Sin & Surrender (Demigod of San Francisco #6)(7)

“Yup, I figured.” Daisy lowered her phone as she peered out the window. “She’s been in a limo chase. She said there are different rules for limo chases than regular car chases. It is essential to be drinking champagne through the danger, apparently. Maybe a little cheese and crackers or caviar, depending on who has stocked the refreshment area.”

“Sure, yeah, only logical,” I mumbled. “We’ll remember that.”

“We’re in closer than I expected.” Kieran pulled up a map on his phone. “I should have zero status going into this Summit. I have no established political ties. We should have been relegated to the outskirts of the living area, with the smallest, least luxurious accommodations. This is…”

From the few specifics I’d been told, the living area was a collection of individual buildings (clearly huge warehouses) that surrounded the hub of the Magical Summit in a crescent. The Summit itself was held in a large business park pressed up against a wide beach, with conference rooms, lounges, nooks and crannies for small gatherings, restaurants and eateries, and places for servants to gather supplies.

The challenges between the teams took place in three areas, ranked from easiest to hardest—the wooded paths outside the Summit, a few inner courtyards designed for public challenges, and a maze of halls for private duels. A team’s success, or lack thereof, reflected on their leader.

I had two goals in this place—give Kieran a leg up and protect my kids. If I needed to meander through those halls, yanking out some souls, so be it.

Come at me, bro.

“What’d you just say?” Kieran and the kids were all looking at me funny, and I suspected I’d said that last bit out loud. My face heated, and thankfully, the limo stopped and the driver came around to open the door.

“Nothing.”

Bria and the cats met us as we were climbing out of the limo. The guys were still exiting behind her.

“So this is interesting,” she said, and lifted her hand to indicate the large warehouse-looking structure with two wings off the back and Lord knew what else. Bria turned and pointed the way we’d come. “We should be way back there.”

“I know.” Kieran walked toward the front entrance confidently, but I could sense his unease. We’d just shown up and already things weren’t going as expected.

I straightened my formfitting beige suit jacket and smoothed my gray slacks. It didn’t make sense—when I chose plain beige items, I was told I looked frumpy or unfashionable. When Daisy chose them, they looked perfect on me and “accentuated my natural wild beauty.” I honestly didn’t see the difference, though I had to admit, the ensemble she’d put together made me more comfortable than anything I’d worn under Aubri’s guidance. Other than the quality, which was beyond fine, it reminded me of something I might have worn in the dual-society zone. That life had been a constant struggle, but it had made me me.

“It might be because Magnus put Alexis under his protection,” Amber said as she walked up behind us, Henry at her side.

“Or it might be because of the highly desirable staff members you possess.” Henry looked out at the street as though expecting an enemy any moment. “If they’d positioned us at the periphery of the living area, without any nosy neighbors, someone might have tried to make a grab. We have a reputation for fighting back and winning—no one wants the Summit to devolve into a war.”

We entered the front doors into a plush environment I wasn’t expecting but probably should’ve, given the nature of Demigods. A foyer led off into two rooms and a hall down the way, one room a grand entertaining area decorated with an appalling amount of gold and silver, the other a cozier setting without the bling and bells and whistles. The furniture was just as fine and clearly well made, but it was upholstered in earth tones and looked like it might actually be comfortable.

“That room is typically reserved for the Demigod’s significant other to entertain his or her friends and allies.” Kieran slid his hand along my lower back and hooked his arm around my waist. “The residences at the edges of the living quarters don’t have these spaces. They hardly even have private space for the resident leader.” He must’ve seen the look of horror on my face. He leaned in a little closer, a smile ghosting his lips. “Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to use it until I achieve status.”

I couldn’t help the sigh of relief. Given I still wasn’t comfortable with service staff, I couldn’t think of anything that would go worse than putting on a high society party for a bunch of important people.

The “warehouse” offered everything a person could hope for in a permanent residence. A state-of the-art kitchen held all the little machines and appliances that made life easy. The bathrooms had trendy sinks and furniture, and the entertainment room had all the recent tech and game systems my kids still hadn’t gotten into.

My mouth fell open when I saw the hot tub in the bathroom of the enormous master suite.

“What are our plans, sir?” Amber asked. Henry wasn’t standing next to her this time—it was Zorn.

“Get everything unpacked and put away. Find out where the other teams are located. I want an up-to-date map when we head out for our stroll at dusk.”

“Which of your people would you like to take for the walk?” she asked.

“Just the kids and the crew. Dress for the purpose, not for any surprise attacks. We must show everyone we’re not concerned others might break custom and come at us.”