Our best hope lay with me or Henrik, and Henrik's odds were the best this round since he was dealing.
I schooled my expression before tilting my cards up enough to barely see them, letting them lie flat again immediately after. Two magicians, one tower, one sun and one queen. It wasn't a great hand.
The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and I caught Zevrial staring directly at me again. Not my cards, me.
Keeping my expression blank, I blinked at him. He rubbed his chin with his fist, lost in thought. “You trimmed your nails,” he commented.
I frowned, disoriented. “What?”
“They’re shorter.”
It was both flattering and unsettling that he’d noticed such a small detail. If he paid such close attention to me, bluffing him would be impossible.
“And you shaved,” I fired back, feeling foolish as soon as the words left my lips.
Way to eliminate all doubt that you’re just as focused on him.
He tilted his head to the side, watching me with silent intensity. “I thought we were stating the obvious,” I lied.
Yeah, real smooth cover up.
His smile was slow and deliberate. He reached out, letting his fingertips dance against the backside of my cards, caressing them. My mind took the visual and ran away with it.
“Hands off the goods,” I growled. “Unless you want to be disqualified for cheating.”
He continued tracing my card stack, not moving his hand. “Are you even trying?”
No, I’ve decided to lose on purpose. I’m just here to look pretty.
“Yes,” I gritted, glaring pointedly at his fingers.
He pulled his hand back. “Careful, your eyes are almost completely black,” he whispered low enough for only me to hear. I dragged my gaze away from him and back to the game, cheeks burning.
We went around, taking turns swapping cards or keeping our current hand for three cycles before I called it. Zevrial won, yet again.
“Shit,” Henrik swore, pushing the pot of coins to the small mound building up in front of Zevrial. “How?” He glared at Zevrial who shrugged back at him.
I was dealing next. Scooping up the cards I shuffled them, taking my sweet time.
“You could let us win one, ya know,” I offered lamely.
“No can do.” Zevrial stacked his coins into small pillars. He had enough winnings to buy a week's worth of food. “I'm a man of my word. We're in this together.”
Sweat chilled along my brow. Not from the heat of him beside me, although that was also a factor. Sarina and I were dealing the last two rounds. The only two chances left.
I didn't have high hopes for our odds.
And things were looking less and less hopeful by the minute.
Should I try to tip things in our favor? I wasn't sure I would even be capable of doing something dishonest, not because of my steadfast morals but because of sheer lack of skill. I'd never learned how to cheat at cards like Henrik.
I passed the cards out, fighting not to nibble on my bottom lip. Even knowing Haburi tilted in favor of the dealer, one bishop, one magician, two swords and a king was a terrible hand.
I didn't let it show on my face, tipping my cards back down.
“Is it too late to surrender and avoid punishment?” Sarina asked in a thin voice.
Zevrial spared her a dry look.
