CHARLESTON COUNTRY CLUB occupies the northern tip of James Island, just across the harbor from downtown.

Elegant and exclusive, the club provides its members with easy access to tennis courts, swimming pools, and eighteen manicured holes.

At ten o’clock the next morning, Kit dropped me at the elegant wood-and-stucco clubhouse.

I wore a strapless Nicole Miller cocktail dress. Mocha. Sleek and form fitting. And borrowed, of course.

By silent agreement, we’d avoided conversation the entire drive.

“Two hours?” Kit finger-tapped the wheel, anxious about last night’s bombshells.

“One,” I replied.

He nodded. “Have fun.”

I stumbled while stepping to the curb. I’d barely slept. Hiding Chance had frazzled my nerves. As had the prospect of a new encounter with the Tripod.

Taking a moment to gather myself, I repeated Chance’s advice in my head.

Stand your ground. Fight back. No fear.

Shoulders squared, I strode into the foyer.

Expensive Persian rugs covered a dark hardwood floor overhung by a massive crystal chandelier. Twin grand staircases curved upward along each wall.

A regency table held a flower-filled vase and a silver-framed placard announcing that brunch would be served outside by the putting green.

Standing next to the table was Rodney Brincefield.

Dear God. What was he doing here?

“Tory.” Brincefield smiled broadly. “What a pleasant surprise!”

“Hello.” Startled, I said nothing more.

“I didn’t know you frequented the club.” Brincefield wore a charcoal suit and black wingtip shoes. I was unsure if he was an employee, guest, or member.

“I’m here for the garden brunch,” I said. “For cotillion.”

“Wonderful. How goes the treasure hunt?” He lowered his voice. “Any clues?”

Flashbulb image. An antique red station wagon weaving through traffic, tracking the Virals to Morris Island.

I opted for directness. “Mr. Brincefield, have you been following me?”

“Following you?” The bright blue eyes bored into me. “Why on earth would I do that?”

“It’s just, I keep running into you.”

“I’ve been walking the same treads for decades.” Brincefield chuckled. “It’s you that recently appeared in my world.”

Fair point. I’d only seen Brincefield at places I’d never been before.

Maybe I was following him.

I didn’t notice Brincefield inching closer. When he next spoke, the snowy eyebrows nearly brushed mine.

“Have you found it?” he whispered. “Do you know the volume?”

I hopped backward. “What are you talking about?”

Footsteps sounded behind me. “Tory?”

I turned to see Jason bang into the room, a pair of wooden folding chairs tucked under each arm.

“Did you just get here?” Jason shifted his weight, searching for a comfortable grip. “Everyone’s out on the lawn. I got stuck hauling things again.”

“On my way.” I turned back to Brincefield. “Sorry, gotta run!”

I hurried to the rear doors. In the mirror, I saw Brincefield watch me exit.

Outside, I suppressed a shudder.

Had Brincefield been waiting for me? His last question had been intense, almost manic. What did he mean? Perhaps the old man wasn’t harmless after all.

Focus. You’re exposed.

I stepped behind a stand of trees just as Jason emerged. After glancing around, he lugged his payload over to a white pavilion.

Screened from view, I surveyed the scene.

Most of the cotillion crowd had arrived. Blue bloods milled, chatting, wearing their newest finery. Women in bright sundresses held tiny plates heaped with sliced cantaloupe, honeydew, strawberries, and cheese. Fake laughter floated on the air.

Impulsive decision: no more surprises.

If an attack was coming, I wanted all my powers in place.

SNAP.

The transformation came swiftly, leaving me trembling and gasping as usual. I held position, willing the burning in my limbs to cease.

My receptors kicked into high-definition.

Slipping on my shades, I stepped from the trees and joined the party.

The adults had congregated by buffet tables under the pavilion. My classmates strolled the putting green a few dozen yards away.

Jason spotted me and waved.

Swallowing my apprehension, I walked to his side.

“There you are.” His tie was loose, his top button undone. “You disappeared.”

“Bathroom break. Still on setup crew?”

“Indentured servitude. The geniuses only set out fifty chairs.”

Eyes hidden, I covertly searched for the Tripod. Nowhere in sight.

