His sharp red eyes flicked to me as I approached, and he smirked.
I gave him a smile, stopping right next to him. I was close enough for our elbows to almost graze.
Dad’s voice echoed through the auditorium. “Congratulations to our two highest scorers of the entrance exam this year.”
The crowd mixed with applicants, staff, and agents applauded.
Dad stepped forward with two velvet-lined boxes already opened in his hands. Inside were small metal pins that were shaped into the AEA crest, black and green. The enamel shimmered faintly with embedded enchantments, and the center pulsed once as if it sensed us. “This emblem is enchanted,” Dad explained. “It is your identification and your access to your grades, house, and privileges. You must wear it at all times. It will fuse to any wearable item.”
He gave Dimitri his box before pinning him. There was a subtle glow of green light as it sealed to the fabric of Dimitri’s shirt, right over his left pec.
When Dad turned to me, his eyes softened. He stepped close, handing me my box and pinned mine just below my collarbone. The weight of it surprisingly wasn’t noticeable. The moment the pin fused to my shirt, a subtle shiver ran across my skin.
I met Dimitri’s eyes again, smirking now. “I can’t believe we tied.”
“We’ll break the tie in class,” he said and turned away.
“Good luck, then. I’m hard to beat,” I teased him.
The tips of his ears had reddened. “So am I.”
The pin still glowed faintly on my chest as I stepped aside to join Dimitri near the edge of the stage. From here, I had the perfect view as the rest of our ten-person class was called one by one.
Dad grabbed from the stacks of organized velvet boxes on top of the podium as the next name echoed through the auditorium.
“Koa Ashbourne.”
I couldn’t hide the smile slipping over my expression as Koa stepped onto the stage with quiet confidence. His long brown hair was half-tied back. His gaze met mine, and he offered me a warm smile that tugged at my chest.
Dad pinned the emblem carefully onto his chest, and as it fused, Koa exhaled in relief. He bowed his head slightly in thanks and joined us on the side.
“Slater Havoc.”
A cheer erupted from where Slater was. He sauntered onto the stage with one hand casually in his pocket while his other was giving Snakey a pat as the chaos manifestation slithered around him. His red hair was a beautiful mess from him obsessively running his hands through it while waiting.
Dad didn’t say anything as he pinned him, but Slater grinned wildly at him.
“Thanks, soon to be Dad-by-mating.”
Dad’s eye twitched, but he turned back to the crowd, effectively ignoring Slater as he strode over and stood by Koa.
“Zuko Vyre.”
Zuko bounded up the steps with a wickedly attractive grin on his face. His untamed sunset-colored hair flopped over one of his eyes. He offered a dramatic bow toward me before turning to face Dad.
The pin sizzled on contact as Dad attached it.
“Eleanor Fawnmere.”
Eleanor moved with poise to the front and bowed slightly as she reached Dad. Her light brown hair with the white spots throughout it was pulled up in a bun. Despite the tension still on her face from the torture we withstood, she stood proud.
I was honestly surprised she’d withstood it, but she had done well.
When the emblem was pinned, she nodded once in acknowledgment and stood beside Zuko.
“Aura Whimzle.”
The imp skipped up the stairs, her blonde pixie cut shimmering under the light. She gave a little wave to someone in the crowd and smiled brightly as the pin was added to her shirt.
