Page 85 of Eat. Prey. Love.
“Raina’s instructions were very clear about what to serveshould you visit. Leave it to me, Miss Dolly.” With that, he scurries away, leaving us in a collective moment of bemusement.
“Great,” I sigh, a touch of sarcasm tinging the word. “I hate being famous.”
“Come on, it’s not so bad,” Rufus chuckles, clearly amused by the capybara’s earnestness.
Rolling my eyes, I nudge Cori, bringing the conversation back around to something other than my fame. “Your turn, girl. What about those new Pred Games uniforms? Tell me all about your big project.”
She hesitates, cheeks flushing with a secretive glow that speaks of more than just fabric and thread. Yet after a soft elbow jab, she relents, pulling out sketches from her bag. “Well, they’re not quite done, but it’s close.”
“Wow, Cori... these are...” Words fail me as my eyes trace the black and silver designs meant for the Pred Games. They’re sleek, intimidating, and positively dripping with style. “We’re going to outshine everyone on the field.”
“Exactly,” Cori grins, finally riding the wave of pride in her creations. “That’s the plan.”
Rufus leans back in his chair, eyeing the uniform sketches spread across our table. The silver threads on black fabric gleam even in the dim light of the underground cafeteria. “These look amazing, Coco. But how long until Dolly can actually wear one? The spring scrimmage is this weekend.”
The polar bear taps a pencil against her full lips, calculating. “I should have a prototype ready for Dolly to try since she's the captain. But we’ll need to see it in action during practice before we outfit the whole team.” Her eyes glitter with anticipation, clearly envisioning her designs in motion.
“Ugh, about that scrimmage...” I wrinkle my nose, folding my arms over my chest. “Facing off against the Cappie team won’t bea walk in the park. They’re still holding grudges from the fall. I know they’ll be gunning for me now that I’m not a team mate.”
“Plus,” Rufus says with an arched brow, “the campus will be swarming with their team and the rest of their staff by Friday. Cappie snots and their hangers-on, here for days is a torture I’m not looking forward to.”
Cori’s grin doesn’t fade. “All the more reason to stun them with your captain’s swagger, right? Show them what real Pred Games royalty looks like.”
“Royalty or not,” I mumble, half-dreading the influx of visitors, “it’s going to be a long weekend.”
My friend’s laughter bubbles up, light and infectious. “Hey, at least Rufus’ ‘supposed ‘documentary crew’ won’t have to sneak him off campus with phony excuses for their booty calls. The gates will be wide open for the public,” she says, nudging Rufus with her elbow.
“Yeah, it’ll be one big happy family reunion,” I say, sarcasm lacing my words. The sound of my forced laughter is hollow even to my own ears. My brain is picturing the throngs of visitors milling about as my ex-teammates make themselves at home on our new turf. My tail gives an involuntary twitch beneath the table, the escaping bunny betraying my annoyance.
Rufus raises his eyebrows, a smirk playing on his lips. “You love the spotlight when you’re in your element, Dollykins. Don’t pretend you’re not looking forward to showing off your vicious skills in front of a crowd.”
“Maybe,” I concede, “but there’s such a thing as too much company.” I gaze past them, lost for a moment in the thought of the impending chaos. It’s then that realization dawns, hitting me with the weight of a missed leap in ballet class.
“Guys,” I interject, leaning forward, “we’ve been so wrapped up in chasing clues for this mystery that we forgot aboutthe open campus. It’s going to be a zoo out there.” My mind races, thinking of all the preparations we’d need to consider.
This school has far less security than Cappie, and it’s laid out with a million places to hide.
“We’ll need to inform my cousin and his couriers what’s coming their way,” Rufus adds, reaching for his camera. He’s always thinking a step ahead, ready to capture the next pivotal moment for his documentary. “He’ll want to make certain that your various unwanted stalkers aren’t hijacking your moment for their own gain.”
“Not to mention simple safety,” I say, tapping a finger on the table, feeling a sudden surge of anxiety. “We’ve got to plan for a fully open university. Security should be tight, but discreet. We can’t let anything—or anyone—slip through the cracks. This would be a great moment for another Fae attackoranother mass kidnapping.”
My icy bear friend nods, her earlier mirth replaced by a look of determination. “Rufus can talk to Farley and I’ll take the Captain’s crew. You need to plan with your men, Dolly. They need to be on their toes with so many outsiders around.”
“Thanks, Coco,” I say, relieved to have her take the lead on this. I’m usually the leader, but with all the pressure of needing to call my mother and decode this shit from our heist, I’m swamped in extra work at the moment.
“All we can hope for is this scrimmage goes off without a lot of collateral damage,” I add, trying to push aside the unease. “We know it won’t be perfect, but if we can minimize the risk, that will have to be enough.”
At least, I hope it will be.
Somebody Told Me
I pacethe perimeter of the garden gazebo, my steps silent on the dew-kissed grass. The Pred Game scrimmage with Cappie looms over us like a storm cloud ready to burst, and my twin, Fitz, is knee-deep in prep mode with the men’s team. As for me, I’m left to map out our defenses, my mind racing through strategies as sharp and varied as the stripes on my fur.
This scrimmage comes at the worst possible time, though I doubt there will be a better time later.
The morning sun filters through the lush greenery of the garden, casting a serene glow on Dolly’s face as she stretchesinto an elegant cobra pose. I watch from a distance, admiring her flexibility in a way that isn’t exactly innocent. Her deep breaths are in sync with the rise and fall of Rufus’s chest as they move through their yoga routine, a tranquil island in the midst of our storm of preparations.
I’m glad she’s got her friends to help her stay focused on her warm up and getting ready for the match. She doesn’t need to be worried about the rest of this shit; that’s for me and the rest of her family to handle while she is preparing. Walking over to the table again, I listen as she chats with the brash badger while they move through poses.