Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
Lo
Lo’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding. A group of workers took Rodrigo’s corpse away. They didn’t bother to remove the dagger from his chest, but they didn’t have to. El Valiente’s dagger and blanket soon vanished on their own.
Seven players left.
Six after this next round.
Gracias a Dios, Mayté was okay. Carlos too. When that man went after Mayté, Lo wanted nothing more than to kill him. But she had been powerless to do anything.
She returned to her seat next to Dominic and glanced toward the other side of the room.
The shopkeeper already sat, hands folded and lips moving as if silently thanking Dios.
Arm in arm, Mayté and Carlos headed for their own seats.
Carlos grunted in pain as a worker bandaged him up.
Mayté locked eyes with Lo and nodded. Lo nodded back. She would survive this. She had to.
When she turned back, she caught the Banker staring.
“Interesting round, no?” He carelessly juggled cards one by one. Each card returned to his opposite hand like a boomerang.
Lo gave him a withering look.
“Don’t look at me like that.” He leaned closer. “I tried to warn you.”
Everything comes at a price.
“Yes, well, you weren’t specific enough about the consequences.”
“Ah, but revealing too much would be cheating.” He put a finger to his lips. “Supposedly, the house doesn’t tolerate cheaters.”
Lo pursed her lips. She tilted her head toward his ear and lowered her voice. “What was that between you and Misterioso?”
“It would seem he is somehow under the impression that I’m feeding you clues. Absurd, no?”
And yet, he hadn’t denied it. Lo felt like a pawn in the Banker’s game, yet she still couldn’t figure out his goal. Usually, she was the one in control, moving around the hearts of men for her own gain. Being on the other side of it was unexpectedly thrilling.
Because she couldn’t wait to take over the game and make it her own.
“I see, but it almost seems like you want Misterioso to believe we’re in cahoots.”
The Banker smirked.
“Why?” Lo pressed.
“I think you’ll find it more pertinent to focus on the matter at hand. This may very well be your final round.” It wasn’t so much a threat as it was a vague warning. The playful excitement drained from his face. It was almost as if he were certain she would die.
And that made her hell-bent on proving him wrong.
“Round two of sudden death.” Misterioso strutted along the table and waved his arm for the crowd. “Let us begin.”
“Don’t forget that anything goes, this round.” The Banker shuffled the cards around.
“Oh, really?” Lo smirked. “Does that mean you’ll be able to play with us too, Senor Banker?”
But before the Banker could respond, one of the dancers sauntered over and whispered something in his ear. His face became deadly serious, and he nodded before stepping away from the table.
The dancer stepped into his place. “I am Pearla, and I will deal this round,” she said, voice cold.
Lo raised an eyebrow. She caught the Banker’s eye, and he simply half shrugged, before tossing the deck to Pearla, who caught it with ease.
Her frilly dress was black as obsidian, and she wore a matching veil, obscuring her hair.
Lustrous black pearls, shining in different deep shades of blues, greens, and purples adorned her bodice.
That, combined with the skull mask, fully covering her face, made her look more sinister than the Banker ever had.
“This is an unexpected change,” Misterioso drawled. There was a tense undertone in his voice.
“I wanted to see this sudden death for myself,” Pearla simply said.
Misterioso stiffened. Lo would have loved to see what his face looked behind his mask. It surely hid a lot.
Pearla called out cards, voice loud and booming. She dealt fluidly, as if she had done so many times before. Lo couldn’t swallow back a feeling of unease. There may have been a strange tension between Misterioso and the Banker, but it had strengthened tenfold with Pearla here.
“Oh, what a shame,” Don Zelaya said with a triumphant smirk. “You don’t have your little joven to help you. Don’t think we haven’t noticed that you both are the reason we’re in this situation.” With a chuckle, he raised his glass to Xiomara, who happily clinked her glass against his.
He couldn’t have been more wrong, but Lo ignored him. She wouldn’t let him frazzle her.
The first few cards were uneventful. El Melon.
Pearla flicked her wrist and plates of fresh melon landed on the table.
Then La Mariposa, where hundreds of orange monarch butterflies fluttered and flitted about.
Xiomara oohed and ahhed, while Dominic caught one on his finger.
Don Zelaya swatted at the ones that flew too close.
Lo didn’t care so much about the butterflies.
What she found much more delightful was the fact that her board was filling up.
“Lotería!” Xiomara proudly called out and waved her arms.
Lo’s smile fell.
Pearla checked Xiomara’s board before snapping her fingers. The board then appeared for everyone to see. She had a vertical line filled with beans. Damn it. Lo had only needed one more card in several spots to get lotería.
