Deitra rolls her eyes, clearly unhappy with my inclusion, but she keeps her mouth shut.
Neris deals the round, and I pick up my cards, keeping my face carefully blank as I study my hand.
My cards could be worse, but they could definitely be better.
I place a coin on the table. I’m not interested in the coins and weapons the others are adding to the pool. All I care about are the favors. And according to Leon’s source, they typically don’t get added to the pool until a few hours in, when the imperiums become bored and decide to increase the stakes.
They’ll watch me closely this round to evaluate my skill, which means I’ll be losing. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about cards—and life—it’s that it’s better to be underestimated.
I run the numbers in my head as we all place a card face up. For a single moment, I’m back in the Thorn, watching hundreds of futures be won and lost over the years.
Life was a struggle there. But for the most part, my hands were clean. My decisions only impacted myself and my brothers.
“Arvelle?” Lucius nods at my cards and I silently curse. I’ve lost count. Thankfully, I was planning to lose this round anyway.
“Fold.”
Micah finally wins a round for the first time, and I can’t help but chuckle at his proud grin.
I place another coin down, cracking my neck as Neris deals the next round.
The world falls away as I focus on nothing but my count, my hand, and studying the others to determine their tells.
The door opens, and Tiernon strolls in, his wide shoulders almost brushing each side of the doorway. His eyes meet mine, and he tilts his head, his lips curving.
Perfect. Now it’ll be even more difficult to win.
On the bright side, I should continue to be underestimated. If Tiernon wanted to tell the others just how skilled I am at this game, he’d be forced to admithewas the one who taught me how to play.
“Deal me in,” he says, taking a seat next to Neris. Leaning down, he swipes a finger through blue paste in a small bowl on the table, sweeping the paste below his nose. He winces as the Scent Shroud slowly turns incandescent, dulling both his sense of smell and the edge his vampire instincts would otherwise give him during this game. The same paste shimmers beneath Deitra’s nostrils.
It’s only fair. Otherwise, the vampires would win every single hand.
I win the round, but I’m forced to fold early for the next.
Tiernon’s eyes meet mine, and I’m suddenly back in the Thorn. Hetaught me this game a few months after I began refusing to take gold from him. After I’d declared us friends.
We played almost every day—using whatever we had on hand to bet—acorns, walnuts, dead flowers. Years later, when we were lovers, we played for … other things. Tiernon’s gaze drops to my mouth and my cheeks blaze with heat.
Oh yes. He remembers too. I take a shaky breath and sweep up my cards.
I’ve long suspected Tiernon taught me this game in an effort to help me replace the gold I had previously been so reliant on. And it worked too. For years, I’d tell him about my wins each time I saw him. The look of pride he’d give me would make warmth spread through my chest, and we’d grin at each other conspiratorially.
The door opens once more, and this time, my curse is audible. Neris widens her eyes at me as Rorrik strolls into the room.
“Ah,” he says as his brother turns visibly tense. “Now this looks like … fun.”
My mouth floods with bitterness. “It’s not surprising that you would see people enjoying themselves and feel the need to ruin it.”
Micah jumps to his feet. “Forgive her—”
“Sit. Down.” Rorrik flicks his gaze toward Micah before returning it to my face. “Be careful, novice.” When he glances at the others, the threat is clear. It won’t bemewho suffers his wrath.
Tiernon gives him a warning look, which Rorrik ignores, his gaze returning to me.
I curl my lip at him.“The only thing you find fun ismurder.Oh, and ruining people’s lives.”
I’m not sure why it’s so easy for me to mindpath with Rorrik—or why I do it so instinctively. Maybe it’s because he was the first person I ever mindpathed with. Maybe that’s why the connection is easier.
