Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, #1)(100)

“He didn’t say anything about alcohol,” said Tessa. It surprised her that she’d suddenly feel irritated at the thought of Dennis dictating her actions. And Justin had started off the night doing it as well. I’ve been here too long, she thought. Already resisting authority. I never would’ve questioned any order back home.

“Whatever,” said Poppy, still wielding the flask. “A couple drinks won’t get her drunk.”

But by the end of the concert, Tessa was drunk.

It was a new experience, and she was surprised at how much she liked it. Maybe Justin was onto something. Her head felt pleasantly fuzzy and light, and everything was extra funny. She didn’t feel as shy as usual around the group and enjoyed putting herself into the conversation for a change.

As they walked down the street afterward, Tessa noticed that Dennis was the only sober person in their group. He kept casting nervous looks at both Tessa and the time on his ego. Justin and Mae’s presentation had apparently hit home.

They ended up in an area of the city Tessa had never seen. A large pillared building loomed up before them, with cleverly aimed spotlights adding to its powerful presence. “What is that?” she asked.

“The House of Senators,” said Rhea’s latest boyfriend. “How can you not know that?”

Embarrassed, Tessa groped for something to say that would redeem her. “The guy I’m living with knows a senator. They’re practically best friends.” Her foggy brain tried to remember the name she kept seeing in the news. “Lucian Darling.”

“Really?” asked Rhea. They all looked impressed, and Tessa swelled up with pride. “He’s gonna be consul.”

“And he’s hot,” added Poppy. “The senator, I mean. Well, and the guy you live with too. I don’t have a problem with older guys, you know.”

“Everyone knows that,” said Rhea’s boyfriend, eliciting snickers.

They walked a few more minutes and came up on a large stone wall surrounding several city blocks. “What about this?” Tessa asked.

“The National Gardens,” Dennis told her. He looked down at his ego. “You should start heading home.”

“You need to come here in the day, when they’re open,” said a girl named Sibyl. “Awesome place to make out.”

Rhea had come to a halt and was staring at a tree farther down the wall’s side. “I heard you can get in if you climb that tree.”

The others turned on her incredulously. “That’s crazy,” said Poppy. Tessa was pretty sure it was the first time she’d ever heard her friend describe anything that way.

“No, no. My friend’s cousin told me.” Rhea pointed. “Look, it almost touches the wall. You climb it and jump over, then you’re down. It’s easy.”

“That drop isn’t easy,” said Dennis. He tugged Tessa’s arm. “Come on.”

“There’s a bench on the other side,” Rhea insisted. “You just aim and land on that.”

Even Poppy wasn’t on board. “I don’t think you could get over from the tree.”

Tessa blinked the world into focus and studied the tree in question. “No, no…you can. Look. You have to swing onto that branch off to the side, then that’ll get you up to the limb by the wall.”

Despite Cynthia’s constantly saying a pr?torian wasn’t a realistic instructor, Quentin and Tessa had kept up with tree-climbing practice. Even if they’d never developed Mae’s easy skill, they’d both managed to finally get up the tree on their own.

Emboldened by that success (and the alcohol), Tessa thought Rhea’s proposal was perfectly reasonable—aside from one small flaw. “How do you get back out?”

“The inner wall is textured,” Rhea said promptly. “Get back on the bench, get a handhold, and you’re back on top to the tree.” She caught hold of Tessa’s arm. “Want to do it?”

Dennis displayed the same panic he had with Mae’s gun pointing at him. “No! You can’t. Do you seriously think it’s that easy? The whole place is rigged and monitored! You can see the guards right there.”

It was true. Scattered along the wall were gray-and-maroon-clad military, keeping watch on their surroundings. Rhea was unconcerned.

“You guys distract them. Make a big scene. We’ll go over.”

Poppy clearly was wavering between her normal impulsive instincts and a logical voice that had apparently decided to show up tonight. The former won out. “Okay. We’ll help.”

Rhea grinned at Tessa. “You in?”

“I’m in.”

“You guys!” exclaimed Dennis.

But everyone else was already in motion. Poppy led the others over to a soldier while Tessa and Rhea slinked off in the other direction. The group laughed uproariously and stumbled more than they had earlier. Tessa heard Poppy say, “Hey, mister soldier guy. Do you know where we can get some tapas around here?”

“I don’t want any f*cking tapas,” said Rhea’s boyfriend. “You said we could get pie.”

“You always want pie,” said Sibyl, earning more laughter.

The soldier said something Tessa couldn’t hear, probably about how they all needed to go home. Another soldier strolled over to see what the commotion was, and Rhea shoved Tessa. “Let’s go.”