e your in

ts. None of them seem to be holding anything apart from bespoke

in church-and it's very, very obvious to my n

caught out as a gatecrasher, I go for what see

ru

ot one of my

, I deserve a better night out. A better bes

a better sprint time than the b

ss the ballroom seem unwilling to break into a full run so as not to ruffle the invite

n me, because for the first time tonight, I ge

utton that will take me down to the ground floor a

Through the gap, I see the secu

ammit!" I cry out.

rds com

rs keep

rds com

are almost

-there's only an inch left before I'm scot-free-w

the doors reverse course and

is that he's

t I'm pretty sure h

ng horde of guards, who promptly freeze at a

doors gli

I've ever had. He's wearing a tuxedo, so he's probably a legit wedding guest

his appearance perfectly. Rasp

ing

ly plucks my wrist to redirect my hand to the adjacent switch. His fingers

ed like they're on f

hey were just waiting for this

e swea

useful observations,

I'm in this mess to begin with, so he does

ended, he shows

etched hand. He's offering me

still flaming. I take it and

de?" he asks as I

or the love of all that is holy, change the

ately. "Andrey Kuznetso

iii

hat by another, much worse, problem. Because it seems

or grinds

brupt, jarring stop. The shock makes me forget I'm not supposed

elp u

a light silver, rimmed with charcoal gray. Or maybe they

rest of his face. The straight, proud nose. The sharp, hollow cheekbones. Th

ctor in its own right-but the

s man directly fr

d me in the ele

of attacking the foyer button like a manic woo

nd time. "Once again, you're missing the target." He r

nd it turns

th

at

." He couldn't sou

rge for excessive sweat stains. But even that worry fades away, because I'm s

k. "When will

ou alr

n this place and you are way too good-looking to be real and my throat feels like it's closing up on me and ar

ream before I can choke it back. "I-I-I... don't

claustro

I feel giddy and insane as I fan myself with one

completely disgusted by me. "

claustrophobic is that you ca

ugh, high and reedy. "Apologies for the inconvenience, folks. We're experiencing some techn

ral stories above ground with the brother of th

ad, God is laugh