the lead with Adam and Lexa; Conrad and Kaitlynn fell in behind them. Along the way they picked up Soomie, Christian, and a few other APH students who wanted to get in on the exclusive tour. Palmer hung back and waited for Ariana to join him.
"Hey," Ariana said, her heart fluttering at his close proximity. "Having fun?"
"Yeah. I'd be having more fun if I had a date," he replied lightly.
"Palmer, I thought you understood," Ariana replied. "I need to fly under the radar for now."
"What's the big deal?" Palmer asked. "People break up and start dating other people all the time."
"Yeah, but not best friends," Ariana replied as Brigit led them across the lobby and through a pair of double doors on the other side.
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"How can you guys be best friends? Until two weeks ago you hadn't even spoken in years," Palmer whispered.
Ariana's heart turned. How could Palmer question her and Lexa's connection? Did Lexa not want to be her best friend? Had she said something to Palmer about her before they broke up that implied that she didn't really like Ariana?
"Don't be mean," Ariana replied firmly.
Palmer blew out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just ... I want to be able to be with you, that's all." He glanced ahead at the rest of the tour group, slowing his steps to put some distance between them. "I want to be able to do this." He lifted her hand and kissed her wrist lightly, looking right into her eyes. Her entire body actually shivered, which made Palmer smile.
"You can do that all you want," she whispered. "Later."
"Promise?" Palmer asked with a sexy smile.
Ariana grinned. "Promise."
They would just have to find someplace private for him to do it.
&nb
sp; Brigit was explaining the origin of some Renaissance--style painting as Ariana and Palmer caught up. Then she turned toward the back of the mansion and threw open another pair of doors, so tall they practically reached the ceiling.
"Whoa," Adam said, his eyes wide as they stepped into a huge room with a broad, winding staircase at the center. There were ladders and scaffolding positioned all around the room, and white paint peeled from the domed ceiling overhead.
"They usually hold the NoBash in this room, but as you can see,
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it's under construction," Brigit said, her heels clipping at an uneven pace as she crossed toward the staircase. "I'll show you guys my dad's office upstairs. He still has my nursery set up next door and it's just the way it was when I was a baby."
She started up the steps, holding the skirt of her gown up with one hand and clinging to the oak railing with the other. Her heel caught on the carpet about halfway up and she stopped, took a breath, and kept going.
"You sure I can't take off the shoes yet?" she asked Ariana, glancing over her shoulder.
"Not yet!" Lexa, Soomie, Kaitlynn, and Ariana all chorused, then laughed.
Brigit shook her head and pointed out a few more paintings and tapestries as they ascended the stairs. Ariana was impressed with all the knowledge she had accrued about the various artists and their styles. Brigit was a girl of many layers. Ariana liked that in a person.
"Can you believe this place?" Kaitlynn said to Ariana and Palmer, waiting for them to catch up. She eyed the paintings with a covetous glean in her eye. "It's all so beautiful."
Ariana wondered what she was really thinking. Was she planning on trying to lift one of these priceless works of art? The girl would never even get out the front door with it. But the idea got Ariana wondering . . . what exactly was Kaitlynn's task for Stone and Grave? Was it something that was supposed to happen tonight, specifically, like Brigit's had been?
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She hoped it wasn't anything that would get Kaitlynn arrested. Because if it was, they were both going down.
"Oh, look at this one, Ana," Kaitlynn said, pausing at the top of the stairs in front of a painting of two cherubs. Ariana stopped and shot Palmer a look that told him she'd catch up with him and the rest of the group. He strolled ahead slowly, keeping himself between Ariana and Kaitlynn and the rest. Clearly, he had no interest in being with anyone else. The thought made Ariana's heart flutter.
"It's great," Ariana said to Kaitlynn through her teeth. "Can we go now?"
"I just wanted to check in with you about your plan," Kaitlynn said, looking at the painting with feigned interest. "You do realize that tonight is your deadline."
"Believe me, I know," Ariana replied. She glanced back down the stairs, thinking of the ballroom. Realizing she really should get back there and get the deed done already. "I told you not to worry. I've got it all under control."
Kaitlynn slipped a sideways glance at Ariana. "You'd better." Then she looked past Ariana at her friends, who were just starting to crowd into a room at the end of the hall. "Because if you don't, what happens next is all on you."
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NECESSARY
Tahira stood at the center of the ballroom, stopping every waiter who passed by and hoarding hors d'oeuvres like they were the last morsels of food on earth. Ariana had seen the girl eat before, and knew she was a glutton. It was a key element of her plan. But watching her now made Ariana's stomach turn. The girl was so slovenly, so rude, so unworthy of her position. Ariana was about to do the world a favor, really. No one needed a girl like this flitting around the globe pretending to be a role model.The door to the hallway opened, the door from which the waiters had been emerging all night, and Ariana spotted a handsome, college--age guy in a white tuxedo jacket and tails weaving his way toward her. Ariana had been studying the waiters' movements for the last fifteen minutes or so and understood the intricate dance of their circuit. If she was right, this one would work his way along the north wall, where she was standing, then veer toward the center of the room when he hit the bar. Veer toward Tahira, Zuri, and Rob.
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It was now or never. Ariana slipped the small vial of peanut oil from her purse, stepped away from the wall, and stood in front of the waiter.
