“The moon card.” His mouth was tight. “I draw it every morning. This morning I didn’t.”
“That could mean anything, right?” she asked.
The others were staring at Cian, and she felt a few flashes of worry and panic before they managed to control their reactions. He nodded at her but didn’t answer otherwise, steering her toward the door as Theodore and Kilian joined them.
“Mikki and Kalen are going to meet us at the festival,” Kilian explained.
Isobel checked her phone again, combing through the rest of her notifications. Nothing from Sophia.
She tapped on their conversation and sent a message.
Isobel: Everything still good?
The reply was almost instant.
Sophia: Yes, and no more dreams.
Sophia: I think whoever it was, the increased security must have messed up their plans.
She resolved herself to keep a close eye on Cian for the rest of the day, but she barely needed to, because he refused to leave her side. He stayed with her as she picked out what to eat for breakfast and sat silently beside her as she ate. As soon as she shifted to leave the booth, he was jumping up, a step behind her as she disposed of her tray.
The others were giving him worried looks, but nobody said anything, even when he looped his arm around her and bent to sniff her hair every now and then, as though reassuring himself that she wasn’t hurt in any way.
They loitered along the edges of the festival for most of the morning, lounging in lawn chairs and watching the Hollywood parade as it wound its way around the lake. They chatted quietly, completely ignoring the speeches of the returning guest Icons as they reminisced on their golden days at Ironside, and how winning the game changed their lives forever.
Kalen and Mikel joined them as the top ten Icon contenders took to the stage, saying a few quick words about what Ironside has meant to them and what they were going to do if they won.
“Let’s get closer,” Mikel suggested, forcing them all to pull themselves together and push through the crowd.
They moved toward the action, the other students giving them plenty of room. The stage had been built out over the lake, leaving enough space for everyone to gather at the front of the academy.
There were snack booths set up along the sides of the paths and lawn chairs scattered around the outskirts for students to relax in. Twinkling strings of lights crisscrossed overhead, strung tightly from wooden pillars, and everyone seemed happy, excited to be going home in the overnight busses later. Some of them would be dropped off at airports with return tickets home, while the rest would travel by bus—depending on how far away their settlements were.
She imagined they would be the superstars of their settlement for as long as they were at Ironside, receiving a hero’s welcome home as everyone tried to get them to spill the behind-the-scenes secrets they were contract-bound to keep.
The first Icon-contender stepped forward, holding a microphone up and winking at the audience as his music started. No matter their specialisation, they always performed a song, danced, played an instrument, or did some sort of stand-up routine on Consolidation Day. It was more about entertaining people than showing off their skills.
It was nearing early afternoon when a female official stepped onto the cleared stage to announce the Icon winner.
Isobel squinted at her. “Isn’t that the woman from the dining hall the other morning?”
“Looks like it,” Elijah replied.
“Frisk,” Kalen supplied. “Her name is Olivia Frisk. She’s the on-site assistant to the Director of Ironside.”
“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, esteemed faculty members, distinguished guests, and students of Ironside,” Frisk boomed into the microphone. “We are gathered here today to celebrate not just the founding of Ironside, but the profound unity it has brought to our world. It is a day of reflection and celebration as we acknowledge the work that Ironside has done to bring the Gifted and the humans together. From its inception, Ironside Academy was intended as a place where we could transcend the boundaries of what everyone thought to be possible. Because of Ironside, we are able to lift the Gifted, one by one, out of the settlements and bring them to this paradise, giving them every little luxury they could ever ask for, with the most skilled cultural experts our world has to offer at their disposal. The Ironside initiative is a testament to the power of unity, compassion, and creativity. So, as we announce this year’s Icon, let us remember that only together can we achieve the impossible.”
She paused as cheers rose through the gathered crowd, before speaking again.
“This year at Ironside has been nothing short of exhilarating, and if there's one specialisation that has consistently captivated our attention over the last year, making us tune into our screens with bated breath, it's the world of dance! Therefore, with no further delay, I have the privilege to present this year's Icon, and it should come as no surprise to you all what her specialisation is! Her dance ability has left us all in awe, and as sad as we are to see her leave Ironside, we’re ecstatic to announce that she will be joining the Paris Opera Ballet. We expect big things of her in the future. Please join me in giving an enormous round of applause for the remarkable Astrid Johannson!"
A familiar, petite blonde Beta bounded across the stage. Isobel was sure that she had seen the other girl hanging out with Niko on and off-screen, and she was so distracted by intrusive thoughts about whether or not she was one of the girls he had already seen naked that she didn’t hear the sound at first.
The familiar pop pop pop that still haunted her dreams.
It wasn’t until the screaming started that she realised what was happening, and by then, it was already too late. The crowd surged in an instant panic, all of them trying to push and shove their way to safety. Isobel was toppled over with several other people, and all she could do was hold her arms over her head as a rush of feet threatened to trample her.
Cian managed to fight his way back to her side, and he picked her up by the arms, forcing her up until her head broke the crush of people and she could breathe again. He started forcing his way through the rush, holding her steady with one arm.
“The others!” she shouted, tugging at his arm.
“They can look after themselves,” he said. “But you’ll get crushed.”
Another round of shots rang out, and Cian ducked, the crowd surging again. She was torn away from him, people shoving her backward as they clambered toward the stage.
She strained to keep her head above it all, spotting Cian with a bloody nose, pushing people out of his way. When his eyes found her again, he pointed behind her. “That way!” he shouted.