Page 133 of With a Little Luck

At this, everyone glances around. “He was over by the drinks …,” says Serena. “But that was a while ago.”

“EZ Kent?” asks Raul. “Could be dancing?”

We all look toward the dance floor, but there are so many people. A thriving, gyrating mass of my peers. I cringe to think of Ari among them. Ari with Ezra. Ari with anyone but me.

I swallow hard and say, loudly, “I need to talk to Ari.”

Serena asks again, “Who is Ari?”

“Ezra’s date,” says Pru.

Serena frowns, like the idea of Ezra Kent having a date is baffling to her.

My gaze falls on the stage where the DJ is set up. My heart shudders, but I stuff my hand into my pocket and seize the D20 in my fist. I gather my courage and point. “I need to get on that stage.”

They all follow my look.

Maya turns back to me first. Uncertain, but also … impressed. “You go get it, Jude,” she says. “Come on.”

And just like that, I’m being pulled through the jostling crowd. I am surrounded by my adventurers. Fighters and rogues and sorcerers crowding in on every side. Protecting me. Shielding me from the writhing pit of human flesh.

Shielding me from …

Goblins.

“Maya! Jude! Wait, are you here together?” shouts Katie.

Maya and I freeze, which brings the entire group to a standstill. Katie leers at us. Janine is nearby, Tobey’s arms around her waist as he grinds against her.334

Why are there always goblins?

“Is that apirateshirt?” says Janine, with much more snark than Ellie had. “Ahoy, matey.”

Katie laughs. “You two are the cutest. Shoo-ins for cutest couple award, for sure.”

Maya smiles thinly and grabs Noah’s arm, pulling them toward her. “Actually, this is my date. Noah. Noah—these are my …” She hesitates.

She hesitates for a long time.

She hesitates for so long that it becomes extremely awkward.

Finally, Maya finishes, “Classmates.”

I cough. “Goblins.”

Maya breaks into a peal of laughter. Katie looks annoyed and Janine looks confused and Tobey looks like he can’t understand why they’ve stopped dancing.

“If you’ll excuse us,” Maya says, shouting to be heard over the music, “we are on an epic quest.” Then she takes my arm and drags me up to the stage.

“We’ll stand guard,” she says, giving me an encouraging nod. “We’re here for you.”

“Thanks,” I say, even as my heart swells up, nearly choking me. The DJ is behind a fancy soundboard. She has her eyes closed and giant headphones over her ears, and she’s rocking out to the music, lost in her own world, and it takes me a long moment to realize …

“Trish?”

She doesn’t respond. Just waves her arms into the air.

“Trish Roxby?” I yell, louder this time.

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