Page 53 of The Stone Survival
“I’ve never played a board game,” Derek said.
“Well, today is your lucky day.”
I was determined to have one last round of normality before whatever horrific revelations this evening would bring.
“You can’t take that city!”Palia cried. “That’s cheating.”
“No, it’s not,” Ginia huffed. “Last round you used an abandon card and killed half my army when it says in the rules that you can’t use an abandon card if you’ve already applied disguise, so?—”
“That’s not what it says!” Palia reached for the rule book for the umpteenth time, and a collective groan went up.
Serath leaned in and whispered, “Whose idea was this again?”
I glared up at him. “Seriously.”
He rolled his lips into his mouth, eyes twinkling with mirth.
I couldn’t help but smile.
Across the table from me, Levi was staring at the board intensely, calculating his next move, while Curi looked like he wanted to sweep all the pieces onto the floor.
Touron brought over a tray of replenished snacks. “Damn, I’m so annoyed I didn’t agree to play,” he said sarcastically.
“See!” Palia jabbed a finger at a spot in the rulebook.
“She’s right.” Shar backed her up.
“Well, this game is just stupid,” Ginia said, sitting back in her chair with a pout.
“Is it my turn now?” Levi asked.
He seemed to be the only one enjoying the game, something called Territory and Conquest. Probably not the best game to have pulled out of the stash. But it had been this or cards. Maybe we should have stuck to cards.
He caught my eye and smiled thinly. I knew that look. He was just as nervous as me about tonight. Of course he was. He’droped in his mother to help, after all. This all hinged on her seducing Ulrickson into going back to the elite house with her.
Guilt pricked at my senses. I should have spoken with him and checked up on him instead of insisting we play this stupid game.
Orix and Derek entered, bringing the perfectly distracting aroma of pizza with them.
“Food!” Curi cried. “Game over. Clear the table.”
Palia and Levi groaned in disappointment.
“We should pack up,” Serath said. “Lionel will be here soon.”
I glanced at the clock: six-thirty. Adaline was meeting Ulrickson at seven for their reservation, so we had about an hour and a half before they’d start making their way back to the elite house. We needed to be there before them.
“Yeah. Let’s pack away and eat.”
Curi was more than happy to sweep the pieces of the game into the box while Derek and Orix laid out the pizza boxes on the island.
I grabbed plates, and Serath filled a jug with water, while Touron helped Selas over to the table to join us.
The meal lifted our spirits in a way good food tends to do, but it was over too soon.
The buzzer went just as we were cleaning up, and my stomach clenched. “Lionel is here.”
“I’ll get it,” Levi said.
