A young man dressed in white throws his arms up, celebrating. An astonishing number of women circle him, fake-smiling and throwing their hairs over their shoulders. Ew. He’s not even that good-looking. What’s up with this guy?
“Shit, he reallyishere!” A girl says behind me. She circles me with her phone in hand pointed at the man in white. “The Chosen One! Oh, my God, he’s so hot!”
Oh,that’s the Chosen One? I thought he’d be more… more. I don’t know. He’s not very impressive. I heard about the prophecy, how he is the first Light Mage in forever, and how he would destroy the darkness… Isn’t it weird he’s in a casino? I thought he was a religious icon or something.
I’m not interested in global politics, and the years I lived in small towns made me ignorant of the world out there, even to the magic. I know it exists, but that’s it. My life’s too boring and empty already. I don’t need to learn about all the things that exist out there, and I won’t experience them.
The tables empty with the number of people trying to catch a glance of the Chosen One. I peek at my chips. This is enough money for a while, but it’s early, and I have nothing better to do at home. Turning on my heels, I make my way back to the tables, looking for a dealer I don’t know.
I’m at my third (winning) round when white blocks my vision to my left. The Chosen One sits right next to me and, when our eyes meet, he winks. Ew. He doesn’t come alone, too. His entourage is here, stalking him from a distance.
The dealer goes all tense, shoulders squaring and eyes widening. He shoots me a pleading glance before he gives the cards. What? Does he want me to let the Chosen One win just because he’s special? No way. There’s no way I would ever do that.
I peek at my cards, and my heart almost stops. Shit. I don’t think I’ve ever had cards this good. I keep my resting bitch face on and watch every other competitor fold, leaving the Chosen One and me.
“All in,” he says, pushing his stack onto the center of the table. Some chips fall, and I watch him swallow hard.
An all-in before the last card? He has to be sure of his hand. My eyes go to the table again. For the first time in my life, I can do a Royal Flush. I lick my bottom lip. There’s something like hunger in this game. I push my chips into the center without a word, joining his.
“You must have a Royal Flush.” I smile, baiting him.
“I do. How did you know?” he replies.Lie. He doesn’t have anything better than I do. He can’t win.
He squints for a moment, staring into his cards, then everything changes. His entire countenance brightens, his eyes glitter. He spreads the cards on the table in front of him and looks at me with nothing but victory on his face. My heartbeat spikes. I put my hand down and check his.
“A Royal Flush!” The dealer squeals as if he’s the one who won. “Congratulations!”
I blink and blink at his cards. What the fuck? He doesn’t have a Royal Flush. I do. Why is the dealer treating it like he won? My head spins. An acrid scent hits me, something like rotten flowers. I snap my gaze up to the Chosen One as he picks up his wins and makes his way out of the table, a smug grin on his annoying face.
“Better luck next time, gorgeous.”
Rage simmers in my stomach. I don’t get it. I’m the one who won. What’s happening? I’m so confused I don’t stand, even when new players hover around the table for a new game. The dealer reaches out to collect the cards, and I slam my hand down on top of his. “Wait,” I hiss, still unable to believe it.
He blinks, arching an eyebrow. “Look, lady, I get it. You win a lot, but there’s some luck in play, too.”
I shake my head. He might be right, and I am an unlucky girl, but this stinks.
“Check his cards again.”
He sighs but parts his hands to let me see the cards. His jaw drops, and his eyes go round. “How is it possible?”
“How is it possible you let him win? I don’t know!”
“I didn’t,” the man cries, gaping at me. “I swear, I saw his Royal Flush, and you had a bad hand and…”
I slam my fists down on the table, standing up. “I knew it! He was cheating!”
“But... But... He had a Royal Flush...” The dealer goes on, and now more players approach us to catch what’s going on.
I whirl around, understanding lighting up. The Chosen One is a Light Mage. He can do magic! “He’s a mage. He must have some trick up his sleeve.” I dart into the crowd, forgetting my jacket behind me. I can get it later. After I punched the Chosen One’s nose in. I comb the crowd with my gaze, looking for white until I spot him. “Hey!” I call out, pushing people out of my way and stomping to the shithead. He whirls around to look at me, then his face pales a shade. Lovely. “You cheater!”
A girl snarls at me from where she stands, in front of Chosen One. “Oh, no, I saw him first.”
The mage gawks at me, forcing a smile onto his pale face. “I’m not a cheater. The Chosen One would never do that.”
“Chosen One, my ass. You did some trick back there, and it just wore off,” I spit at him, stretching my spine to appear taller than my five feet seven, plus two inches from the heels. “You had a poor hand, and you used magic to change the cards.”
He clears his throat. “Nonsense. The dealer saw it himself.” He chuckles to the girl, still watching him with wide, awestruck eyes. “Some people just don’t know how to lose, eh?”