Chapter Seventeen #2
It’s been neck and neck between the five of us, but now that Ivan’s truly on my side, I’m not as worried about winning the academy.
Top five would be great, top two amazing, but I have my in with Brian Juno regardless of what happens.
Or at least that’s what I told myself when Trieu and Kavi pulled in front of Ivan and me in the rankings last week.
Which doesn’t make a ton of sense, but the Wizz-Algorithm works in mysterious ways.
“I mean I’m off the team. Leaving the party, whatever. Good luck with the rest of the academy, but I can’t contribute to”—he takes a pause to look at me, then Ivan, then back to me—“whatever this is.”
“Cassius, please—”
“Zora!” a voice calls out before I can say anything else—a voice that makes me rocket out of my seat. Cass hears it too and rolls his eyes.
“See you on the map, guys.” And with that, Cass exits stage right.
“There you are, all of you.” Brian Juno doesn’t have to wait for the crowd of teens onstage to part for him to have a clear path to our cluster of desks.
“Hi, Brian!” My voice is high-pitched enough to summon a pack of dogs as I stand at military-precision-level attention. Ivan’s arm wraps lazily around my shoulders—the weight of him grounding me is comforting, despite my general aversion to touch.
“Fantastic job today,” Brian praises as he approaches us with a childlike bounce to his step. His cheeks are flushed pink like he just got in from a snowstorm. That, or he has rosacea.
My knees threaten to buckle, but Ivan thankfully tightens his grip on me when I wobble slightly. “Thank you so much,” I reply quickly, resisting the urge to jump up and down. Approval!—praise!—from Brian Juno!
“Kavi, Trieu.” Brian nods at them each in turn, and I hear Trieu in particular fail to restrain a thrilled squeak.
“Do you mind if I borrow these two for a moment?” The two to which he refers are Ivan and me.
“Walk with me.” Brian’s already walking past us, gesturing for us to follow him by curling his index finger.
I’ve never walked so fast in my life—practically leaving behind a dust cloud as I race to keep up with him.
We weave through the hall with ease, all of the other academy members parting for Brian like he’s Moses in the Red Sea.
I can’t help but preen over the quiet gasps and whispers surrounding us as we head for the closest exit on the right side of the room—leading toward the Wizzard offices we’ve never been allowed to visit.
Before, being the center of attention felt like a curse.
Dozens of eyes watching my every move, pulling me apart.
Today, a rush of pride washes over me as Ivan and I are escorted out of the room by Brian Juno himself.
Proof of what I’ve known since I got here—that I have what it takes to make it to the end. To be the best of the best.
“Your streams have been doing excellent numbers,” Brian says as soon as the door to the hall swings closed behind us. “No surprise, our audience loves a good star-crossed lovers story.”
My heart rockets into my throat at the idea that we might be the next Wizzard staple couple.
Emilia and Jake. Zora and Ivan. I’ve gotta admit, it has a nice ring to it.
Ivan shoots me a discreet knowing look, giving me a thumbs-up first before sliding an arm around me again.
Without thinking, I lean into his touch.
The smell, the warmth, the feel of him making this all the more intoxicating.
“I see a lot of really exciting opportunities for you two. And if you keep up the good work,” Brian says as we turn a corner to a sleek gray hallway—office doors with vaguely familiar names listed on the doors.
Wizzard execs, I’m pretty sure. I’m practically vibrating from the high of Brian Juno praise.
If I wasn’t so determined to see this through to the end, I might even say I could die happily right in this moment.
“Ivan mentioned you might want to throw your hat in the ring for my creative mentorship program this fall?”
I glance over at Ivan, who wiggles his prodigious eyebrows at me. He really wasn’t kidding. I am basically already in with Brian!
“I absolutely do,” I say with a little too much enthusiasm—my voice echoing back to me in the weirdly sparse hallway. “Thank you so much, Brian. I—”
“That’s great.” Brian stops in his tracks so abruptly I almost walk right into him. He turns on his heel in front of his suite at the end of the hall, his own name written on the gold nameplate beside the doorframe. “Ivan, do you mind coming in here for a minute?”
There’s a pause as Ivan looks over at me with a look that’s either panic, confusion, or both. My brows knit together in confusion as I glance between Ivan and Brian and back again.
“Y-yeah. Sure.” Ivan’s smile seems forced as his arm falls away from my shoulders and he takes a slight step away from me.
Brian still has enough energy to power Times Square, though, as he gives me a megawatt smile. “Thank you, Zora. Again, really good work today.”
“Th-thank you,” I stammer out, managing to stop myself from bowing at the last second and taking an uncertain step back instead.
Brian and Ivan disappear into Brian’s office in the blink of an eye, the enthusiastic lilt of Brian’s voice carrying even through the thick wood of the door.
I stay rooted in place for longer than I should, unsure if I should leave or hang around and wait for Ivan.
We did say we wanted to debrief after our match today—go over any moments where we might’ve slipped on camera, or things we can do to improve for next time.
And then there’s the whole Cass thing, which I’ll need to sort out at some point.
My head spins just from the thought of having to face that conversation.
Still, something keeps me rooted in place.
The softly muffled sound of Brian’s voice.
Of Ivan saying something I can just barely make out.
I take one step toward the door. Adrenaline and curiosity pushing down my conscience and pulling my body forward.
Then another, and another. Until, finally, I’m close enough that those muffled sounds begin to take shape.
And I can hear exactly what’s on the other side.