Page 68 of Wingless Crow: Part 1

“I want you to teach me to play War of Kings,” I blurted out in one breath.

His dark eyebrows rose in surprise.

“And why do you want to learn it?”

My skin prickled under his inquisitive stare. Blood rushed to my face. That was the true price of his favor, not the swan, but honesty. I had to lay it all out for him, to explain my plans and to expose the fears that had led me to them.

I needed Voron’s help. And if that meant potentially embarrassing myself even further in his eyes, then so be it.

I put the plate down on the small table by the chair in front of the fireplace, then turned to face him, my arms down at my sides, my head held high.

“My future in Elaros depends on my ability to hold the king’s attention,” I said.

His expression darkened at my words, his brow furrowed, but he didn’t contradict me.

“To do so,” I continued. “I can’t rely solely on pleasing him in bed.”

He winced, as if the very idea of me being in bed with the king gave him indigestion. But wasn’t that why he’d brought me to Elaros in the first place?

I crushed my skirts in my sweaty hands. “I need to be more than just another one in the long string of royal bedmates. I can’t be just his lover. I need to become his friend. Someone he couldn’t easily replace. I want him toneedme.”

“Smart,” he said softly. But there was no real approval in his voice or expression. I couldn’t tell whether he truly thought this was a good plan or was agreeing with me simply to humor me.

“I need to spend as much time with him as possible. I need to learn the things he likes and do whatever he does well.”

“But nottoowell.” He smirked.

I snapped a questioning gaze at him.

“King Tiane loves winning,” Voron explained. “If he sees you’re better than him at the game, he’ll make sure never to play with you again.”

“Is that why you’re no longer invited to the game? Because you’re better at it than the king?”

He squinted at me. “Who told you I was any good at it?”

“Brebie.”

“Brebie chats too much for her own good,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “The problem is not that I’m better, but that I made the mistake of letting the king know it.”

“You won?”

He shrugged. “Game rule number one, little bird—always let the king win.”

That was ridiculous, like we were humoring a toddler, trying to avoid his tantrums.

“But isn’t that kind of insulting to the king?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. The gesture pushed my cleavage up and above the scarf I’d used to conceal it. Voron’s eyes flicked down to my chest, but he raised them almost immediately, as if catching himself staring at the things he didn’t wish to stare at. “Isn’t a real win more satisfying? Even if it’s offset by a loss now and then?”

“True. And that is rule number two. Never let the king realize you’relettinghim win. Make it look like you fought hard before losing to him.”

I released a breath with a huff.

“Well, that’s just…”

“If you want to become irreplaceable for King Tiane, Sparrow, your main goal will have to be making sure the king has a good time during the game. It can never be about your winning it.”

I wondered if that was how Voron got as high as he did. First, he won the king’s wars. Now, he ran every aspect of the royal life. He had truly become irreplaceable to King Tiane. And if so, I came to the right person to teach me to be the same.

“All right,” I nodded. “Does it mean you’ll teach me how to play?”

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