We met up with Marcus outside the palace, where a limo was waiting to take us to the stadium. He was carrying around a stack of pink jerseys that matched the one he wore, and he passed two over to Ez and Opal before they ducked into the limo.
“You get a jersey, and you get a jersey! Everyone gets a jersey!” Marcus cried cheerfully as he turned to us. His jaw dropped when he saw Kallie. Ancestors, he looked nervous. I cleared my throat to remind him to screw his head on straight.
He righted his features and handed me a jersey, which had the number eleven on it. I pulled it on. He held the last jersey in his hands.
“This one’s special for my pretty girl.” He lifted the shirt over her head, and Kallie put her arms up to slip it on. The jersey was baggy on her and hung perfectly on her delicate frame, nearly like a dress.
“What player’s name is on the back? Is it my dad’s?” Kallie asked, turning in place like she wanted to see.
“No peeking,” Marcus teased. “That’s a surprise.”
I smirked as I read the back, as well as the number seven that was stitched underneath. Kallie shrugged. “Whatever you say, weirdo.”
Kallie should’ve known something was up by the way he was fidgeting. But Kallie didn’t seem to notice. She must’ve been distracted by the upcoming game, because nothing got past this girl. Except an engagement, apparently.
Marcus gulped. “Here, um, have some champagne.” He ducked into the limo and came out with two glasses and a champagne bottle. His hands shook as he tried to fill the glasses, spilling the champagne down his arms.
I quickly changed the subject to help hide his nerves. “Let’s get a move on. We don’t want to be late for the face off.”
“We’re still waiting on the others—” Marcus started, but cut off when footsteps approached behind us.
I turned my chair to see Charlie alongside Oberi, with Chancey and Eddie beside him. My stomach lurched at the sight of my ex-husband. Not only was his hair a tousled mess in the sexiest fucking way, but that asshole was wearing the same number eleven in blue.
How fucking dare he! Chancey, Eddie, and even my own Familiar were in matching jerseys and rooting for the Elves— the rival team.
Even worse, he was wearing the number eleven… the date of our wedding anniversary. For fuck’s sake, I was wearing the same damn number, just in pink. I wanted to punch Marcus in the face for supplying me with this jersey, but then decided he wasn’t bright enough to put two and two together. It had to be a coincidence… right?
Unless he’d done this on purpose. How dare he. Charlie and I were wearing identical jersey numbers like there was still something between us, but he felt farther away from me than ever before. These stupid jerseys were a symbol of how separated we’d become. We were cheering for separate teams today, but it was bigger than that. Out of the stadium and in real life, Charlie and I were rivals now.
That fucking hurt, and really pissed me off. This was Kallie’s big day, and her dad was playing in the all-star game. You’d think these idiots could pull a single brain cell together between the three of them and realize who we should be rooting for, but no. Charlie had lost his brains a long time ago, and it appeared that Chancey’s and Eddie’s intelligence had gone with it. Chancey had never been a sharp one, but Eddie?
Well, the guy looked positively heartbroken. I thought at first it was because he’d been forced to put up with Charlie, but then I noticed Alistair wasn’t around. I didn’t know what was up with that. Ivy wasn’t here, either, so I guess it was just Charlie and the Heartbreak Gang today.
Ugh. I so didn’t want to deal with this.
I climbed into the limo without another glance at Charlie, while the driver placed my chair in the back. I slid across the seat into the corner, leaving room for Kallie beside me so I could go about my merry way pretending Charlie didn’t exist. He was Marcus’ best friend and had every right to be here, but I was still bitter that he was around. He would not ruin this day for me, and certainly not for Kallie.
Danny showed up last, carrying his flask that contained a potion to protect himself from the sun. The vampire always had one on him whenever he left the palace. Charlie was about to close the door when Danny grabbed it to stop him.
“Oi, ye weren’t gonna leave without me, were ye?” Danny said as he popped his head into the limo. He was wearing a generic black t-shirt with a hockey stick on it that read Let’s Puck.
Charming. Though I admitted to myself I was jealous I hadn’t come up with it first.
“Who invited you?” Charlie sneered.
“I did,” I stated roughly. I didn’t see why I shouldn’t, considering I was the one who got the tickets and there were enough for everybody.
Danny’s eyes caught mine. “Ah, I see ye saved me a seat, there.”
Kallie was practically sprawled across Marcus’s lap, so there was space between us where Danny would fit. He crawled into the limo, shoving his ass in Charlie’s face as he climbed over several people to get to me. Charlie scowled, but didn’t speak up as Danny settled in beside me.
Good. He should know better than to say a damn thing.
I liked Danny, but like was as far as it went. He was a good ally to have around, strong and outspoken, which the group needed now that I couldn’t contribute in ways I used to.
Charlie didn’t feel that way. Judging by the way his hands curled into fists, he hated Danny.
I wish this guy would get over himself. Danny wasn’t the big threat Charlie thought he was.
