10
“Honey, you’re going to get all tangled in that.” Sara helped Brand unwrap his cape from around his little body. She should have known better than to make him one, but he’d insisted his costume needed it. In his mind, he was a superhero and not one of the champions.
The grounds of REKD Gaming were full of people, and her stomach tightened. Ezrealhadsaid the event sold out quickly, but she hadn’t imagined that it could bethisbig. The place was swarming with people wearing incredible costumes, and she was glad she’d put her best work into his. She checked her purse for the tickets he’d given her and took each of the children by hand to get in line.
“Wow, mama,” Janna breathed as they drew closer to the gate where the security people were exchanging tickets for wristbands.
“I know.” Sara had driven by the complex several times since she’d first met Ezreal. From the street, the building design was interesting and seemed a fitting place for the game’s headquarters.
“I want to see the pretty flowers.” Janna craned her neck.
“We will, honey.”
Ezreal had mentioned the grounds had been designed so that from the air they looked like sections of the battle map. She’d checked online for pictures but would have liked to see them in person. Glancing at the tall mid-section of the building, she wondered if people up there could see it.
“Next.” The guard signaled her to come forward.
“Hold onto my belt,” she told Brand, and he dutifully slipped a finger through her jeans loop.
“Ah, one of ourVIPguests.” The man waved for someone to come over to them. “Mrs. Fortune is a guest of Mr. Wallach’s, and she’ll be in thespecialsection.”
“Follow me.” The young woman gave Sara an assessing glance but smiled at the children. “You’re so lucky. You’ll have front row seats.” Their guide asked Janna, “Do you play the game?”
“No, I’m too little. Ezreal plays with mama all the time.” Her daughter made the statement with a matter-of-fact attitude. Sara winced, hoping it hadn’t sounded as bad to the young woman as it had to her. From the look of surprise, it had, and Sara wondered what kind of interoffice chatter went on here. Would they talk about one of the bosses having a lady friend?
The guide led them to a roped-off section with padded folding chairs. Sara scanned the area but didn’t see a podium, though the building’s second floor had a balcony. It reminded her a little of the one used for presentations at Buckingham Palace. It’d been decorated with a banner that said REKD. Tall black speakers sat on each end, so she guessed any speeches would take place up there.
“Right here, ma’am.” The girl pointed to three seats in the exact middle, each with a paper that had a single word on it: Wallach. It was like being given front row seats on the fifty-yard line at a football game. “Very VIP,” their guide said as she shot Sara another of those shrewd, curious glances and left.
Janna tried sounding out the letters. “What’s a wall-itch?”
“The ‘c-h’ at the end is pronounced like a ‘k’,” Sara said.
“Wallach?” Janna started scanning the people. “Is Ezreal going to sit here?”
“I don’t think so. He’s probably going to be up there with Lessa’s brother.” Sara pointed to the balcony. “Wait, Brand—”
She took his arm and pulled him away from the barrier that surrounded the VIP section. Her son collapsed and started to wail. She crossed her arms and gave him herlook.
“We’re going home.”
“No.” Brand stopped kicking his feet, his tears drying up like he’d turned off a faucet.
“Come on.” Sara held her hand out to him.
“But why?”
“You know that I won’t put up with you acting like this.”
“I’ll be good.”
“You’re never good,” Janna said in disgust.
“He’s a good boy who’s doing naughty things,” Sara said. “There’s a difference.”
Her daughter huffed at the old lecture.
“Let’s go home, Brand.”
