Calista looked at Mikah. “We need a crown.” Her words came out practical.
“Kiernan or Liam will take it.” Mikah took another drink.
Piper dropped her hand from his arm. She looked at her drink to find the answer, then into his confusing cobalt-blue gaze.
CHAPTER 27
“Okay.” Mikah shrugged out of his tunic. “For you.” He strode to the stage.
Piper’s heart dropped to the strewn hay at their feet and back to pound out an impossible rhythm. “Whoop.” She clapped and wasn’t the only one cheering.
Then Mikah got side-by-side with the other men. Oh, yeah, all the other contestants could take a seat.
The crowd whistled. “Huzzah.”
The man at the table next to theirs punched his friend. “Those are Snowers, dude.” He took photos.
The contestants strutted around a wooden stage in chainmail or shirtless, and the crowd yelled, indicating their favorites. Piper cheered for all the guys, but especially Mikah. He prowled across that medieval catwalk like no other.
“Huzzah!” the host yelled and held out the crown to Mikah.
Happiness flushed through her. She knew he’d win.
Mikah bent to accept the reward. Instead of staying in front on stage for further accolades, he came straight to her. He moved the crown from his head to hers. Her heart glowed, and she beamed at him.
Professor Terrence joined them. He looked at the crown and shook Mikah’s hand. “Good race.”
Mikah shrugged his shoulder, focused on Piper.
The professor stepped closer to her. “How’s your hunt going?”
“We’ve got all but the unicorn.” Piper smiled at the others, feeling beneficent under the weight of the crown. “My court are released from their duties, go forth, and explore.” She tinged her words with a pathetic English accent but was proud to claim there were definitely no slurred syllables. Further Tudor speeches bubbled up.
Kiernan rose. “Fortune teller booth.”
Liam pointed at a dessert booth. “Another elephant ear.”
Kiernan’s parting words were, “They’re pouring honey on those, bro, not maple syrup.”
Liam flipped him off.
Calista went for the DaVinci booth to look at the mechanical wonders of the ages. Frankly, Piper was surprised she’d lasted this long.
Dahlia went to the fairy ring to get her face painted.
“Need help?” Professor Terry’s tone was friendly. “We can mead together, hunt together.”
Mikah shook his head. “We got this.”
The professor nodded. He pointed to Piper. “See you around campus.” He went and joined another group of coeds, easily merging into their conversation.
Mikah eyed him carefully and turned back to Piper. “He’s all up in your quest.”
Piper shrugged. “He’s helping everyone.”
By unspoken agreement, Mikah and Piper stayed together. They took seats at a bench near the gardens, and Piper took a selfie with Mikah’s crown. She uploaded it.
Mikah put his arm around her and took a picture of them together.