Chapter 2: Fried Chicken and Fate

"Hey, look, that human and that demon are hanging out together again."

The sharp snap of twigs under footsteps made us both glance up, but we didn’t stop eating. "Figures. The two biggest losers always find each other."

Snarky as ever, the immortals swept past us in a swirl of pastel silks and bored expressions, not even trying to lower their voices. It was high school all over again, only with fancier insults and more glitter.

The other immortal girls strolled past, eyes cold and mocking as they glanced our way.

Aubrey and I were used to it. We just kept tearing into our fried chicken in the gazebo, totally unbothered. The chicken was so greasy it left fingerprints on the silk napkins—just like back at the county fair.

We’d managed to get our hands on some takeout from a human vendor—crispy, greasy, and a thousand times better than whatever celestial fruit the immortals were nibbling on. It reminded us of home, of late-night drive-thrus and county fair booths.

"How many healing pills did you snag? The heroine’s about to show up, right? We should get out of here," I mumbled, mouth full of crispy chicken.

I licked the salt off my fingers, glancing at Aubrey over the pile of bones. My nerves were buzzing, but I tried to play it cool.

Aubrey huffed and snatched the last drumstick from my hand. "You already had one! This one’s mine."

She tossed her messenger bag down next to me, all casual. "About three thousand. Check if that’s enough. If not, I’ll swipe a few more."

I pulled out my own pouch. "I’ve got over two thousand here. Why don’t you try picking the prince’s pocket again—let’s shoot for 8,888 for good luck."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "What, you think the crown prince has a secret Costco membership? Five thousand’s enough for a lifetime."

Just then, a distant, otherworldly bell tolled from the sky. My heart jackhammered in my chest. This was it—the plot twist we’d been dreading. We both jumped, chicken forgotten, mouths full and eyes wide.

We dropped our chicken and jumped up in alarm.

Wait a second…

The Contest Bell.

In the original book, that bell hadn’t rung in five thousand years. The moment the heroine arrived, it rang three times in a row.

"Bong—"

Once.

"Bong—"

Twice.

"Bong—"

Thrice.

The heroine had finally arrived.

Aubrey and I bolted for the Celestial Hall.

The mountains and sky were already packed, shoulder to shoulder. It was like Black Friday at Walmart, but with more magic and less personal space. Robes and wings and magic everywhere, everyone trying to get a look.

We squeezed past the flowing robes of the immortals and finally made it to the inner circle.

There stood a young woman in white, her dress swirling, sword in hand, gaze sharp as a blade. She radiated that proud, rebellious energy—the true chosen one.

If she’d walked onto a high school football field, every head would’ve turned. Even the clouds seemed to part for her. I felt invisible, just another face in the bleachers.

The crown prince, decked out in white with gold accents, stood at the very front. His eyes, usually calm as a frozen lake, now shimmered with open amazement.

The girl in white didn’t flinch, staring right back at him.

For a second, it was like the whole world faded and only the two of them existed.

I shook my head and whistled. "Your guy’s got some serious moves."

Aubrey snorted, "Please, like he even knows how to smile."

Aubrey nodded toward the other side. "Yours is here too."

I looked up. Sure enough, the General—Caleb—was there in silver armor, spear in hand, his sharp, handsome face streaked with blood.

Oh right—he said he was going down to the mortal world to seal a monster today.

He looked battered, dangerous, but still ice-cold and distant.

Standing across from the newly ascended girl in white, it was straight out of a tragic soap opera.

Honestly, from up here, you can always spot the leads in a crowd. It was like watching the Homecoming Queen and Quarterback at prom—every spotlight aimed at them. The rest of us just faded into the background.