You and your friend group—Pansy Parkinson, your closest and most observant friend; Daphne Greengrass, Astoria’s sister who acts like she’s helping while quietly watching everything; and Astoria Greengrass, who keeps things steady and organized—end up talking about Cressida one afternoon. It’s simple at first. Just friends talking. Cressida is in love, and she doesn’t know how to get Mattheo Riddle to notice her.