Landon didn’t say much through most of the run, but he patted my butt when it was over as he called mehis good girl, and that was good enough for me.
After coming down from my lackluster runner’s high, I hadStrategytraining with Peter Valencourt.
As the twin of my archnemesis, Vivian,andthe Knight paired with Elaine for the first challenge, I wantedStrategyto be code fortell me all their secrets.
It wasn’t.
Peter’s training sessions took place in the sitting room with the Maiden photos. When I arrived, he sat at a table with a chessboard in front of him. I groaned, unable to help myself.
I wasnota fan of chess.
Peter’s eyebrows rose. “I take it you’ve played before.”
“My dad tried to teach me.” I shrugged as I sat across from him. “There wasn’t much in life my dad and I disagreed on, but chess was one of our sticking points.”
Peter chuckled but didn’t comment, resuming his task of setting up the pieces on the board.
I got lost in memories of my dad.
No matter how many times he tried to talk me into learning—convinced if I got the hang of it, I’d love it—I always sided with my mom on the game.
It was so…boring.
People sat around for hours just waiting for someone to do something. What was the point? I’d never been able to understand the appeal for him.
And I’d tried to get it. Repeatedly.
Because the idea of not sharing one of my dad’s interests, of hating a game he loved, when he was the ever-flowing source of all my favorite pastimes?
I hadnotaccepted that lightly.
But after several attempts—and embarrassingly quick losses—I finally gave up, declaring myself hopeless and a stain on the Everly family name.
“Best I can do is name the pieces.” I stared at the castle-looking one and the ones shaped like a dick. “I always confuse these two, but the King, Queen, Knights, and pawns? Easy.”
“By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be a master.”
“Bishops!” I blurted, before I blushed at the shock on his face. “Sorry. I remembered. But don’t worry, if you ask me how to move them, I’ve got nothing.”
Peter laughed. “We’ll get to that. For today, let’s start small.”
He held up a familiar piece.
“Pawn.” I nodded, far too pleased with myself for naming the easiest piece to remember.
When I said as much, Peter smiled. “Yes, but don’t let that fool you. Rules for their movements are the most complex.”
“That tracks,” I muttered under my breath, but then dove into my knowledge of them. “One square straight ahead, if it’s not taken. Two squares on their first move, if neither are taken. They can only go forward and only capture other pieces on the diagonal squares one space away from them. But that’s the only time a pawn moves like that. Right?”
His eyebrows rose.
“I lost interest, or got frustrated when my dad easily captured my first piece. Eventually, I memorized what he told me so I could recite it whenever he asked. He spent most of our time on the pawn, and I remember a lot of what he tried to teach me. We just never got much further than that.”
Peter laughed. “It is the most interesting piece. Especially since it can be promoted.”
A faint memory of that stirred. “To any of the pieces, right?”
“Except for the King, yes. Most commonly, though, it’s promoted to Queen.”
