“He…umm…yeah…” Chuckie was officially dead. “Sometimes we do Tai Chi in the park. That’s probably what he saw. It’s very relaxing.” Oh, Chuckie was so very dead.
I looked out across the gym, searching for something clever to say, when I found Mason on the other side. He was dressed in a classy Diesel jean jacket and T-shirt, but he looked like I felt—lost, completely out of his element, like he didn’t belong. Then his eyes connected with mine. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but shook his head as though he were arguing with himself. His eyes closed, and he turned, disappearing into the crowd. I wondered what was going through his mind.
All at once, the music changed, and a slow song echoed through the gym. “Hey, I like this one.” Egon smiled and gently took my hand. “May I have this dance?”
Warmth rose in my face. My first instinct was to run, but he slipped his arm around my waist. That did it. I was a goner. I was about to melt right at his feet. Which I was totally okay with.
Egon pulled me close, and his thigh brushed against mine. Little shivers ran through me. When his feet moved, mine followed. We swayed slowly to the music, bodies in total sync. Dancing with Egon was like—okay, this will sound slightly abnormal, but it was more relaxing than sparring. It was more exciting than wearing my mask and armor. When I laid my head on his shoulder, I utterly disappeared. It was even better than Shimmer mode! If you were a Psi Fighter, you’d totally understand how awesome it felt.
Sometime during the song, Kathryn and Bobby were dancing beside us. I glanced over and saw Kathryn kissing Bobby. His eyes were wide with fear, pleading with me. I shook my head, smiling. Poor Bobby never had a chance.
Egon leaned down and gently pressed his forehead to mine. I laid my head back on his shoulder until the song was over, then found myself being led by the hand away from the dance area. Without warning, he turned me toward him, a mischievous glimmer in his eye. “Bobby hasn’t learned defense against lip locks, has he?”
I smiled and glanced at the floor.
Egon took my hand and said, “Have you?”
In the darkened room, I was sure he couldn’t see how red my face had just turned. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and tilted my chin up. Just as I felt his breath on my lips, Egon grunted and crashed into me, knocking me off my feet. I landed hard on the gym floor and heard the thump of a large, soft something beside me. Tammy Angel, butt down and glassy-eyed, the contents of her purse on the floor beside her. She harrumphed and scooped everything back inside. Then she looked up. Her pupils dilated and slowly focused on me. A smirk crossed her face, and she hauled herself to her feet.
“Watch where you’re going, Peroxide,” she slurred. “You shouldn’t embarrass Egon like that.”
Egon helped me up, the concern in his eyes barely hiding something darker. He turned to Tammy. “She’s not the embarrassment,” he whispered.
Tammy jabbed her finger at me. “Stay out of my way, Peroxide. I’m not in a good mood tonight.”
“And that’s different from when?” I asked sweetly.
Mason suddenly appeared, shouldering his way through the crowd. He took Tammy roughly by the arm, jerking her finger out of my face. “Sorry, no harm done. Right this way, Tam.” He smiled at me and slipped away, dragging her behind him.
“Mason, let me go!” Tammy struggled against him, but he towed her along like a puppy on a leash. Before disappearing into the mass of dancing kids, he glanced back at me. Sadness filled his eyes. I sighed, overcome by an unexplainable longing. For just an instant, I forgot where I was.
“What’s going on with him?” Egon asked.
Oops. “What do you mean?” I pushed Mason out of my mind.
“Something’s up.” Egon’s eyes narrowed. “Mason’s not causing trouble.”
I touched Egon’s arm. “He’s not himself. Maybe he’s afraid of you.”
Egon laughed and took my hand.
“Let’s get something to drink,” I said. Before we started toward the punch table, I noticed a slim object lying on the floor at my feet. “Tammy didn’t clean up her mess too well.” I bent down to pick it up—a fountain pen, red and silver barrel with a white rectangle in the center. Just as my hand touched it, mental sparks jumped from my fingertips and I jerked back. I reached out again, carefully closing my mind, and picked it up. My heart raced, and I scanned the room, searching.
Tammy Angel was Scallion?
No. Way.
I watched the creep disappear into the crowd, but now that I understood who I had let get away at the Shadow Passage, I found myself giggling inside. Early on, Kathryn and I had decided that Angel couldn’t possibly be the face behind that mask.
Which was the signature of a Knight.
“I’m not thirsty anymore,” I said to Egon. “Come on, let’s dance.” I took him by the hand and towed him back to Kathryn and Bobby.