Page 34 of Monster's Delight

I heard a knock on the door. “And just in time. The girls are here.”

Una and Rhiannon gasped with delight when they saw us. We were just as stunned by their outfits.

Una’s was, of course, the best made. She’d chosen to dress as Titania from Shakespeare’s classicMidsummer Night’s Dream, but had used shifting sheer gauzes to create her costume. It was only due to a trick of the light, designed on purpose, that she was still modestly covered.

Rhiannon was more conservatively, but no less fabulously, dressed. She was wearing a replica of Bo Peep’s outfit from the nursery rhyme.

“Shall we?” Una said, indicating the hall.

I held out my arm to Hazel, and we followed our friends down to the ballroom.

CHAPTER11

Even the staircaseshad been transformed, little fairy lights—not real fairies of course!—lighting our way as we walked down to the basement level. The ballroom was dark, but covered with multi-colored lights hanging in mid-air. It was a little surreal to step onto a floor instead of into water, but I shook the feeling away.

“Dance floor or buffet table first?” I asked the girls.

“I’d like some punch,” Hazel said.

“I’m going to seduce that young man,” Una said, pointing out a tall blond on the dance floor. “I’ll catch up with you girls later.”

Rhiannon shook her head. “Have fun.”

“Oh, I plan to.” Una swished her way over to the blond.

As much fun as it was to watch men trip over themselves when Una turned on the charm, and not the magical kind, I really did want to have something sweet. I followed the girls over to the buffet table, trying to decide what I wanted to snack on.

My eye was drawn to one side, where a gargantuan chocolate fountain bubbled away. “Oh yes please,” I muttered to myself, scooping up a napkin on my way. Picking up a strawberry, I dragged it through the cascading chocolate until it, and the tips of my fingers, were covered.

I hummed in delight as the sweet-bitter gooey mess melted in my mouth, licking my fingers clean before selecting another strawberry and repeating the process.

“Enjoying yourself, my queen?” said a voice in my ear as a hand snaked around my waist. I turned to see Chuck poorly disguised in a crown and tuxedo.

“Who are you supposed to be?” I asked, side-stepping out of his reach.

“I’m the King of England, baby.” He picked up my hand and placed a kiss on the back. “Which means we were meant to be.”

“You don’t know much about Marie Antoinette, do you? She didn’t get along with the British.” I removed my hand from his limp grasp and picked up another strawberry.

He visibly deflated. “I meant that we were both royalty,” he tried to recover, “and therefore, we should dance together.”

I barely succeeded in not spitting out my mouthful. I chewed hastily behind my hand. “The only things I’m interested in right now are this fruit, that fountain, and my stomach. Please go find someone else to dance with.”

“Siobhan, is that you?” he asked, peering at me through his simple black domino mask.

“This is a masquerade, and I am under no obligation to tell you who I am or who I am not.” I turned my back on him, hoping he’d take the hint and go away.

Thankfully, he did.

I took a break from the chocolate fountain to wander over to the punch bowl, which was being minded by Ms. Carlisle, my academic advisor.

“Having fun, dear?” she asked, scooping my punch for me and handing it over so that my sleeves wouldn’t drag across the table.

“I’ve been enjoying the buffet, thank you,” I replied. “What about you?”

“The music is pretty good, but nothing like in my day.” Ms. Carlisle bobbed her head in time to the rhythm.

“I can see what you mean. Grandfather plays records for me sometimes when I visit.”

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