Page 55 of Fortune's Kiss
“Wonderful!”Misterioso said.“Our second round has ended!”
Mayté let out a breath.Not a moment too soon.The rest of them were safe.
For now.
TWELVELo
Lo collapsed onto her bed as soon as she and Mayté returned to their suite.Carmen.Poor Carmen.Yet, the more Lo thought of it, the more numb she became.Carmen hadn’t deserved to die.She was kind.She was only trying to protect her son.Like Mamá had been trying to protect Lo and her sisters.But no, there was no use in dwelling on that.She and Mayté had survived the round.Mayté even had gotten lotería.That was the thing that mattered.Life would go on.As long as they survived.
After the game had ended, Misterioso had dismissed them.They were free to do as they pleased until the next round that evening.Lunch wouldn’t be formally served, but instead everyone could order what they wanted.Apparently, the cooks could make any dish the contestants dreamed of.All they had to do was ring the bell on the table next to the door, and, like magic, a servant would deliver the meal they desired most.
Lo sat up, leaning against the fluffy, silken pillows, which must have been spun with magic, because just resting against them eased the tension in her tight shoulders.
“Dios mio.”Mayté leaned against the door and covered her face.“Those poor people.”Her voice shook.“They didn’t deserve any of that.”She kept her hands pressed against her face and gulped down shaky breaths.
“I know,” Lo whispered.She couldn’t stand the sight of her best friend being so upset.“But you did wonderfully.You got lotería.”
Mayté slowly lowered her hands.Her eyes glistened.Lo patted the bed next to her.When Mayté sat, Lo put her arm around her.“Let’s wish for desserts from far-off countries and then taste them all.”Anything to get their minds off what had just happened.“I want to try those pastel cookie cakes with cream in the middle—oh, and the balls of dough with ice cream inside.We can make that our theme.Only the finest desserts with a special surprise hidden within.”
“That sounds great, but … I’m not hungry.”Mayté looked down.In her gown, she resembled a princess from a storybook.Troubled and beautiful.But there was no Prince Charming to rescue her.
Not that either of them needed that.
“Lo, what happened before the game?Where were you?”
Lo tried to explain everything.It was hard to put it into words when she still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around it herself.She told Mayté about trying to talk to Misterioso and her encounter with the Banker and, as briefly as possible, about how she had wandered into a room just like Mamá’s and gotten trapped.She hated the strange look of discomfort and sympathy that crossed her best friend’s face at the mention of Mamá.It almost made her wish she hadn’t said anything.“There was no way out, but then I heard your voice.”
Mayté’s eyes grew.
“You called my name, and then suddenly I was back in that empty room and I was able to leave.I ran as fast as I could to the elevator.”
“Lo!”Mayté grabbed her hands.“The whole time, I was so worried.I started thinking and trying to will you to the gaming den—it worked!”She sounded breathless.“I willed myself to choose a lucky board.And I did!Alejandro was right.Maybe we can actually win this!”She jumped to her feet.“I need to find him.Maybe he’ll be able to tell me how we can save Carlos, too.Do you want to come?”
Lo almost agreed, but the house seemed to be giving in toMayté’sdesires.Lo herself was getting nowhere.If she were, she would have found Mamá by now.“No, I think it’ll be best if you go alone.Alejandro trusts you.He may not be so open to divulging information if I tag along.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”Lo needed to figure out how to make herself useful.“Let me know what you find out—and please make sure you eat something.”
“Save me some of those sweets, okay?”With a smile and a wave, Mayté left.
Lo lifted her hand in a wave, but as soon as the door shut, she lowered it and squeezed the plush blankets until her knuckles turned white.A lump formed in her throat.She couldn’t let herself be the reason Mayté lost the game.But she couldn’t stop thinking about Mamá either.Lo knew in her heart; she was here somewhere …
She walked to the table by the door and picked up the bell.Tiny and silver, it tinkled when she shook it.She didn’t know what she desired anymore.The thought of sweets now made her stomach churn.
Nothing happened.Maybe the house knew she had lost her appetite.
Defeated, she returned to her bed.More than anything, she wanted a nap, but when she closed her eyes, all she could see were scattered memories from earlier.Mamá in the hallway.Finding herself trapped in that room.Carmen crumpling to the ground.Lo replayed all of it.
As she began to doze off, dreamlike fantasies mingled with her memories.This time, she caught up to Mamá.Grabbed her arm before she could vanish into thin air.Mamá slowly turned back, thick curls obscuring the side of her face.
BANG!
Gunshots rang through the air once again.Blood spurted from Mamá’s chest.
Lo yelped, but the ringing in her ears was even louder.Mamá’s arm slipped from Lo’s grip as she toppled to the floor, into a pile of orange marigolds.A gust of wind blew the petals away, revealing not Mamá, but Carmen.She lay in a puddle of blood, bright and red like the roses she had formerly—and tirelessly—tended to.
A young child screamed and wailed.“Mamá!Mamá!”
