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“True. So am I.”
“False. I’m a Gemini.”
“False. You have Scorpio all over you. Not that I believe in the signs.”
“I think you do.” I’m losing track of what’s truth and what’s a lie, but some things are coming through clearer than others. I pull out the machete. “Lynx gave me this willingly.”
For the first time, Booker gets one wrong. “There’s no way that is true.”
“It is.” I lift it higher, pointed toward Booker, and climb down off the medical bed. “He wants me to protect myself.”
Booker’s amusement fades from his eyes. “From the innocent, helpful town doctor? Have I been played?”
“Not at all.” I fake a smile like the unhinged ones he usually wears. “But every game has to have a winner, and I just won.”
Booker tilts his head, more curious than wary. “How so?”
“I said when you get one wrong, you lose.”
“You’ve gotten many wrong.”
I chuckle. “Yes, but I didn’t say me, did I? I said you. And you’re the one who’s fond of accurate recollections.”
“My, my, my … this was a fun game. I do so love a twist.”
“Good.” I keep the knife between us. “Now I want my prize.”
“Do it,” he whispers, tilting his head back further. “I won’t feel a thing.”
Slowly, my eyes narrow on his face before dipping down to his hand. The one he cut the other day and sewed up as easily as if it were a toy. I lower the blade. “That’s … true?”
“Oh? Are we still playing? I thought you wanted your prize.”
But even with his flippant tone, my gut is telling me that was all truth. He can’t feel pain? Is that even a thing? I know my questions won’t get me anywhere though. “Yeah, my prize is that you go to that other town and get me a damn mechanic.”
“So impatient …”
Does he blame me for it? I might not be completely done with Wilde’s End yet, but I have a feeling that the second I am, I’m going to need to be able to get out ASAP. Same mistakes, same outcomes. My fresh start begins in Portland. “Unless you don’t believe in honoring games?”
He thinks it over. “I’ll teach you the basics. Then I’ll go.”
“I want a list of the basics. Written down. Today. And it can’t be added to.”
Booker sighs and holds out a large hand. “Very well. You have my word.”
“Not that it counts for much,” I say, shaking his hand.
“You’re a fast learner.”
No, I’m just unfortunately starting to learn about how this place works.
It takes us until Wilde picks me up again for us to settle on a list, and I tuck it away in my pocket, not trusting Booker to keep it safe.
It’s not until we’re halfway back to Hobby Straight that I speak.
“Booker said something about a favorite perilous night or something?”
Wilde doesn’t even look at me. “Peril. It’s a monthly fight night. Makes us a lot of money, but mostly gets Booker a lot of clients. That’s why he likes it. Lots of injured people.”
