Page 15 of Legend

Fiona met my eyes and downed her drink in a single gulp. “All’s fair in love and war.”

I was not familiar with that Earth expression, but I could not have agreed more. I slammed back my shot and let the whiskey scorch my throat.

There was nothing fair about what I was about to do, but I could not stop myself, even if I’d wanted to.

Which I did not.

Chapter

Ten

Fiona

Kann leaned back and tossed his cards onto the table. “That’s it for me.”

I glanced at the cards that were fanned out in my hand and ran one finger across the tops of them as I considered my next move.

Before I could, Ariana put down her cards. “I’m out, too.”

Volten, who’d bowed out of the game two rounds earlier, grinned at her. “Too rich for your blood, as well.”

I eyed the pile of credits, coins, and even paper dollars from Earth that sat in the middle of the table. Then I glanced at Vyk, who was the only one left in the game with me. “It’s not too rich foryou?”

He cut his gaze to me for only a beat before sliding a metal bar that represented a hundred credits into the pile to call the bet. “It is not.”

My heart trilled in my chest as I allowed myself another peek at my hand, scanning the Drexian emblems that adorned the glossy surfaces. It was good. Not the best I’d ever had, but really good. There wouldn’t be many hands that could beat it. I forced myself not to smile. I didn’t want to give any indication that I was already counting the money in the pot as mine.

It had better be mine. I had almost everything I’d brought to the game in the pot that had been growing bigger and bigger as the game had progressed. I’d won one game early on, but then Vyk had taken two and the Iron instructor had taken one. Kann and Volten seemed to be in it for fun, making small bets and not risking too much or staying in games too long.

I took a sip from the glass that I’d been nursing the entire night, very aware that Vyk’s glass had been refilled. Good, I thought, let him drink while I keep my wits about me.

I slowly lowered my cards to the table, fanning them out so that Vyk could see my hand. It took all my self-control not to reach forward and scoop the pot toward me, but I finally smiled at Vyk and waited for him to show his cards.

“Nice hand, Captain.” His voice was a rumble as he stared at the cards splayed on the table.

I tipped my head at him in acknowledgment, my fingers already buzzing with the anticipation of gathering my winnings.

He then lowered his cards to the table and spread them out so everyone could see his hand. My heart sank. His winning hand.

I clenched my teeth together as I forced myself to keep smiling. How had he pulled off one of the few hands that could beat mine?

“Nice hand, Commander,” I managed to say without sounding hostile or bitter.

Vyk took another swig of his whiskey before pulling his winnings toward himself as everyone around the table murmured appreciation of the hand he’d played and some of the same surprise I’d felt.

Ariana, who was just there to support me, clearly wasn’t enjoying the competition as much as I was. If it wasn’t flying, she didn’t consider it a thrill. She stood and unwound herself from the bench, stretching her arms overhead and groaning. “I think I’m done for the night.”

Volten stood and joined her, on the other side of the table wrapping an arm around her waist. “Good timing, because I am out of credits.”

“As am I.” Kann poured the last drops of Noovian whiskey into Vyk’s glass. “It looks like you deserve this, Commander.”

Vyk swirled the liquid in his glass before tossing the entire contents back in a single gulp.

Fucking showoff.

I took a sip of my whiskey, glad I still had all my judgment intact. “I guess this means you’re done too?”

Vyk met my gaze and cocked his head. “Why would you say that?”

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