“Sort of.” April nodded to me in greeting. “Or at least, that was the idea. But Tetiana liked the old maid card too much, so she made us include it in the deck.”
“I like how suspicious she looks,” Tetiana announced. “Also, I can understand her. When I am feeling particularly old, I also feel like killing.”
“I’ve told you every single game: the old maid doesn’t kill you.” Juggernaut set his cards down so he could mash his fingers against his eyes. “You just lose the game if you end up with her card!”
“Lose the round, get killed, it’s all the same in games,” Tetiana said. “Besides, saying she kills you is far more fun and interesting.”
“It does add something,” April tapped a finger on the table.
“April,” Juggernaut groaned. “Please don’t make this worse.”
Despite his complaints, the game seemed fun. Plus, I’d never seen the mini-groups within the squad interact so casually—that Binx had joined was huge.
I wonder if I could join in…
I didn’t remember all the rules of go fish—I’d have to brush up before daring to ask.
April studied her cards. “Tetiana, do you have any jacks?”
Tetiana made a face, then passed over the jack of spades. “Can we use more names besidesJack? It would also add more interest.”
“Jack isn’t the name, it’s a position,” Juggernaut said.
“I didn’t know that,” April said.
“See!” Tetiana triumphantly beamed at Juggernaut. “April is a human and she also didn’t know. Let’s change it—I vote for Clive.”
“If we’re going to change something, I’d like to vote for fewer numbers,” Binx grumbled. “They’re less aesthetically pleasing to collect.”
“Nobody is changing anything!” Juggernaut declared.
I watched for another minute, and after internally vowing to check the internet for the rules, I headed for my usual spot.
April, Juggernaut, Tetiana, and Binx continued with their game, while Brody downed what looked like a protein smoothie. (His back was once again decorated with pawprints—his Pack must have given him an exuberant sendoff tonight.)
Clarence was sitting by himself, fixing the complex knot he’d tied his usual white cravat into, while Grove and Medium-Sized Robert were seated together with Medium-Sized Robert watching as Grove carefully arranged rows of glass bottles filled with multi-colored potions on their table.
I paused at my seat, placing my mask on the table.
Now is as good a time to ask Grove and Medium-Sized Robert as ever…
The thought made my fingers feel clammy in my gloves, but if Sunshine was right and my team didn’t really hate me, they wouldn’t mind the question.
It’s practice. Just like chatting with my neighbors.
Still—I didn’t like it. If I really screwed up, I could make things awkward for the team.
And with that pleasant thought, I made myself shuffle across the room to pause by Grove and Medium-Sized Robert.
Medium-Sized Robert looked up first, jumping in surprise when he noticed me so his stool—made specially for him and the other larger supernaturals—slid a little across the floor.
He offered me a nod, then elbowed Grove—who was adjusting a vial filled with a fizzy green liquid.
“See, when they’re all lined up you canclearlytell which ones are poisons. They have a pearlescent swirl—what?” Grove looked up, then also jumped slightly when he noticed I was standing in front of him. “Blood! You’re too quiet, did you know that?”
“Sorry,” I said.
Grove shrugged. “I suppose you can’t help it. Did you need a potion?”
