ELLA HAD NEVER CALLED Sebastian so fast, but him being the unreliable person that he was she wasn't able to get him on the phone. She wasn't surprised, her brother rarely even had his phone on him, especially when his matches neared. How Faiza was able to communicate with him at all when he was training was something she'd never understand. Clarkson had left her to process it, nodding gravely like he had told her someone was going to die.

She hadn't told the boys yet, but until she had heard the words from Sebastian's mouth nothing was certain. Hell, even if she did hear them, he changed his mind practically every second. He probably had thought it a fun idea when he had been asked for the job, but with his few critical thinking skills she doubted he had thought about it any more.

"Eleanora."

With just his voice she was pulled back to reality and she pocketed her phone, the text she had sent to Sebastian a few curses in Spanish and then a question if he had died. The hallway she was in was big, with a high ceiling and golden decorations, impressionist paintings wherever she looked. The masked ball was already ongoing, Mia having picked them up in a limousine a couple of hours ago. She could hear the noises of the crowd far away, Mia having guided them to a changing room for the clothes she had prepared.

Only Will had remotely tried to dress up, looking all proper in his suit, Levi beside him in his usual simple shirt and jeans. Mia opened a door on the left for the boys, Alex waving them a dramatic goodbye, and Ella was ready to follow Ava and Mia towards another room when Levi grabbed her wrist.

"I don't want to wear a suit," he frowned.

"You'll survive," she smiled back.

Alex dragged him away then as he extended a hand towards her in betrayal, his complaints quickly muffled once he closed the door behind them.

"So, I showed the stylist the pictures of some dresses you liked and they picked out something accordingly," Mia said as she let them in a room," I hope you like them."

The dressing room was big, a group of ten people running around with clothes and masks, makeup tables against the wall and racks of dresses on their left. As soon as they noticed them Ella got pulled away, Ava already listing all the things she liked as they started doing her hair.

It was luxurious, that was for sure. Though Ella liked dressing up, she had never done it this fancily, someone doing her nails at the same time someone else was putting on makeup. When she got in the dress a moment after, she couldn't help but twirl around, amazed at how soft the material was. Mia had gotten her a floor length gown made of rich crimson and sparkling with gold glitter, which made it seem like her dress was changing color with her every move. The skirt flowed around her feet, the heart shaped corset skintight.

Her mask was the same golden color as the gleam on her dress and she tied it, looking around to Mia and Ava. Where Ava was dressed in a chic, off-shoulder black dress, Mia was wearing a baby blue one with a sweetheart neckline. Ella hooked her hands through their arms, walking back in the hallway where the boys were waiting for them.

It was cute to see them in suits. Will's had been exchanged for a white one with a matching mask, his hair combed back, and with how patiently he was waiting with his hands behind his back he looked quite similar to a Disney prince for some reason. Beside him Alex stood with one hand in his pocket, wearing a navy suit, the top buttons of his blouse open and his mask silver, his rings glittering in the light as he placed a hand on Levi's shoulder. It was Levi she couldn't help but look at, with his all-black suit and blouse, the way his dark hair had been parted in the middle and his onyx mask made his golden eyes pop. Out of habit he pushed his hair back out of his face, but it fell back at the same moment he locked gazes with her.

He had been in a conversation with Alex, but he stopped talking, instead nodding absentmindedly as he kept staring at her. Once she reached them, he moved towards her, placing his arm around her waist, and she had to refrain from laughing at his obvious discomfort in his suit. Before she could even say anything he spoke first, gaze on her as they started walking.

"You look beautiful," he said.

"Thank you," she smiled," the masks are so fun as well."

"I want the mask off," he said, hand grazing the side," I prefer to be able to see your whole face."

"I like it on you though," she said," it adds this mysterious vibe."

"It doesn't need to be added," he said," I am mysterious."

"At least people think he is," Alex chimed in as he caught up to them," I've heard him being called mysterious for years because people thought he was hiding a lot of things behind his silence."

"Were you?" Ella asked amusedly, though she knew the answer.

"No," Levi said," I just don't like speaking."

She chuckled, before touching his new hairdo, still not used to it. He sulkingly glanced up at the messy locks, before shaking his head.

"I told them it was fine the way it was," he scowled.

"I think it suits you well," she said," you look handsome, Levi."

He was halfway through another complaint, but stopped when she spoke, instead staring at her. He tugged at one of the locks in front of his face, before scraping his throat, a faint blush coloring his cheekbones.

"Watch out," Alex grinned," he's about to make this his new hairstyle because you said this."

"You know what," Levi said," I actually might."

Alex chuckled, pointing at himself after. "Anyway, why haven't you both complimented me? Tell me I look really fine today."

"You look really fine today," Levi said without any emotion.

Alex was satisfied with that, nodding happily. They stepped through the big doors at the end of the hallway inside a huge ballroom, the floor forest green and flowers blooming all across the room. Three of the walls were made entirely out of windows, one of them leading to a large balcony outside, colorful birds flying around and out of the open windows. It wasn't what Ella had expected at all with the fancy masked theme, but she did like it, accepting the roses all of them got handed, Levi carefully putting his behind her ear.

Ava and Alex had managed to stand beside each other without fighting, an awkward conversation ensuing. Ava ended it by taking a flute of champagne from a passing waiter and downing it. Will had extended his arm to Mia and she had taken it, both of them staring excitedly up at the birds as they talked about how sweet they were. Levi on the other hand looked like he was going to fistfight a parakeet if they got any closer to him.

"I hate birds and they hate me," he scowled," it's a mutual thing."

"It's alright," she reassured him," I'll protect you." She held up a finger then in warning. "Don't punch a bird though."

"What if it punches me first?" he frowned.

"With it's wings?"

"Yeah, they're violent motherfuckers."

"Mia! There you are!"

A tall woman walked up to them, with sun-soaked brown skin and dark hair cascading down her back, her dress made of flowers and her smile lighting up the whole room. Mia immediately ran up to her for a hug, Will waiting politely for her to be introduced while Levi kept glaring upwards at anything coming near. Ella smacked his arm and his gaze snapped forwards, focused again.

"These are my friends," Mia said, waving a hand at them," I've been so excited to introduce you."

"She's hot," Alex whispered to Levi.

"We've talked about this before," Levi murmured back," I do not want to hear every thought you have."

"Alexander," Will scolded," I think that's her aunt."

"I'm Sahar," the woman said, pulling each of them into a hug," it's so nice to meet you all. I've heard about a lot of you from my husband."

When she reached Ella she stared for a moment longer, almost like she saw someone in her, before shaking her head.

"St Joseph," she mused," that school brings back many memories."

Her gaze caught something over Levi's shoulder then and she waved at the person, a wide smile on her face.

"Rei!" she said," come here and introduce yourself to Mia's friends."

Alex stiffened, but his expression didn't change as Reyan walked up to them. He was wearing a gray suit with a black blouse underneath, his dark eyes emotionless as ever as they flicked towards his mother.

"I have met them," he said.

"Oh?" Sahar said," and, tell me, did you get along?"

"No," Reyan said, turning around to look right at Alex," because I am enemies with one of them."

"What?" Alex blinked.

"I told you I should have taken a weapon along," Levi whispered to Ella.

"No Levi, you should not have taken a weapon along."