Chapter 20 #2
“YOLO!” I cram the brownie into my mouth. “It doesn’t usually affect me, but let’s do makeup before it hits.”
We decamp to Honey’s glorious bathroom, where Honey sets me up on the counter and starts brushing stuff all over my face. I’m wired. Honey keeps having to ask me to hold still. I want to hear more about Kaiser.
“Did you ever talk to him?” I ask while she frowns at my face, holding up different makeup palettes to compare shades.
“I never got near him, but he always seemed like he was in a bad mood. Or when he was a little more chill, I always got the sense it was because he just murdered someone.”
I can’t help it. I let out a giggle. “That’s him.”
Raine calls from inside the clawfoot tub where she’s lying, eating popcorn. “Have you already…?”
“Done it?” I ask.
Honey laughs. “I swear, Bella, you say things people haven’t said in twenty years.”
“What should I say?”
“Made the beast with two backs,” Raine suggests.
“Okay, Shakespeare.” Honey’s getting more giggly. The weed’s hitting.
“Yeah,” I say. “Now who’s dropping references that are two hundred years old?”
“More like four hundred years. But it’s classic,” Raine throws popcorn at both of us.
“So you do like him,” Honey says.
“I like it when he touches me.”
“Awww,” Honey says as Raine hoots.
“I think I like it too much.” I frown at my reflection. “When I’m with him, I kind of lose my mind.”
“I’m not seeing a problem here,” Raine says.
“I get it.” Honey brushes blush onto my cheeks. “You want to be smart.”
“Yeah. He makes me dumb.”
“YOLO,” Raine says and tosses popcorn in the air to try and catch it in her mouth. It rains down on her, falling in her hair and bouncing off her face. “Oops.”
“Does he like you back?” Honey asks. “Do you know if he’s going to claim you?”
“Claim me?”
“Fraternitas has all sorts of rituals, and one of them is claiming an elita. Elita means ‘chosen one.’ It’s different from a marriage. For them, it’s more intense.”
“Kaiser hasn’t said anything about that.” My chest is tight. Will he claim me? Do I want him to? I feel disappointed that he hasn’t even mentioned it.
“I don’t know the exact details, but I do know when they claim a chosen one, it’s them claiming ownership and vowing to protect you with their life.
It’s like their vow to Fraternitas. It’s all about loyalty.
” She tells us about a few elitas she knew from the club.
“Kaiser’s brother claimed my friend Elodie last fall.
They have some sort of ceremony that’s secret, for Fraternitas only, but maybe once you’re married, she’ll tell you about it. ”
“Okay.” This is overwhelming. I want to know more, but I’m also worried about what I’ll discover.
“You can also get Kaiser to take you to Pandemonium,” Honey says. “It’s a wild party at Club Empire, the sex club they run in New Rome. If there’s a claiming ceremony, it’ll be on that night. Then you can ask him about it.”
“Sex club?” Raine sits up, sending popcorn flying every which way. “I want to go.”
“Maybe we can all go,” I say. “I’ll get Kaiser to take me and see if you can come as guests.”
“We might have to sneak in,” Honey says. She glances at Raine.
“Three, two, one,” I count down and we all shout, “YOLO!”
Sleepover 8:12 pm
We watch the sunset from the tower, dressed in costumes we found in a closet.
“It’s so beautiful.” Honey eats a handful of popcorn and sniffles. She’s got on vivid mermaid makeup that actually looks amazing, except now it’s a little smeared. “I’m crying because I’m so happy.” She giggles through her tears.
“Amateur,” Raine smiles. She’s only gotten more mellow. “Hey, is that a graveyard?” She’s looking out back into the forest.
I’m looking the opposite way, toward the official university campus.
Across the field in front of Honey’s house-dorm lies the labyrinth, and from this vantage point, I can see the pentacle design hidden at its center.
Beyond the boxwood hedges rises the dome of the conservatory and the stone buildings on the quads.
“I’m the king of the world!” I scream, pumping my fists into the air. I’m wearing a bear robe, the kind that has the head still attached. Both Honey and Raine declared it creepy, but I don’t care.
“Are you even high?” Raine asks me.
“No. I’m just like this.”
“I’m so glad I know you,” Honey coos, laying her head on my shoulder. I tell her I love her, and we cuddle until the bear head flops on her and she freaks out.
Sleepover 11:29 pm
“Do the thing!” I shout. We’re back in the drawing room.
“I don’t want to do the thing,” Raine says.
“You’re so good at it!” Honey encourages. She’s stretched out on the couch, playing with the curls on her terrible wig.
“I’m not good at it,” Raine protests while lying on the bear rug I found.
“Do it, do it,” I chant. “Do it for the plot!”
She grimaces. “Fine.” She juts out her chin, lowers her voice and mimics an old-school Italian gangster. “Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in.”
“Yes!” Honey screams.
“More elderberry wine?” I hold up the bottle we found in the dusty cellars.
“More wine!”
I fill their mugs. A little slops on the ancient rug, but it’s okay. The rug is red and brown and hides a multitude of sins. Any stain becomes part of the pattern. “I’ve been thinking,” I say. “Do you want to form an alliance?”
“What?”
“We should join forces, have each other’s backs.”
“You’re so pretty,” Raine murmurs to the bear head.
“I’m in,” Honey says. “We need to stick together.”
“Fine.”
“Excellent. What shall we call ourselves?”
“The Villains,” I say.
“The Villainesses,” Honey corrects. “Raine, what do you think?”
It takes a moment to explain things to Raine, but once she gets it, she holds up a finger. “I know. I know. How about The Villaini? Gender neutral term.”
“That is actually brilliant.” I raise a toast to her.
“I don’t know, guys,” Honey says. She’s added glitter to her mermaid look, and now it’s everywhere. “I don’t think I’m cut out to be a villainess.” She turns to Raine. “You’re smart.” She points to me. “You’re named after a poison.”
“And she’s obviously psychotic,” Raine puts in.
“Thank you.” I give a little bow.
“What can I do? I’m only good with hair and makeup.”
“That’s not true—” Raine starts to protest.
First rule of friendship: support your friend.
I lean in and get Honey’s attention. “Did you know there are bees that feed exclusively on the pollen of a type of rhododendron? The honey they make is poisonous.”
“I read about this,” Raine says. “There was a thing with the Roman soldiers…”
“They ate the honey and it incapacitated the army,” I fill it. “For weeks.”
“Yes! Murder honey!” Raine pumps her fist into the air.
“Murder honey! Yeah!” I cheer with her.
“So?” Honey says.
“So, Supervillain Rule #1: Your best offense is a good disguise. You’re sweet and gentle, Honey. No one would suspect you of anything. Just saying.”
She ponders this.
Raine speaks up. “Did you know, in medieval France, some women would poison their husbands all the time? No, really. They’d poison them in the morning.” She points her finger and stares at it like she’s zoned out and lost her train of thought. She’s feeling the weed.
“And?” I prompt.
“And give them the antidote when they came home. Kept them faithful.”
“Now that’s what I’m talking about.” I fist-bump her.
“I almost feel sorry for Kaiser,” Honey says.
“Don’t. He can handle himself.”
“But he doesn’t have to.” Raine hugs the bear’s head. “Because now he has you to handle him.”
“Good job, and that’s right,” I say, because she worked hard on that delivery, and dirty jokes should be encouraged. “I can definitely handle him. A little poison goes a long way.”
“Do it for the plot,” Honey says.