Games of Chance

Eight

"Why are we leaving? I thought we were having a meeting?" Chase asked as the group of five filed out of the room. Even though he didn't know much about Arcanese custom, it seemed rather counterintuitive that they were leaving the palace to meet the King.

"You didn't think we were going to have an important Order meeting here, did you?" Roy scrunched up his nose. "This place is chock-full of staff and tourists. It's important that we keep the distinction between the Arcanese government and the Order of Chance- the same people ultimately run both, but one is very, very public and one is absolutely not."

"Then where do we have meetings?" Chase followed up, bewildered.

"Why, at our very own Nader V. Hesche Financial, of course," Chase's father smiled knowingly at his mother. "You've always wanted to see where we work in Arcana, haven't you, Chase? Well, you're about to."

"Wait... let me get this straight... Hesche is real? Princess Juliana said it was-"

"Just because it has a designated building does not mean it is real, Chase," Violet sighed.

"How hard do you think it is to buy a skyscraper and slap a logo on it?" Roy laughed.

Chase had never felt more confused in his life.

They were back in the elevator by then. Chase, in an effort to make himself useful among people who most definitely did not need him, reached over to press the elevator button. Juliana motioned to him that she had it taken care of, pressing the "0" button instead of "1".

"Wait...the first floor isn't the lowest one?" asked Chase, who hadn't realized the button even existed.

"Technically, it is, but we have an underground garage," Juliana explained. "It comes in handy when we want to leave the palace without running into too many non-Order members along the way."

"We're going underground?" Roy grinned as the elevator opened up to a large, dimly lit space that didn't look much different from an average concrete parking garage. "I'm parked here! I can drive, if you're all alright with that."

"Your bright red Ferrari is the most tastelessly ostentatious vehicle I have ever seen in my life, and in an effort to uphold my royal dignity, I shall never set foot inside it."

"Well, Your Highness, that was a very tastelessly ostentatious way to tell me you don't like my new car," Roy retorted.

"Children, please," Violet chuckled, shaking her head as if they were five years old. "I'll drive." The look she gave them surprised Chase- it was a warm, protective, motherly look that he'd only ever seen her give his sister. This raised a new question in his head. Exactly how close was his family to the Arcanese royals??

"Thank you, Lady Violet," Juliana said as they walked down a long row of vehicles including several black Nader V. Hesche vans and what Chase assumed was Roy's infamous red Ferrari. Violet stopped in front of one of the vans, reaching into her purse.

"Ah!" she exclaimed. "Henry told me I probably left them in America, but I knew I still had the keys to this thing!"

She triumphantly retrieved a keyring, unlocking the van and waiting as the other four filed in. Chase's father was the last to take his seat in the van, circling around to the back to get something first.

"Maskeys, anyone?" he asked once he was seated in the front, turning around to face Chase, Roy, and Juliana. In his palm, he held five round, black buttons that looked to be made of some kind of dull metal. Roy and Juliana took one each and Chase followed their lead. He watched as they opened their mouths, placing the buttons under their tongues.