11. HOMECOMING RICHES #2
Balthazar cradled her wrist and smoothly clasped the corsage so that the flowers draped like the most beautiful of bracelets.
She hadn’t expected boring carnations from a guy like him, but she also hadn’t expected this or for him to lean in as if they were already slow dancing across the ballroom in Old Main and say, “So are you, Princess.”
For the first time in her life, Embry’s knees wobbled. She turned her head, looking into Balthazar’s heavy-lidded eyes, wondering if he’d catch her if she actually swooned—
“I can get a photo of all six of you if you line up,” Rye offered out of nowhere, taking a crowbar to her quiet world for two. The spotlight faded, and Embry blinked, realizing they were surrounded by their friends. And Rye.
“Oh,” Embry stumbled, finding her words, “yeah, let’s—”
“That’s going to have to wait, because they’re about to call our names,” Skye yelled from the end of the stadium wall, the sodium lights from the field making sallow work of her face.
Though technically magic-infused, the lights, field, and everything else were made to look “normal” for the rare occasion when nonmagical schools came to play at a rival they simply knew as Raven’s Head School.
The homecoming opponent was always a Table-sanctioned institution, though.
It made everyone more comfortable as they celebrated.
And Skye was all about celebrating. The senior class president clapped her hands so hard her considerable boobs shook—which was when Embry realized she was wearing her powder-puff uniform instead of a gown. “Places, people!”
The next several minutes descended like a swarm of bees—blurry, loud, and directed by a mind of its own. As members of the royalty, they’d been paired off in alphabetical order, which meant Wolverton and Woodcross were the caboose.
Embry carefully minded her new corsage while folding her elbow in Skye’s and following the procession of couples around the corner of the stadium, across the track, and to a stage erected at the fifty-yard line.
On the way, they passed Mr. Heston, standing really close to Miss Persephone, the edges of his glossy wings mingling with her long brown hair. Huh.
Finding her seat on the stage, Embry looked out into the crowd, locating Daddy in the headmaster’s box with other Raven’s Head dignitaries.
He waved at her with a large slice of pizza clutched in his fist like a pennant flag.
While that was a very clever way to get her attention, Embry really hoped it was his first and only slice.
“Let’s hear it for this year’s homecoming court!” Headmaster Martinelli cheered into a microphone. Merlin the hawk blinked wearily on her forearm. “Aren’t they wonderful?”
The crowd clapped appropriately. Embry saw Rye slinking closer, camera poised. As the applause died, the headmaster clapped her hands together so forcefully that Merlin nearly took off. “Now, we have a surprise for all of you—and for you, my fellow friends on stage.”
Martinelli turned and smiled widely to the court.
And maybe it was her imagination, but Embry was certain the headmaster’s gaze lingered a beat longer on Skye, seated just to her right.
Embry’s eyes bounced from Fairfax to Oakley to Balthazar for a clue as to if this was some sort of social committee to-do but got nothing out of any of them.
Ames’s brows were furrowed, and it was clear she perhaps wished she hadn’t ditched the committee after a single meeting.
“Rather than keep all of you on pins and needles, we’re announcing our Raven’s Head homecoming royal pair right here, right now!”
That’d never been done before. The royalty was always crowned at the dance.
A murmur zipped through the crowd. Court members gasped. Embry was so focused on keeping her smile bright and level that she thought her face might shatter.
“Aren’t you all thrilled you don’t have to wait an extra day?” the headmaster asked. “Forget those nerves; folks, they’ll be gone in approximately two seconds. Are you ready?”
No. No. Embry was not ready. It didn’t escape her that this was at least the fourth time since school started that she wasn’t the first to know something.
But it didn’t matter. It wouldn’t matter. Nothing about this changed the outcome.
“Our first homecoming royal pair member is…” The drum line began an actual drumroll from the stands. “Balthazar Hale!”
Embry’s heart double-beat. She was going to be royalty with Balthazar. It was fate.
The sorcerer stood, stage grin at the ready. He strode forward, eating it up. He didn’t glance back at her, which was fine. They’d have their moment in mere seconds.
In the corner of her eye, Embry saw Rye sink to his knees, snapping Balthazar as Martinelli traded his tiara for a more substantial crown. Then Rye shifted, his lens trained in an angle that would capture both Balthazar and his cohort the moment their name was called.
“And our second homecoming royal pair member is…” The drum line began again, and Embry shut her eyes and drew in a long, meditative breath…
“Oakley Riddle!”
Embry’s eyes flew open. In the stands, everyone was on their feet.
Clapping and cheering, and… Were those streaks of bloody crimson in their hair coordinated?
Martinelli beamed at Oakley, urging her forward.
She was still frozen to her seat, her mouth a perfect, ruby O.
Then a switch flipped—the vampire stood, her lips curving into a smile that put her fangs on display.
Suddenly, Embry had that same sensation she’d had with Balthazar moments earlier, the entire world dropping away, except now instead of the two of them, it was Oakley and Balthazar, standing together, twin ornate crowns placed atop their heads before a cheering crowd.
This had to be a dream. It couldn’t be real, could it?
But the flowers on her wrist were real. The tiara pressing into her skull was real. Rye was really crossing in front of her, going for another angle of the winners and the remainder of the court. His eyes caught hers and even at this distance Embry read the note of empathy in them.
She’d lost.