“Levi?” Dalia’s voice seemed near, and her music had stopped. “It’s been two minutes.”
Legs were in front of me, and I looked up to find her facing me while I sat like some pathetic shit on the floor. I quickly rose.Feelings made you powerless. The world wasn’t pretty.I’ll break all of them.
“Enjoy your last two days alone,” I rasped. “Because after that, our game will start again. I’ll see you at Hazing Night.”
With a determined stride, I pushed her shoulder and departed from the studio.I should never have listened to her music again.The silence felt worse afterward. The ghosts of my past were catching up with me. When Mother dearest had the nerve to leave me, when she decided to end her life—a bit selfish on her part—she didn’t even bother to give me the heads-up so I could properly tell her how much I despised her.
Instead, she left me a letter. And in that letter, she’d written:you’ll find the answer you seek. I’m sorry I didn’t have the courage to tell you.
As if being sorry could fix everything. At least the huge inheritance she had no choice but to give me had been useful to my plan. My mother loved puzzles and treasure hunts. Even in her death, she was still messing with me—probably to try to push me over the edge with her.I’ll be there soon, Mother.To make sure to torment her for eternity.
I didn’t have musical talent despite the numerous piano lessons she imposed on me until she had abandoned me to my loathsome stepfather. Yet she left me two music scores to accompany her kind riddle. Music scores that were unreadable.
At first, I wanted to know.
I wanted to know why she did what she did. I had to know if it was because of me, because I was unlovable, a monster that pushed her over the edge. I had to understand.Why? Why? Fucking why!
In the beginning, I felt guilty, but now I feltnothing.
Playing her mind game drove me insane. These music scores glared at me every damn day for four years. The same unanswered question grew larger and larger like a tumor.
She made me feelpowerless.
She and Dalia both did in their own way.
I burst unceremoniously into our Tactician’s chess club, revealing Cillian and Kay locked in a fierce chess game between the carved stone walls. It smelled like ink and mustiness in there.
“You took your time,” Kay taunted, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
I sauntered into the room, my gaze locking onto the ivory chessboard. They were playing a five-minute blitz game. A quick analysis told me that Cillian held the upper hand; Kay’s pawn supply had been thoroughly depleted. He shouldn’t have played a Caro-Kann Defense. Cillian’s repertoire was strong against it. Without a word, I shoved Kay aside and claimed his spot at the table.
“You’ve picked the losing side,” Cillian prodded. “I was just in the process of relieving Kay of his wealth.”
I cast a fleeting glance at the pile of cash on the table. “The game is far from over.”
I laid out a trap and planned the future sacrifice of my knight. In fifteen moves, I saw an opening for checkmate.
“So what are we going to do for Hazing Night?” a student cut to the chase.
All eyes fell upon me as if I was the only one with a brain in that room.
Cillian took the bait, falling right into my trap. “Come on, Delombre, you must have something up your sleeve.”
“I do.”
With a discovered attack, I was free to take Cillian’s first bishop, infiltrating his territory with my only remaining rook to wreak carnage in his pawn barrier on the queenside. Cillian leaned in, tapping his finger on the chessboard.
“The Unifiers are predictable,” I stated. “They place their faith in group harmony, and Sylas, with his personal vendetta against me, has undoubtedly gathered them to outline a unified strategy—a trap designed specifically for me.”
Cillian frowned, seeing how the chess game was turning in my favor.
“What do you think they’re going to do? Should we plan a repost with—”
“No,” I stated flatly. “I’ll play right into their hands, but I’ll also concoct a surprise of my own. You’ll divide into groups of five and wait beneath the strategic exits of their dormitories. Don’t chase them inside; they’ve likely laid traps since they know I can spot them.” I promoted my pawn to a queen. It was mate in five. “Check.”
Cillian snorted. He knew as well as I that it’d be over for him soon, but Tacticians never resigned. “I’ll beat you next time.”
He maneuvered his king to safety.