Then a deeply southern voice called Jason’s name.

“Again?” He groaned. “This woman is a grade-A dingbat. Back in a minute.”

Jason followed an elderly woman inside the clubhouse.

I was alone.

Determined to make the best of my situation, I mingled, hanging on the fringes of a few group conversations. No one spoke to me, but no one chased me away, either. Progress.

Then my finely tuned ears caught the sound I dreaded.

Madison. Somewhere behind me.

I flexed my sonic ability, trying to tease her voice from the cacophony of gossip and giggles.

“… be sorry this time. Someone has to teach her …”

“Now.” Ashley. “Jason’s gone inside.”

Fabric swished in my direction.

I took a deep breath. No fear.

“Boat girl.”

I ignored the taunt.

“Boat. Girl.”

Slowly, I turned.

Madison stood a few feet from me, arms crossed, flanked by her sycophant flunkies. She’d spoken loudly, intending her performance to be very public.

My pulse raced. I didn’t trust myself to speak.

Madison arranged her features in a puzzled expression. “I thought we made it clear you weren’t welcome here?”

Conversations halted. A loose circle formed. Feral excitement gleamed in the onlookers’ eyes. The crowd smelled blood.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Courtney parroted.

“Nope.” Ashley flashed a predatory smile. “This isn’t for you.”

“It’s a free country.” But my voice was shaky.

“Actually, it’s not.” Madison giggled. “It’s quite pricey. But I imagine you wish that were true, since you can’t afford places like this.”

Scattered chuckles. I could sense the crowd holding its collective breath. Not a voice spoke in my defense.

The silence lengthened, but I was determined not to break it. This was Madison’s show. If she wanted drama, she’d have to carry the performance.

Then a familiar scent drifted my way.

Beneath the Dior perfume and La Mer body lotion, Madison emitted the aroma of nervousness.

Outwardly, she looked relaxed. But my enhanced vision noted her tense muscles, saw the tightness to her jaw. The vein in her neck was pumping mile-a-minute.

The confident pose was an act. Madison Dunkle was wound tighter than a snare drum.

“You’re out of your depth, Tory.” Madison pitched her voice to carry. “And not just here. Bolton Prep is far too prestigious to accept riffraff out of misguided pity.”

“Pity?” My face was burning, but I kept my tone calm.

Ashley laughed. “Everyone knows you can’t afford the tuition. They only let your pathetic group attend because some lame administrator needed a good deed for PR.”

“But we’re the ones who suffer.” Madison shook her head in solemn distress. “Deserving students, forced to share classrooms with a band of island hicks. It’s a wonder we learn anything at all.”

Enough. Chance said to attack? Done and done.

“I’m not deserving?” I rolled my eyes. “Last I checked, I outscored you in every class we shared. You know, the sophomore courses I took as a freshman?”

Madison’s eyes widened. She covered her anxiety with a smirk, but the nervous smell ripened.

I didn’t let up. “Unlike you, I bust my ass every day. That’s why I’m a Bolton Scholar and you’re not. We’ll both be taking the AP schedule next year. If you ask nicely, maybe I’ll agree to tutor you.”

Madison’s smirk wavered. Another scent flooded my nose.

Embarrassment.

I’d hit a nerve.

The answer dawned on me.

“You were accepted into the AP program, right?” My face was the model of sincerity. “I know you applied.”

Madison stiffened. “You don’t know anything.”

My nose told me otherwise.

“Wow.” I shook my head. “Awkward. That’s not going to help those college applications. But maybe your parents’ money can buy you in somewhere.”

Snickers, hastily covered by hands. But the target was different this time. Eyes had shifted to Madison.

She started to speak, but I cut her off.

“Honestly, it’s pathetic how you continually follow me around. Don’t you have anything else to do? Get a freaking hobby.”

The snickers became chuckles. Fickle as ever, the crowd had turned. Watching Madison squirm was even better entertainment.

“We do not follow you,” Ashley snapped. “You’re a loser!”

“Could’ve fooled me. Everywhere I go, you guys trail along like lost puppies. When I look out my bedroom window, I expect to see you three rooting through my trash.”

“Hold on!” Courtney looked stunned. “You can’t talk to us like this!”

