Sin & Surrender (Demigod of San Francisco #6)(62)

“What if she is actually crazy instead of tough? That is my fault.”

“And all the hassle you’re going through is my fault. It’ll be—”

“Don’t.” I held up my hand. “Don’t say fine.”

Wisely, he listened.

He turned the golf cart and crossed the sidewalk. A path that took us through grassy knolls retreated every so often and gave way to a little patch of garden. It probably said something about my mindset that I paid less attention to the fragrant flowers in deep red, canary yellow, or cerulean blue than I did the decorative rocks Jerry could use to smash in a face.

“Remember, Demigods might appear casual and friendly, but they are always looking for information,” Kieran said. We hit a bump, and I reached out to grab the metal bar at the side. “Watch what you say around Magnus. This dinner is part of some sort of game that probably has nuances we won’t realize for years. I have a new appreciation for strategy after dealing with some of these guys. Keep your head. If you need a breather, don’t be afraid to take it.”

My father’s warehouse loomed up ahead—larger than ours, it sat with its back to the beach, no more than a hundred yards from the Summit building. Fairy lights suspended on poles dangled above red rosebushes, creating a twinkling walkway to the entrance. A blood-red carpet led to the open door, flanked by two men in formfitting white coats and black pants. One of the men stepped forward to help me out, and the other bowed deeply to Kieran and took his place in the golf cart.

Huh, valet golf cart parking.

Daisy and Mordecai, sitting at the back of a four-seater with Thane driving and Boman riding shotgun, pulled up behind us. As the kids disembarked, Kieran held out his arm for me to take and then escorted me slowly along the carpet. The others handed over their ride and followed.

“This entrance is on point,” Daisy whispered to Mordecai.

“I approve,” Bria muttered somewhere behind us.

“The high-status Demigods get to choose how their accommodations are presented,” Amber murmured, “so this is all to Magnus’s taste. So far, he has a very subdued palette.”

“In the real world, we call that refined,” Bria said.

“Good evening.” A woman greeted us at the door, bowing deeply. She’d stuck to the same dress code as the others, but her clothes had a more delicate cut. She gestured, and a man stepped forward from the side with a silver tray laden with various drinks. “We’ve taken the liberty at guessing what you might be in the mood for, but please, let me know if I can get you anything else.”

I took a glass of champagne and Kieran took a whiskey straight. At Lydia’s, Kieran and I had been waited on differently than the others in our crew, but the tray holder moved on back to serve the rest of our people. He tsked at Daisy for trying to take a margarita, nodding when she settled for a Coke instead, and lifted an eyebrow when Bria took a beer instead of the Jack and Coke. They’d done their homework.

The woman stepped back within the arching entryway. “Please, Alexis, if you wouldn’t mind taking your party into the sitting room and awaiting Demigod Magnus? He’ll be along shortly.” The lights were down low on the chandelier, giving the setting just the right amount of glitter, and the candles in sconces placed strategically along the hallway gave the space a sense of intimacy that made me feel more comfortable.

“Oh yeah, his sense of style is on point.” Bria sipped her beer, looking at the art and furnishings.

The woman hadn’t gestured right or left. Her hands stayed tucked behind her, and she stood in the center of the foyer, allowing me to choose.

I glanced left first, expecting to see the gaudy gold décor from Kieran’s sitting room in our lodge, and finding instead leather seats, an artful rug, and textured wallpaper with a really interesting design. The room on the right had fabric chairs, a rug that didn’t look so fine, and a piano in the corner.

“Does anyone play?” I pointed at it.

“Thane.” Boman stepped to the side, allowing Thane to come forward. “He’s a miracle worker on that thing.”

That was odd. I’d never heard him play.

“Would you mind?” I asked. “Just while we wait.”

“Not at all,” Thane said.

The woman stepped toward the room of choice. “You will find the piano perfectly in tune. If you need any other instruments, please let me know.”

Kieran escorted me into the room and followed my lead to a loveseat facing the piano. He settled in beside me, taking my hand.

Thane took a seat at the piano as everyone else got comfortable except for Zorn, who stood in the corner so he could see the whole room. He rarely relaxed in a strange setting.

“This is swank,” Daisy said, dragging her fingers across the back of a couch before walking around to the front of it and sitting. It faced another couch separated by a little table. Mordecai sat opposite her. “Ew, I don’t want to look at your mug. Go somewhere else.”

“What are you going to do, stare at the wall?” he snapped.

“Do you actually mean the really cool painting behind you? Because yes, that was the plan. Move.”

“Kids, just for once, would you stop fighting?” I said through clenched teeth.

“Why won’t you tell me?” Mordecai said.

“Mind your business,” Daisy replied, and I gave them the look of death.