In forty-eight minutes, when the timer rang, Levi would die, and so would she. She needed to hold herself together. She ignored the strange sensation and returned her focus to the Game.
Levi blinked a few times, and by the way he did it, Enne thought he was trying to tell her something. A signal. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly, but she’d stopped paying attention. Semper had flipped over the next card, and she was determined to win it. Much of her panic from earlier was gone, replaced solely with resolution.
She won the next six Shadow Cards.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Twenty-eight minutes left.
More people joined in, but only a few. Most were out of orbs. They must have all started out with different amounts.
Enne had sixteen orbs left, and even in the near darkness of the room, she could tell Levi looked within inches of death. His skin reminded her of wax paper, and all his veins showed through, particularly around his eyes.
The next round went by, and she was the only player to bet—Semper already owned that Shadow Card. It automatically went to her.
Then three people bet. Enne won again.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
She lost the next.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
And won the one after.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Twenty minutes. She still needed four cards.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
But she was almost there. She was almost there.
There were five players left, including Semper and her. The other three playedevery singlehand. They must have believed that there was a chance that Enne would win.
She won the next card. Fifteen minutes left.
And the next. Twelve minutes left.
Then she lost. Eight minutes left.
She won. Three minutes left.
Only Enne and Semper still had orbs to bet. He flipped the Hanged Man, but they both already owned that, so he flipped another. They both owned that one, too. And another. And another. It seemed that they were after the same card.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The Devil. When he reached it, there was only one minute left.
She couldn’t lose. The presence in her mind—the one she’d imagined—felt larger and more imposing. All the threads in the room hummed. The song was reaching its final movement.
Semper dealt them each two cards, moving slowly,so slowly, and she wanted to strangle him, she was so anxious and frustrated. He was trying to stall.
He played his first card. A four of spades. She had to follow suit, and the only spade she had was the jack.
Which meant she’d lost. She’d lost, and now they would both die.
Because not only would Semper have all the cards and win the Game, but the timer would inevitably run out. Only twenty-eight seconds left.
