“All right, let’s dig in.”
With that, they took four of the cream puffs off the impressive structure and shared a bite each. One thing was for certain, no matter which way the competition went, there would be plenty leftover for the crowd to enjoy.
“Fantastic!”
“Exceptional!”
“You’ve truly outdone yourself, Miss Nga. I have no doubt that your bakery will be very busy indeed after this.”
There was more praise, but after a while, it just sounded like rushing in my ears. We had done it. I knew there was such a thing as calling it too early, but it really felt like they couldn’t give such emphatic praise and not mean to give us the grand prize.
Which meant I didn’t have to worry about punishment from the fairies or any other ridiculous consequences from accidentally going to the public market on a day I shouldn’t have.
Granted, there was still one more team to judge.
The Ramirezes.
Their showstopper was also a thing of beauty, with three very puffy-looking confections that interlocked together on a stand that rotated, allowing them to make different arrangements.
“And what is this lovely conglomeration you have here?”
“This is a trio of pavlova.” Sal answered, and I had to wonder if he had baking experience or was just leading his team as a figurehead. “One is gingersnap with cranberries, one is a chocolate with sweet crema and raspberries, while the third is an apricot and pistachio pavlova with hints of ginger.”
Huh, that did sound pretty cool, but a quick glance to Felicia showed that she was still unruffled. That had to be a good sign.
“Ooooh, another entry where we truly feast! Guess we’ll have to take a bite of each flavor,” the male judge cooed.
“We really are martyrs for the cause,” the severe one added. Those two made quite the dynamic duo. Perhaps it would be fun to compete again. Not that it was wise to violate fairy rules a second time.
“But someone has to do it!” the third one said before they all bit in and gave their critiques, which of course, were positive.
And that was it. Suddenly, the entire thing was over, and they had to make their decision. It was down to us and the Ramirez pack. The croquembouche medley versus the pavlova trio.
“Attention, everyone! It’s time for the final judgment. So, if those with tasting tickets want to come up and eat these elaborate works of art, this is the time to stuff yourself silly. It looks like there’s going to be plenty for everybody.”
The process of handing things out took much longer even with so many people still standing at the competitor table since they didn’t have to rush back to the kitchenette for final prep. It was just as nerve-racking as I’d expected it to be, but I did try to be as patient as possible and gracious whenever anybody talked to me.
I was more than relieved when the last person headed off with their plate full of sweet treats. Now, all that was left to do was wait for the judges to finish their deliberations. They took much longer than the ten minutes they had before, or at least it felt that way. Why, though? Surely Felicia’s impressive structure was the obvious winner.
“It’s gonna be all right,” Felicia said after the third time I checked my watch.
“It’s been fifteen minutes.”
“That just means they’re taking it seriously.”
That may have been true, but talking about it made the seconds pass faster, at least.
My heart thundered when the megaphone let out another one of its annoying crackles.
“Here it is, everyone. Your judges have the final results of what has been our most attended bake-off in our entire history. We thank all of you for coming and donating to a good cause.”
Oh right, the proceeds were going to charity. I’d been so caught up in my own drama that I had forgotten. Whoops.
“Thank you, thank you all for being so patient,” one of the judges began after taking the megaphone from the announcer. “This really was an exceptional event, and we’re thrilled with the level of skill brought by all the contestants this year.
“And after much deliberation, we’ve decided that the winner of the showstopper round is… is… is….”
Is who?
But the man never finished his sentence, and that was probably because he and every single other human were suddenly asleep, collapsing to the ground or slumping over wherever they were sitting.
“What the hell is happening?” Sal blurted.
“Look!” one of our kids yelled from the bleachers, pointing down the main road beyond the entrance.
What I saw made my blood run cold. Approaching us was a convoy of polished, jet-black SUVs. There were at least six cars, and they were barreling toward the market way faster than the speed limit.
“Fairies!” I hissed.
The entire mood of the event shifted, with the rivalry and tension instantly turning to fear. My worst nightmare was coming true, and when I glanced over to Sal, I saw he was equally pale.
“What do we do?” he murmured, meeting my panicked gaze.
“You and me take the fall,” I said quickly, earning a gasp from my mother. “As alphas, we can say we coerced our packs into being here. Might win them mercy.”
Sal nodded. “Yeah, if they want to maintain their good image, they can’t punish our victims.”
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