“Congratulations, Xiomara,” Misterioso said. “Now choose a card.”
Pearla held out several cards. Xiomara scrunched up her deep amber face in concentration before plucking one and holding it up. “La Corona.” A card with a golden crown covered in red rubies.
“Ah, a powerful card,” Misterioso said. “You will become a monarch within the game. You can order anyone to do your bidding and they will have to obey. How fortunate indeed.”
“Yikes,” Dominic whispered.
Lo gulped. At any moment, Xiomara could command one of them to kill themselves. She could end the round—if she was smart enough to do so. Don Zelaya leaned over and whispered something in her ear. With a nod, Xiomara handed the card to him.
“What are you doing?” Lo asked.
“What does it look like?” Xiomara scoffed. “We’re working together. No one said that was against the rules.”
It wasn’t a surprise that Lo and Mayté weren’t the only alliance here, but that made Don Zelaya and Xiomara even more dangerous.
A plan formed in Lo’s mind. She covered her mouth, feigning distress.
“What’s the matter?” Xiomara taunted. “Are you upset that I made an alliance with the best contestant here?” She ran her nail down Don Zelaya’s arm.
“No, I’m worried about you,” Lo said, her eyes wide. “It seems more like he’s using you. If you are a team, why would he take such a powerful card from you?”
Xiomara stiffened, and Don Zelaya’s bushy eyebrows shot up.
“Wouldn’t it make more sense if you shared your cards?” Lo shook her head sadly at Xiomara, a pitying smile on her lips. “I would never allow a man to control me like that.”
Xiomara faltered, no longer looking smug.
“Ah, but you’re misunderstanding,” Don Zelaya said as he patted Xiomara’s hand.
“Your father is the one who keeps track of your family’s fortune.
Correct, Lorena? I, too, had that task for my family.
” He spoke calmly. Even sweetly, but it was all a facade to hide poisonous condescension.
It was the same way most of her suitors talked to her.
“Because of that, I’ve become adept at managing resources. It only makes sense, no?”
“But isn’t Xiomara a businesswoman?” Dominic asked, his gaze finding Lo. “I know she did a lot of business with my family, so—”
“Enough talk.” Pearla cut him off, voice sharp and cold. “We continue.” She drew the next card. “La Botella.” The card flashed, and the same bottle floated out, turquoise liquid sloshing like the stormy seas.
“La Botella has returned,” Misterioso said, voice full of excitement and wonder.
He was even louder than before, as if he wanted his words to overpower Pearla.
“This was the card that made Daniel Vásquez forfeit. The user must either drink the contents of La Botella or persuade someone else to do so. Whether the effect of this drink is positive or negative is a mystery.”
La Botella floated to Xiomara. Her eyes widened.
“You are the chosen one, Xiomara. Remember, your life is your wager. What will your next move be?” Misterioso asked. “Will you drink La Botella, or attempt to pass it on to someone else?”
Drinking from the bottle was way too risky, Lo thought. If it had a bad effect, who knew what it could be? At best, it could make her weak, leaving her vulnerable to her opponents.
Xiomara turned to Don Zelaya. “What should I do?”
He stroked his chin, gaze flicking to Dominic and Lo. He had the same strategy in mind. He was going to try to make one of them drink it.
Lo’s heart pounded. She needed to think fast.
“Dom.” She scooted closer to him. “Listen.” She lowered her voice, but made sure it was still loud enough for Don Zelaya and Xiomara to hear.
“If they make one of us drink it, we’ll be okay.
Say I drink it. If the effect is bad, I completely trust that you’ll watch over me, and I’ll watch you if it’s the other way around. ”
Dominic’s dark eyes flicked with confusion.
Lo stared at him hard. Play along.
He suddenly took her hands. “Yes, Lorena. Of course. I trust you with my life, but look at the positive side too. The potion might be a lucky one and have an effect that will help us win this round.”
Lo smiled at Dominic before nodding seriously. “Ah, you could be right.” He had caught on quickly. Maybe she had underestimated Dominic …
Beads of sweat formed on Don Zelaya’s brow, and Xiomara fidgeted. They had fallen for it. “What should I do?” she whispered almost frantically.
“Drink it,” he finally said.
Lo bit back a victorious grin.
Xiomara’s sharp eyebrows furrowed. “B-but I—”
She didn’t fully trust him.
“Drink it,” he repeated, more forcefully. In that moment, Don Zelaya revealed his hand. He saw Xiomara as nothing but a pawn. Why else wouldn’t he offer to take the drink?