Was this all worth it? I asked myself again and again.
Owen seemed to think I should break all ties with my parents. The thought was appealing, but after Sienna's death, there was no way I could leave them. It would be too heartless. All I could do was endure my father's seething disapproval and try to make the best of it.
He said nothing as we walked across the white shining floor of the Luxor's lobby. The tall pyramid walls reached up above us, but he saw nothing. He waited while I registered and paced back and forth while I looked for Owen and Anya.
My portion of the tournament was taking place in one of the smaller ballrooms and it was there I found Owen.
He kissed the top of my head. "Good luck."
The tension between him and my father was palpable, and I was glad to find my computer console and take my place. Somehow, I had missed what could have only been an awful exchange between Owen and my father. I wanted to figure out what it could have been, but the Dark Flag challenge was already being announced.
"And thanks to one of our top players, the Green Witch Ayaan, this promises to be the hardest challenge posed to newbies yet. So, good luck to you all," the announcer said.
Within minutes of starting the game, Anya had enthralled three players, stunned two others, and sent five searching in the opposite direction of their goal. When I de
crypted her first two riddles, she tried to cast a Memory Spell on me that would have sent me back to the beginning of the game. I managed to deflect it with a Shattered Mirror Charm I had discovered only the night before.
Anya countered with a high level Easter Egg that had the crowd booing. She had stepped far outside the agreed-upon realm of play in order to stop me. My only consolation was that the crowd of players and on-lookers had all noticed.
Even the announcer and judge of the tournament bracket took my side, because when it came time to call the rankings, I was placed among the top three players, instead of listed with the defeated.
"It seems your friend made a fool out of herself," my father said.
"Is that your way of congratulating me?" I asked.
He gave a gruff smile that seemed to cost him. "Impressive. I can see why this hobby has an appeal for you."
Hobby. Of course my father would never see it as more. His dismissal only made me more determined to use the rest of the tournament activities to make contacts. I would show my father there was a whole world there and uncover exactly what my career choices could be.
I left my father to thank the judge for his decision. As I wove through a crowd of players that wanted to congratulate me, I ran into Owen.
"Did you talk to your father?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said. "He actually choked out the word 'impressive.' Not really a wholesale endorsement, but at least I didn't make a fool of myself."
Owen shot my father a look across the ballroom. "Right, yeah. The Shattering Mirror Charm was an amazing move. Just shows that players don't need the high-level weapons if they have creativity. Nice job."
He was speaking to me like I was a stranger and I half expected him to pat me on the arm like a child. Owen was taller than me and scanning the crowd as I waited for him to celebrate with me.
"Nice job? I thought it'd at least be worth a drink. Maybe lunch? I'm sure my father wants to get back to work and I thought we could hang out for a while."
"Maybe after my events. I've got to find Anya and give her my car keys before I head to a panel discussion."
"Is everything alright?" I asked. He had yet to make eye contact with me. "Did my father say something to you at your place?"
"Quinn, look, I'm sorry. I know your rank is a big deal, but I've got work to do here. Alright?" Owen said. He kissed the top of my head. "Keep your phone on and I'll send you a message when I can meet up."
He moved off through the crowd and left me standing alone. I watched him go off without me as I had all throughout high school. The arrival of my father at my side made me feel even more foolish.
"Come on, sweetheart. I'll drive you home," my father said.
"No, thanks. I've got some contacts to meet. There are always people here looking to hire Beta Testers or sponsor players," I said.
My father frowned. He did not believe me. "I have to get back to work. You'll take a cab directly home?"
"Don't worry. I'll be fine," I said.
It was hard to believe my own words as I wandered through the ballroom. People shook my hand and chatted about the game, but it was all just casual interest. I recognized some of the people that represented Owen's sponsorships, but when I approached them, they only gave me cheap swag. I walked away with lanyards, pens, a free t-shirt, and bumper stickers.