14. Hell has Risen #3
“Okay, is everyone ready and knows the plan from earlier?” Levi verifies, straightening the cufflinks Rez gave him in Hell.
We had a plan? Was I supposed to pay attention when he was talking earlier? SHIT!
“What’s this plan again?” Lynx asks. “I swear, I thought we were just supposed to mingle with the competition.”
Baby butter bees. I’m glad he asked, because I was just gonna nod like one of those elusive Bobby-head dolls I hear that are all the rave on Earth.
“We are, but you’re gathering information to use against them, finding out what their weaknesses are, planting false information about us, and finding out their allies and such,” Knox states gruffly.
“You can act friendly, but remember, those people in there are our enemies and have no problems sticking a dagger in your back.”
“Oh wow, that’s serious.” I feel as if all the blood pools in my feet, and before I can fall out, Chester presses his lips to mine, and my heart speeds up for a split second. Yes please. He pulls back and smiles.
“My knight,” I whisper.
“It is serious,” Knox confirms.
“Anything else we need to know?” Rez asks, playing with the fringe on her top.
“Yeah, it wouldn’t help to play nice with the royalties or higher-ups so we can possibly get help, or at least don’t have them aiming for us during the Gauntlet,” Levi states.
“It sounds like it will be bad enough; we don’t need another group coming after us, or arming our enemies to take us out,” Ryker agrees.
“Okay, so play nice with the other schools,” Lynx calls out.
“Gather information about the students and their allies,” Chester nods.
“Plant any false information if we can.” Knots leans against the wall.
“Find out their weakness,” Knox reminds us.
“Play nice with the politicians and royalties,” Levi insists.
“Keep a low profile,” JP suggests.
“Yeah, for those of us who can, try to do that,” Levi agrees.
“Maybe we’ll find out more about The Gauntlet,” Rez throws out.
“We might get lucky,” Knots muses.
“Whatever we do, just don’t cause drama,” Rez reiterates.
“This will be a honey. Nothing can go wrong,” I agree.
Lynx and Rez groan at the same time.
“What? What did I say?” I ask, not understanding.
“You just jinxed us,” Rez explains, looking defeated.
“Ah, that’s nonsense,” I say, as Levi drops his spell that was protecting our conversation from nosey onlookers and heads into the ballroom.
Walking into the room, the first thing I notice is how massive the ballroom is.
Holy Ever Woods, how are we going to mingle in this?
The decor is straight out of the namesake’s woods.
Black tendrils spread across the floor, while tall, inky-black trees are spread throughout the room.
The ceiling is all glass, and it’s either spelled or the moon is out, casting eerie shadows throughout the trees.
There are tables sprinkled off to the sides with food and drinks.
From what I can see around the trees, it looks like benches, toadstools, and patches of grass for students to mingle.
To the left, there’s a bank of windows that lead to a large balcony with a few benches, chairs, and tables spread out.
There are even curved staircases leading down to the grassy courtyard downstairs, though everyone seems to be staying inside.
Everyone is dressed up, as Levi said, including the Leaders of Nova and some of the royalty we need to sucker up to.
But what I don’t see is an easy way to count how many opponents we’re up against. There are too many people to count since they are all split up in different areas of the ballroom, but it’s enough to know we’re up ship's creek.
But they are pretty to look at, since they are all in pretty ball gowns and sparkly suits.
I guess some are representing their schools by wearing their school colors.
Red, blue, and green ballgowns flutter across the floor, but there are some random girls, like Rez, who have opted to wear outfits in different colors instead of the traditional gowns.
I can hear faint music, so I’m sure there’s a dance area around here somewhere. Lilith would insist on it. So, there must be a live band playing somewhere. I mean, if you can get over the dim lighting and fog, it’s kinda cool.
“See, Rez. It’s not bad,” I flaunt, knowing full well I didn’t jinx us.
BOOM!
The intense heat and flash of light in the room sends me tumbling back, and once I get control of my wings, I move my tendrils back out of my face and look up to see my friends righting themselves, and I quickly join them.
“What the hell?” Lynx mumbles.
As the light fades to our right, I finally notice a raised platform that was overshadowed by the decorations in the room.
Four shapes step forward, and a few people shriek as they recoil, and blood drains from their faces.
“L.A.M.B.’s here,” someone yells as they run past.
“Well, there goes our plan about not causing drama,” Rez groans.
“Or keeping a low profile,” JP agrees.
“Are you kidding me?” I smile big, knowing I’m shining a neon green. “Now this is a party!”