Ellie smirked. “Guess no one gave them the memo that we need to stay undercover.”
Lottie was about to call out to them when a high-pitched squeak cut her off and she felt herself being scooped up in a hug that smelled of icing sugar.
“I’m so glad you’re here!” Lola held Lottie at arm’s length, still grinning, her white-blond hair hidden beneath a yellow cap. “This is going to be the best holiday ever!”
Her twin brother, Micky, stayed back as usual, his cherry lips twitching around his lollipop in what was almost a smile. Saskia and Anastacia had been obvious candidates to invite along for the trip, with Saskia needing to get her marks up to be allowed to return to Rosewood. But including Lola and Micky had been Lottie’s idea. They’d been through so much the past year, with their father getting sick and Leviathan infiltrating their family’s factory. Like Ellie, they needed a change of pace.
“Are you both okay? After the . . . media thing?” It was difficult to know what to call it, and Lottie still hadn’t seen the backlash.
The twins’ faces turned sour, Lola rolling her eyes. “Let’s not talk about any of that here, please. This is meant to be an escape from all that, remember?” She grabbed Micky’s hand and they began walking toward the exit.
Lottie glanced at Jamie, and the expression on his face made it clear what he was thinking. You can’t run away from your problems.
Jamie nodded at the other Partizan, not quite respectfully and with clear warning. “Saskia.”
Cursing Saskia’s giant sunglasses, Lottie wished she could read what their old nemesis was thinking.
Ellie’s face split into a grin and she dropped her backpack to the floor to throw her arms around Anastacia in a fierce hug. Lottie was sure Anastacia would snap in two, but instead she pulled away and smiled.
“You may have beaten me in the fencing tournament, but kendo is a whole different game,” she warned Ellie, only half joking.
Lottie felt a rush of happiness as she looked over their group. Seven Rosewood Hall students, of all houses, about to embark on a whole new adventure together. She dared to hope, if just for a moment, that everything might actually be okay.
They were met on the other side of the terminal gates with the hospitable welcome they had been promised. The airport was like a first magnificent snapshot of Japan and everything that awaited them. The airport corridors were decorated to look like downtown streets, with tiny, bustling ramen restaurants and souvenir houses with red noren curtains wafting above their doorways. A great staircase led up to a wooden bridge that covered the terminal walkways, with a garden of make-believe cherry blossom trees growing beneath it, and in neat rows, all around them, lanterns covered with black calligraphy lit up the paths in a warm, glowing welcome.
“This is the most amazing place in the world,” Lottie whispered.
She was greeted by a confused look from Lola and Micky, and it took her a moment to realize why.
“Lottie, have you never been to Tokyo before? We thought Maradova and Japan did business together?”
“A security precaution,” Jamie quickly interjected, throwing Lottie a warning glance. “We rarely leave the country, except for schooling.”
Lola and Micky still don’t know you’re not the real princess. She chastised herself for being so obviously awestruck. She couldn’t help thinking how funny it was that she came from such a different world compared to her Rosewood friends—if only they knew.
“Well,” Lola continued, “you’ll love it. So many cute cafés and shops.”
“And everyone is polite and they have the best candy,” Micky added. As if to emphasize his point, at that exact moment they walked past a bright pink shop filled with colorful sweets. Lottie was so enticed by the pretty pastel colors that she almost didn’t notice the men in front of her.
There were three unblinking men in black suits, peaked caps, and white gloves. One of them held a sign that read “Lottie Pumpkin and Guests” with a little blue heart in a corner, at odds with their serious faces. Beside them were three others, including Headmaster Chiba. It was a small entourage, nothing over the top.
“Welcome, Rosewood students, Princess,” the headmaster said as Lottie bowed in greeting. “My name is Nobuo Chiba—but please call me Chiba Sensei. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Lottie shook his hand but couldn’t help glancing to his left, where stood the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. Everything about her was magnetic, like a glowing sunset. Her hair was so dark and long it looked like a waterfall pooling down her back.
Hair as black as ebony . . . A line from an old fairy tale came to Lottie’s mind.
The girl’s red mouth curved in a smile of welcome as she cast her eyes toward the floor with a small bow in polite greeting. Seeing her standing opposite Ellie sent an unexplainable dizzy feeling through Lottie, like some sort of déjà vu.
“This is my granddaughter, Sayuri Chiba,” the headmaster explained. “She lives with me and assists in our summer-school programs. She will be happy to help should any of you require it.”
Sayuri. Lottie repeated the name in her head.
Ellie adjusted the bag on her shoulders and bowed. “I’m Ellie.”
Sayuri raised her head, heavy lashes fluttering to reveal eyes as dark and clear as a star-filled night. “Nice to meet you all.” Each syllable sounded like a feather floating through the air.
Chiba Sensei nodded and gestured to his other side. “And this is her Partizan, Haruki Hinamori. He will also be assisting over the summer.”
The tall boy on the other side of the headmaster bowed as he was introduced. His hair was a fluffy copper tuft on top of his head, with little curls sticking out in all directions that reminded her of sheep’s wool. Square glasses with a thick brown frame accentuated his
