“What are you doing?” I placed a hand under the edge of the table, hoping I could flip it over in time in case things went from bad to worse.
“Thinking that maybe I could save some time and end this now.” He steadied the gun.
Guess my poker face needed work. “Save face, you mean. Your luck must not be as hot as you thought, huh?”
Lucky narrowed his eyes and the gun shook. “What did you say?”
I smiled, but beads of sweat built on the back of my neck. Hubris had gotten me into this, maybe a touch of my own, but maybe it’d get me out, with a little luck.
An idea struck me.
“I think you’re scared and can’t live up to what you said earlier. What if I raise the ante?” I didn’t give him a chance to reconsider as I fished a coin out of my pocket, rolling it between the first two fingers on my right hand. “I toss this coin, you call it, we finish the game. You call it right, you get my soul.”
Silence.
And I knew I had him.
There are few things more magical in this world thansomeone’s soul. It’s damn near a nuclear reactor of magical potential. For a creature wanting power—luck, he could do worse than my soul.
Hunger flooded his eyes and the gun shook more. He licked his lips once and put the gun down, not relinquishing his grip on it.
I raised the baggie in my other hand, giving it a shake.
“What’s that?”
“Just sweetening the pot.” I pulled the doughnut out, setting it down on the bag as I pushed it to the center of the table. “My soul and a doughnut... with sprinkles, so long as you’re around to collect. Think you’re lucky enough for that wager?”
Lucky’s lips pressed tight like he was fighting a smile. “Fine by me. Toss.”
I did and hoped I was right about how this would go down. A look at the kids told me I didn’t have much choice now that it’d come to this.
I had a job to save them. I wasn’t a hero; that was what Curtis was. He had zero clue about this world and still stepped into it to help these children. But sometimes the heroes are dead and we have to fill in. It’s not something you’re born to. You just lace up the boots and walk in ’em when the moment calls for it.
I tossed the coin. “Call it and pull!”
He raised the gun to his head, grinning wide enough to make a shark jealous. “Heads.”
The coin landed heads.
Lucky’s smile grew further. “Guess I still had enough luck to sway that, huh?”
Yeah, and I was betting you would.
He pulled the trigger, eyes widening just as he caught on to what I’d done.
And bad luck came to collect.
Bang.Red ichor and gore spurted from the side of Lucky’s head before he thumped against the table.
He shouldn’t have used his luck to alter the toss, but he’d gotten greedy. Lucky had made a pact, swearing off from using his powers, and the second he did, his luck turned on him—badly.
He might have won my soul, but he wouldn’t be around to collect.
I gave one look to the kids in cages. The risk had been worth it.
The frosting of the doughnut stole my attention and I snaked it up, glancing at Lucky as I bit into the dessert. “You know”—I took a moment to chew and swallow—“these things can kill ya.” It tasted just as good as the first one had.
I set about freeing the kids, starting with Andy.