"Hi," she said with a bright smile.
He looked her up and down and smiled in return. "Good evening, miss. Would you like a canape?"
Ariana was glad that Palmer and the rest of her friends were out on the verandah somewhere, taking in the view of the city. At least no one had to see her flirting with the help. Not to mention poisoning their classmate.
"Sure," Ariana said, plucking one from his silver tray. "But I really just came over here to tell you that your shoe is untied."
"Oh, thanks," he said, placing his tray down on the end of the bar behind her. "I guess it would be bad if I tripped and showered all the dignitaries with canapes."
"Probably," Ariana replied, her heart pounding.
As soon as the waiter crouched down, Ariana turned and dumped the peanut oil all over the canapes. By the time he had realized neither of his shoes was, in fact, untied, and stood up again, Ariana was looking in the other direction as if nothing had happened.
"Nope. I'm good," he said.
"Huh. I could have sworn I saw a shoelace trailing behind you," Ariana said, lifting a shoulder as he picked up his tray. "Maybe it was one of the other waiters."
"I'll keep an eye out," he said in a friendly way. "Enjoy the party, miss."
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"Thanks. I definitely will," she replied.
Especially if you go where I'm hoping you'll go right now, she added silently.
Sure enough, the waiter hooked a left and headed toward Tahira and her friends. A few people grabbed canapes from his tray along the way, but there were plenty left when Tahira reached up to select one from the tray.
"There are no peanuts in this, right?" Ariana heard her ask, just as she'd been doing all night. "Because I am deathly allergic."
"No, miss. No peanuts," the waiter replied.
Ariana was surprised by the lump that formed in her throat as Tahira brought the hors d'oeuvre to her lips.
This has to happen, she told herself. It's the only way. She threatened you. Threatened to expose you. And once she's gone, you, Kaitlynn, and Brigit will all sail through and into Stone and Grave. This is the only way to protect yourself and to make sure Kaitlynn gets everything she wants.
Tahira popped the canape into the gaping maw of her mouth and crunched down. Almost instantly, her eyes widened and her hand went to her throat.
"Tahira? What is it? Are you choking?" Zuri cried.
Tahira shook her head wildly. Her hair tumbled free from its updo as she shoved her bag at Rob. "Pen . . . EpiPen."
The people around them started to back away in fear and disgust, forming a small circle of open floor around the trio. Ariana endeavored to swallow but found that she couldn't. She could hardly watch this, but she also found that she couldn't look away.
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"Oh, shit. She ate peanut," Rob said, fumbling into her bag. He pawed through it as Tahira lurched forward, bent over at the waist. "It's not here!"
Tahira's eyes bulged. Clearly, she could no longer speak. People in the crowd were murmuring, alarmed. Ariana heard someone ask for a doctor. No one moved.
"What?" Zuri cried, clinging to her friend's arm. "It has to be! She always has it!"
"You think I don't know that?" Rob dropped to his knees and dumped the purse out on the floor. "It's not here!"
Tahira's knees hit the floor and Zuri let out a strangled cry.
Ariana closed her eyes and turned her head, her throat tightening. What was wrong with her? This had to happen. Why was she being so dramatic?
"Omigod! Help!" Zuri screamed. "We need a doctor! Someone help!"
Ariana took a breath. It was always difficult to watch someone die. Even those people who deserved it. Of course she was upset.
But this was necessary. They had all been necessary.
"Please! Please, help her!" Zuri cried, tears streaming down her face as Tahira choked and gasped. "Call nine--one--one!"
Finally, a few people shoved through the crowd. A wiry gentleman with white hair raced forward and grabbed Tahira's wrist, checking her pulse. Ariana held her breath. She found she didn't know what to hope for.
"An allergic reaction?" he asked.
"Do something! She can't breathe!" Zuri cried.
"She needs an EpiPen," Rob said, getting up from the floor. "Does
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anyone have an EpiPen?" he shouted, wheeling around. The ladies and gentlemen in the crowd looked at him like he was a lion on a rampage. "Someone here has to have one."
"Here!"
Suddenly Ariana's bag was ripped from her grasp. Kaitlynn yanked out the EpiPen and, without a second glance at Ariana, rushed toward Tahira, who was now prone on the floor, her eyes rolling back in her head. Kaitlynn handed the pen to the doctor, who quickly exposed the needle and shoved it into Tahira's arm.
Ariana watched all this as if it was happening in slow motion. Her plan was going up in smoke, with Kaitlynn lighting the fire beneath it. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't feel a thing other than despair. The room started to blur around her, everyone moving in slow motion.
Why? Why was Kaitlynn doing this? The girl had been about to get exactly what she wanted. Ariana knew that Tahira's friendship couldn't mean that much to her. No one had ever meant that much to Kaitlynn. So what the hell was she doing?
Soon Tahira was breathing again. Rob and Zuri carefully helped her sit up. She held her throat, which was undoubtedly strained from all the choking.
"Are you okay?" Rob asked.
Tahira nodded. "What happened?" she croaked.
"This young lady here saved your life," the doctor said, gesturing up at Kaitlynn. "She found an EpiPen just in time."
With Zuri and Rob's help, Tahira struggled to her feet. Then she threw
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herself at Kaidynn, clinging to her with her arms around her neck.
"Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you," she croaked.