“Hey!” Eris hollered and bolted to the window, her eyebrows pinched together.
Alina continued walking but kept glancing back so Eris would see her laughing. Eris swelled with fury and stuck her head out the window, screaming after her, but Alina didn’t catch the words. Eris would make her pay for this later, but for now, she enjoyed herself. Alina spotted Rex’s estate the moment she turned on Infinite Way—the largest home on the street, surrounded by acres of flowery grounds and illuminated trees. Alina shielded her eyes as she approached. People couldn’t get enough of shimmery things, it seemed. Even the sun couldn’t compete with Pria’s celebrations.
On the highest balcony, she spied a man hanging a banner from the twisted steel beams. Rex was head of the Celebrations Committee—a prestigious and busy job, as parties constantly filled the venues and streets of Pria—especially on Infinite Way. Jade said people were always looking for a reason to dress up and find love, or at least something to mimic it. If a party didn’t produce what they hoped for, they could always find love in a drink. From what Alina could see, this was the usual outcome.
Rex acted peculiar at the celebrations he planned. He was the one who praised Father Sampson with deep, bellowing chants that put Jade in fits of laughter. Alina stopped walking when she thought of this. She had no desire to see Rex. But the memory of Jade’s pleading voice held her interest, so she continued her steps. Perhaps she would walk past and return home.
Rex climbed his balcony, spread out his arms and leaped into a perfect dive, somersaulting when he touched the ground. He shuffled backward into the street to gain a full view of his mansion and seemed so immersed, he surprised Alina when he turned to greet her.
“Alina! How are you?” he called.
She blinked, astonished he knew her name.
He walked toward her. “Please give me your honest opinion about the lights. Will they do for the feast tomorrow?”
She shaded her eyes with her hand as she viewed his grounds. “I hate them.”
He didn’t seem ruffled by her blunt answer but nodded his head. “Yes, I think they’re a bit outrageous myself. It’s what I hate most about my job. I have to do what everyone else wants, no matter how excessive it gets.”
“You hate your job?”
Rex glanced around then dropped his voice. “Between you and me—yes. There, I said it. Out in the open too. I must be getting careless.” He smiled. “Anyway, are you just going for a stroll, or is there something I can help you with?” He gave her a searching glance.
“Jade said you were putting up decorations and thought it would help me feel better to see them. I had a bit of a rough day.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “But you hate my decorations! So much for helping you feel better. Well, come inside—I bet sampling the food will cheer you up. I need feedback, and your honesty is refreshing. Everyone’s so fake around here, I don’t know what they really think.”
Alina raised an eyebrow and decided to follow him inside. Maybe she’d misjudged him. She’d dreamed of entering the mansions on Infinite Way and held her breath as she stepped inside. A grand staircase with no railing overlooked the foyer, and a brilliant chandelier refracted the late afternoon sun into countless tiny rainbows on the floor. White couches with square corners and bright decorative pillows sunk into the lush carpet of his living room, facing the largest monitor Alina had ever seen. The screen stretched from the carpet to the vaulted ceiling of the second floor. Rex dashed inside and pulled curtains over the front glass wall. Alina tilted her head as she watched him.
Though she knew little of him, she was aware his job made him popular with the ladies. Every woman in Pria coveted the position of hostess to Rex’s lavish celebrations, except perhaps Jade. He was exceptionally handsome, with sandy blond hair and green eyes as bright as the grass. She found it strange he lived alone in such a large place, yet as he shuffled about the room, he did seem rather eccentric.
He peeked through the curtains, then turned to her and clapped his hands together. “Have a seat!”
She sank into the plush cushions. He disappeared through a swinging door, where she caught a glimpse of a black and white checkered kitchen. He returned with a tray of plump fruits and pastries, dark chocolate, spotted cheese, and a round, soft bread Alina hadn’t seen before.
She dug in and ate half the tray before remembering she should only be sampling the food. But Rex didn’t mind. He encouraged her when she slowed, complaining he ate leftovers for days after each event.
“Rex,” she said, pausing after a swallow, “have you ever had a strange feeling in your belly that doesn’t go away until you eat?”
He stared at her. She waited for him to say she was delusional.
“I’ve heard of it,” he answered.
“Really?”
“It’s called hunger.” He stood with his arms crossed, watching her. Then he spoke in a stern whisper, “I’m assuming you’re here because you’ve learned something about yourself.”
Alina’s heart skipped a beat. She nodded, and Rex took a seat beside her on the couch.
“What do you know?”
She whispered, “I’m mortal.”
He paused, and a tiny smile came to his lips. “Jade has sent you to me for a reason. You have much to learn, but you can’t hear it all now. You must leave before long and promise not to repeat what you hear to anyone.” He kept his eyes locked with hers. “When you leave my home, you must act convinced of your immortality to all you speak to, especially Jade.”
Alina’s mouth dropped. He spoke too severely for her to disobey. “Okay,” she stammered, “but why?”
“Because Jade is under surveillance.”
“What?”
“When Jade became your