Amana gestured towards the blueprints that Eiji had laid out.There were also several pages of bullet pointed lists in a careful hand.
“This isn’t a game, Amana.This isconquest,” Nero corrected.
He and Eiji shared a smile.Nero looked like quite the proud papa in Grayson’s view.No jealousy there at all.And he seemed at ease.Perhaps, he’d been right that Nero would love for Eiji to do well at this game.It was clearly giving Eiji a chance to shine in his element for Nero.
All my Children have been damaged by the War.They pretend to be fine for my sake, but perhaps I have not allowed myself to look too closely for the differences.I have been selfish.
“And he needsallof us to make this work, Amana, so you’re not getting out of it.You promised!”Mairead had finished shucking off Grayson’s coat and tossed it on the couch.
He stepped back when he thought she might take off the rest of his clothes, but she didn’t, just urged him to take a drink.
“I did.And I will do anything asked of me.”Amana held her hands up as if in surrender. “But, Mairead, I know that you aren’t interested in the Helm.Grayson is going Weryn.And Eiji…” She paused as she looked between Eiji and Nero, “Well, none of us are interested in the Helm.So why are you taking it so seriously?
“You know that all the Vampires–not just the Helm–are watching us to see how we do, right?”Mairead asked, hands on hips.“Every party they throw or game they create is a chance for all of them to observe us.We need to do well!”
“She’s correct about that.”Nero pointed at Mairead with his beer bottle.
“Any Bloodline that wants me to be a criminal is going to be sorely disappointed,” Amana said with another shake of her head.
Grayson winced a little as Eijiwasa criminal.As was Nero.Her tone indicated that she sorely disapproved of such people. But she didn’t know the history there and likely never considered that she would be rooming with a yakuza-boss, let alone like him so well.
“This is hardly a crime.They wish us to find their treasure and take it.It is like a gift behind very elaborate wrapping.”Eiji spread his hands.“So do not consider this thievery, but tactics.Do you go in the front and battle your way to the plans?”
“You think people are going to do that?Fight with the Acolytes?”Amana’s eyebrows lifted hugely.“What Vampire Bloodline would that impress?”
“I can think of a few.”Nero shrugged.“They won’t let anyone get very hurt.It’s like with the fake knock-out drugs.”
“The fake what?”Again, Amana looked shocked.
Eiji held up a bottle of white tablets.“This will turn the guards’ beverages red.If one manages to get a tablet into their drink without being seen, they areknocked out, but, obviously, not really.But they are out of the game and the coast is clear.”
“Oh, that’s… that’s creative,” she grudgingly admitted.
“And for the fighting, if you come up behind someone without them noticing and tag them, that’s considered a knockout blow as well,” Eiji explained.“Again, no real violence.Just a touch.But the guard is gone and a way is open.”
“There’s sneaking in and talking your way in.I’m good at both of those,” Mairead said.
“I bet,” Amana said with a sigh.
“There are puzzles we must get past to avoid traps and open locked doors,” Eiji explained.
“You look like you might be warming to this game, doctor,” Nero laughed.
“Well, if it’s clearly make-believe without anyone getting hurt, I can’t see what the problem would be with it.And it is clever,” Amana said.
“Fantastic!We’ve got our full four onboard.It increases our chance of winning,” Mairead muttered as she sucked on the top of her own beer.
“There are ten treasures, aren’ there?”Amana began.
“But if we’refirstto get ours or more than one, we’d be considered the winners.Don’t you think, Eiji?”Mairead asked.
“I think it would be most imipressive for us to do so,” Eiji answered neutrally.
“We should just make sure we getoneof the ten.We’re playing against 96 other students,” Amana pointed out.“And many of them will be on their own, not banded together like we are.So we should be conservative about what we try to do–”
“We need to knock it out of the park!”Mairead was practically quivering as she contradicted Amana.
“We will do our best, Mairead.It’s okay,” Grayson assured her.“It’s a game, remember?Forfun?”