“I’m sorry, are my words too big for you? Need make more simple?”

Laughter swelled. I was on a roll. Why had I ever let these bimbos get to me?

“You’re a nobody.” Madison’s cheeks were scarlet. “Not one person here wants to see your face again.”

“Don’t worry about me, Maddy. I’ll be fine. If people dislike me for no reason, that’s their problem.”

Game. Set. Match. Ashley whispered into Madison’s ear. I overheard easily.

“She’s making you look stupid. And Jason’s coming back.”

Embarrassment overpowered all Madison’s other scents. She’d also started to sweat. Surprisingly, I hadn’t.

I stood calmly, waiting for her to lob me the next volley.

Madison licked her lips, desperate for a clever exit line.

“Yes?” I tipped my head. “Some final witty comment before you run along?”

“You’re the one who needs … witty comments. Bitch.”

“Brilliant.” I nodded in appreciation. “Well played.”

Cackles sounded from all sides.

Madison elbowed through the encircling debs and their dates, not bothering to hide her fury. Ashley and Courtney scurried in her wake.

The crowd fragmented into smaller groups to rehash the showdown. Eyes darted in my direction, a few carrying respect.

Suddenly, I felt exhausted.

Almost no sleep and nothing to eat. Still flaring. I stared longingly at the buffet, but the Tripod had stormed in that direction. No way would I reenter their orbit.

I needed a moment alone. Careful to maintain my composure, I slipped into the clubhouse and found the ladies room.

I was splashing water on my face when the Tripod walked in.

Ashley and Courtney blocked the door. Madison stormed to me, seething.

Keeping my eyes lowered, I reached for a towel, dried my face, then shoved my shades into place.

“No one talks to me like that!” Madison radiated indignation. “Especially not some poser charity case from the sticks!”

I looked at her, no longer scared in the slightest.

“Excuse me.” Calm. “You’re in my way.”

“So?” Madison sneered. “What are you going to do about it?”

“If you don’t move?”

“Yeah.”

I closed the gap until we stood nose to nose. “I’ll knock you on your spoiled little ass.”

I heard Madison’s heart pound. Saw her hands tremble. Smelled sweat on her skin.

“You wouldn’t dare.” A quiver in her voice betrayed the bravado.

“Try me,” I said.

My hand rose, causing her to flinch.

Leaning close, I raised my glasses and drilled her with my glowing, golden irises.

“Boo.”

Madison yelped, then fled in panic. Ashley and Courtney glanced at me, puzzled, before rushing after their queen bee.

“Bye ladies!” I called. “Have a good one!”

The feeling of triumph was short-lived.

Ohmygod!

My stomach churned as I realized the magnitude of my mistake.

Madison saw my eyes.

“Stupid stupid stupid!” I said to the empty bathroom.

I squeezed my lids shut, wishing I could undo the last five minutes.

SNUP.

My head spun.

The room wobbled.

I ran to a stall and vomited into the toilet.

Then I lowered the seat, dropped, and berated myself. I’d committed a terrible blunder.

Go home. Worry later.

Legs shaking, I stood, straightened my dress, washed out my mouth, and exited the bathroom.

Jason was waiting outside the door.

“Tory, are you—”

“I’m not feeling great. I’m heading home.”

“I saw what happened.” Jason wore an astonished smile. “I don’t know who that Tory was, but she’s a badass!”

“All I did was stoop to their level.”

“Not true! You had every right to stick up for yourself.”

Not wanting to argue, I simply nodded.

“Anyway, I heard you’re moving into this year’s cohort.”

“What? Who told you that?” Goddamn Whitney!

“My mother, a few minutes ago. If that’s true, you’re going to need an escort. I just so happen to be available.”

My disgust for the whole scene boiled over. Suddenly it was all too much. Madison. Whitney. My own loss of control.

Jason was closest, so he took the hit.

“Why would I choose you?” I snapped. “So you can disappear when someone attacks me?”

Jason recoiled in surprise. “I didn’t know! That crazy woman had me hauling—”

My hand shot up, cutting him short.

Too much for one day.

Too many boys in my life.

“I have to go.”

Before Jason could respond, I rushed out the door.