Dead Girl Walking ― Aaron Minyard

65. long live

'cause for a moment a band of thieves
in ripped-up jeans got to rule the world
― taylor swift

♦

BY AN HOUR TO SERVE, every parking lot on Edgar Allan's campus was packed. The stadium grounds were swarming with black-clad fans. Staccato bursts of camera flashes and hefty bodies in suits marked the arrival of big-name celebrities. There were cops everywhere, and an entire section was cordoned off for news vans.

Mara held tight to Aaron's hand. She could practically feel her teammates' nervousness polluting the air around them. Nicky drummed his fingers on his hips as he took it all in. Andrew looked unimpressed by the madhouse they'd stepped into, but his calm gaze tracked the crowd for threats. Neil was at his side, watching the world with a for once warranted sense of paranoia. Renee was fiddling with her cross necklace, gaze distant as she prayed. Dan and Matt stood arm-in-arm behind her, twin pillars of strength ready for a fight. The rapid tap-tap-tap of Allison's heel against the asphalt gave her unease away but she wore a contemptuous look.

At Neil's side, Kevin was untouchable. He and Mara had shown off their new tattoos as soon as they'd gotten on the bus. The team's celebration was enough to carry them almost the whole way to West Virginia.

Castle Evermore loomed above them, as intimidating and seemingly impenetrable as ever, but Mara could see the cracks in it, now. They'd always been there, covered up with money and fame and flattering news articles. The fortress was on its last legs, and Mara couldn't wait to watch it fall once and for all.

Four security guards escorted the Foxes from the bus to the stadium while another six stood guard along the short route. Edgar Allan's board wasn't taking any chances.

Cameras flashed as the Foxes went by, and it was only a matter of time before someone realized Kevin and Mara's tattoos had changed. An incredulous shout got all attention on the two of them, and suddenly ten guards didn't seem like enough. There was a chorus of boos on all sides as the news swept through the crowd, but breaking through that vicious disapproval were a few scattered shouts of "Queen!" Kevin endured all of it with a haughty expression locked in place.

Stepping into Evermore's away locker room felt like stepping back into an escaped tomb. It was twice as large as the Foxes' locker room but somehow felt a hundred times smaller. The walls were bare of decoration, and everything was pitch black from floor to ceiling. It took an immediate toll on the Foxes and they spread out as quickly as they could, slinging orange bags into every corner of the room to try and break up the crushing illusion.

"Edgar Allan extends its welcome to tonight's opponents," one of the guards said when the team stopped moving. "The stadium has sold out, as have the towers. State and school officials are in North, the Court is in South, and the ERC is in West. We are hosting twelve representatives from the major leagues and six from professional teams. You will not approach any of them unless you are invited to do so by a member of my staff."

He waited a beat to make sure they understood. "You have free use of the inner ring for the next half-hour, at which point the Ravens will arrive on the Home side and you will be restricted to your half of the stadium. Do you have any questions?"

Nicky raised his hand. "Yeah. Who's in the eastern tower?"

"East is reserved for Moriyama guests and business clients," Kevin said.

The guard nodded confirmation, looked around for any other questions, and left.

"Well," Dan said when the door closed behind him, "this is what we've been waiting for."