"They're going to be a disaster," I said.
"They're going to be happy," Kai corrected. "Loud, messy, confusingly happy."
"The best kind," I agreed.
The war was over. The villains were fired. The alliances were set.
All that was left was the victory lap.
29
The Great Hall had been scrubbed clean.
It was a miracle of magical janitorial work. There was no glitter. There was no "Lava." There were no scorch marks on the walls from where Rhett had shifted. There were just rows of wooden chairs, a podium with the University crest, and a sense of collective relief so thick you could chew it.
"I have never been so excited to listen to a speech about administrative restructuring," Rhett whispered, adjusting his tie. "This is my thrill for the year."
We were sitting in the front row. The "Heroes" of the Rebellion.
Mostly because Ivy had made us matching t-shirts that saidTeam Bonded: We Survived the Dean.She had tried to make us wear them, but Arthur had negotiated a compromise: We would wear the shirts underneath our formal wear.
I could feel the polyester chafing against my skin. It was itchy. It was perfect.
On stage, the Board of Governors stood in a line. Alistair the Vampire, Lady Elara the Fae, and Mrs. Finch the Human. They looked solemn. They looked serious. They looked bored.
"Welcome, students," Mrs. Finch said into the microphone. Her voice echoed in the silent hall. "Thank you for gathering on such short notice. In light of recent events... specifically the 'Glitter Incident' and the 'Duck Protocol'... the Board has made some changes."
She gestured to the side of the stage.
"Please welcome your new Interim Dean. Professor Dane.”
A murmur went through the crowd.
Professor Dane was a tortoise shifter. He taught History of Magic: The Neolithic Era. He was three hundred years old. He moved at the speed of a tectonic plate.
He walked to the podium. It took him a full minute just to cross the stage.
He adjusted the microphone.Squeak.
He adjusted his glasses.Click.
He cleared his throat.Ahem.
"I..."
He paused. He looked at his notes. He looked at the crowd.
"...promise..."
He took a sip of water.
"...to..."
He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.
"...uphold..."
"He's perfect," I whispered to Kai.
