room for Ben. I spot him near the dance floor, talking to his father. “There he is,” I say matter of factly, pointing in his direction.
Our eyes meet for a fleeting moment. He taps his hand on his father’s upper arm and walks away.
“He’s heading to the doors on the other side of the room!” Zoë exclaims.
We increase our speed, heading straight for him. We rush past dozens of people, all trying to gain our attention to engage us in conversation, ignoring them all. Ben reaches the door and sprints outside, leaving it open behind him.
By the time we reach the terrace, he has vanished. Dr. Milton leans over the concrete railing and scans the area below. “He couldn’t have gotten far. This area is all rocks, leading down to the ocean.”
We fan out, looking over all edges of the terrace. Waves crash with fury against the boulders that line the hillside underneath us. A fine mist of salty water clings to my skin sending a shiver down my spine.
My ears detect a foreign sound. I stare deep into the blackness and squint, trying to encourage my eyes to adjust to the darkness. “Dr. Milton! Over here!” I exclaim.
He rushes over to where I stand and peers over the edge with me. A small white motorboat blasts out of a cove and tears into the ocean with great force, leaving an undulating wake behind it. “He’s getting away!”
“Good, let him leave. He won’t be getting back in. I’m having all the exits sealed and putting all the guards on high alert.”
He pulls a phone out of his pocket, quickly dials a number and barks his commands to the person on the other end of the phone. Within seconds a hoard of armed guards are filing into the ballroom. Exterior lights burst into action, illuminating the walls, terrace, rocks and surrounding water.
“Dr. Milton, is it alright if I take Emma back to our room now? I think she could use some peace and quiet.”
“Security will escort you. You will have an armed guard outside of your door tonight and be followed by one every moment you are here.”
We walk back inside, feeling somewhat safer. I scan the room. Worry spreads across the faces of those in the ballroom.
I see Ben's father through the crowd. His phone is held to his ear and his lips are moving quickly. He locks eyes with me and quickly ends his call and slips his phone back inside the inner pocket of his jacket.
Three security guards head over to where we stand. Dr. Milton barks orders at them.
“Ladies, please allow us to escort you back to your dormitory,” the one guard speaks.
“Wait. Dr. Milton,” I step closer to him so I can speak softer. “You need to look in to Dr. Reynolds—Ben’s father. I recognize him from somewhere, but I don’t know where. I think he might be connected to whatever Ben had planned.”
“Rest assured, Emma. I will not allow anyone to harm you, even if I have to guard you myself.”
“Ben said something to me that was really scary.”
“What was it?”
“He said that not everyone here is who they seem.”
Dr. Milton again pulls his phone out and furiously dials a number. Within seconds he is shouting orders into it. “Every private residence on the grounds will be subjected to a full search tonight. Each resident will be questioned regarding the breech in security according to code four twenty-one. Yes, you heard me correctly. Code four twenty-one.”
He ends the call. “What’s code four twenty-one?” I ask.
“You needn’t worry yourself with it. You and Miss Carver will remain safe. That is my utmost priority."
16. LOCK AND KEY
The long walk back to our room surrounded by security guards does nothing to quell my nerves. The dress I had fallen in love with just a few hours before now weighs heavily on my shoulders, feeling like a cloak of treachery. I want nothing more than to get back to our room and tear it off.
A night that was promised to be perfect, a night that was meant to be a transition into accepting my fate, has turned into what feels like a spiteful slap in the face. People who I was supposed to trust with my life have betrayed me.
My emotions bubble up, prepared to boil over. My skin grows hot as anger spreads through me. If I am the savior, why do I feel like I have so little control? As if sensing my tension, Zoë links her