Page 83 of A Barista's Guide to Love & Larceny
“Wow,” Dani said. “This isn’t intimidating at all.”
“This?” McKenna said. “Oh, babe, this is nothing. You should hear my father’s stories about the parties at the Summer Court.”
They strolled down the right flank of the reflecting pool, taking casual inventory of the other guests, most of whom were well above their age and reeked of sophistication: businesspeople, trendsetters, academics, researchers, inventors, investors. If it hadn’t been for the veritable ball gown she was wearing, Dani would have felt like a goose in a bevy of swans.
We’re in the courtyard, Dani thought into the shell.
Good, Silva replied.Things are still getting going in here. The OneiroLabs detachment has yet to arrive. Come in, get yourselves some drinks, and wander the floor.
“To the bar, then,” McKenna said.
They crossed the threshold into the main hall of the museum, unhindered by the two security guards posted at the door, and only marginally dazzled by what awaited them inside. The room had been magicked into something that belonged on theTitanic, featuring anelaborate stage with stairs built out of clockwork, moving golden gears and all. A clockface floated far above the dais, wrapped in script that wrote, erased, and rewrote itself as Dani watched:Welcome to the 24th Renard Gala and Exposition for Magical Innovation and Development.
“Impressive,” McKenna said, casting her gaze about the crowd with a regal lift to her chin. Heads were turning in her direction, and she was positively basking in it. “For mortals.”
Once they’d gotten their drinks—a tequila moonrise for McKenna, a drink she made up on the spot and that the bartender was too afraid to admit wasn’t real, and a ginger ale for Dani, whose stomach was too unsettled for alcohol—they began to circulate, as instructed. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that all the regular exhibits had been replaced with homages to each of the gala’s presenters. Some actually hinted at what they’d be revealing, while others were simple advertisements or descriptions of the company or individual in question. To give themselves something to do, Dani and McKenna made a circuit of the displays. Dani was unsurprised to discover that OneiroLabs had gone the route of extreme vagueness; instead of previewing their announcement, they had a diorama of their most important products, including DreamLite, DreamRite, and a sleep mask that blocked out negative psychic energy.
“You think that actually works?” Dani asked, pointing at the mask.
McKenna laughed. “Knowing what we know, I wouldn’t rely on anything they make.” She took a sip of her made-up drink, which had turned out an ombre blue filled with edible glitter. “This is quite good, actually. Tastes like something they’d serve at a tiki bar in Atlantis.”
They were turning away from the OneiroLabs display when they caught sight of Professor Silva on the opposite side of the room, near the musicians. She had eschewed a gown in favor of a steel-blue satin pantsuit and skyscraper-high stilettos, and waslocked in conversation with a man in a plum blazer. When she glanced over and caught sight of Dani and McKenna, a bright smile spread across her face like they were a pleasant surprise, and she waved them over.
“Miss Lionet,” she said by way of greeting. “It’s wonderful to see you. Dani here was a student in my introductory course,” she told the man, who looked to be in his mid-twenties and was ruggedly handsome in his suit. He struck Dani as the kite-surfing, biohacking, techy entrepreneurial type. “And your friend?” she said, gesturing to McKenna.
“This is McKenna,” Dani said. “McKenna Amari.”
“What brings the two of you here to the gala?” the man asked. His eyes lingered for only a moment on McKenna before returning to Dani.
“Oh,” Dani said. “I’m, um, a writer on the school paper. I’m doing an article about OneiroLabs and what they’re presenting, so I was lucky enough to get an invite and a plus one. McKenna is my best friend.”
“I’m just along for the ride,” McKenna said flirtatiously. The man smiled at her, but for whatever reason, her glamours did not seem to be especially efficacious on him—the work of an anti-glamour charm, possibly—and he seemed more interested in Dani, which threw her for a loop.
“All eyes are, indeed, on OneiroLabs,” he said, offering Dani his hand. “I’m Aaron, by the way.”
Dani took it, letting him squish her finger bones in an overly firm handshake.
“Aaronis just being modest,” Professor Silva said. “He is Dr. Virtanen, and he, too, is presenting tonight.”
Dani tilted her head politely—she had no idea who this man was.
“Dr. Virtanen of the Kielo Institute,” Silva added. “Renowned research facility that specializes in arcanobotany and its manyapplications. He’s had incredible success and acclaim for someone so young.”
“Oh!” McKenna said, a perfectly convincing portrait of sudden recognition. “ThatDr. Virtanen! I knew your name rang a bell.”
“Guilty as charged,” the young man said with a winning smile.
“Do you ever study the use of plants in the concoction of glamours?” McKenna asked. “I’d say it’s quite an underresearched area, as a glamour witch myself.”
“I’m afraid we haven’t cracked into that particular egg,” Dr. Virtanen said, humoring her, “though I’m sure it’s quite the potent one.”
McKenna seemed keen to continue the conversation, but she was interrupted by a man’s booming voice, welcoming all the attendees to the gala. Dani craned her neck to see the source standing on the dais in the center of the room. He introduced himself as the emcee for the evening, then rattled off the list of a dozen presenters in the order of their appearance, with OneiroLabs at the very end. He wasted no time in bringing up the first presenter, a Swiss manufacturer of time magic, and people returned to their conversations, talking quietly through the demonstration. Only a handful of guests, clustered by the dais, were listening intently.
“Angel investors,” Dr. Virtanen said in Dani’s ear. She startled, turning to see him standing awkwardly close to her. “Sorry to frighten you,” he said, amused. “This is your first time at such an event, is it not?”
“What gave it away?” She was uncomfortable with his attention, but couldn’t find a polite way to send it in another direction.
He laughed and touched the side of her empty glass. “Can I get you another drink?”
