Page 37 of Fortune's Kiss
Lo nodded.“It seems like the only thing they have in common is that you win by filling your board.”
“If we don’t figure out how to play properly, we might be the next to die.”Mayté chewed her lower lip.
“That won’t happen,” Lo insisted.She held out her palm, still slightly scarred from their blood pact all those years ago.
With a small smile, Mayté held up her own scarred palm and pressed it against Lo’s.Then she lowered her hand.“With Carlos here too, I’m wondering if there’s a way we can all win.”
Lo truly hoped so, but in all the legends of Fortune’s Kiss winners, the victors were either one or a pair.Never a trio.“First, let’s focus on learning the game and surviving.We need to find out something about the next round that could help us get ahead, and I’m certain the people who work here may have an inkling about that.For example”—she leaned against the pillow and smiled coyly—“that handsome croupier from dinner.”
“Wh-wha—?”Mayté sputtered.Her spine stiffened straight as a board.
“I saw you,” Lo teased in a singsong voice.“I heard what he said.I’ve found sweets go down much easier.”She tried to impersonate the deep timbre of his voice.
“You heard that?”Mayté shrieked.
Lo chuckled.From a young age, she had learned to use her ears.Listen for footsteps from her father.The heavier the sound, the more likely he was to be furious or drunk.Mamá had taught her that.She used her ears to her advantage in every situation after that.People talked louder than they realized.“He seemed quite concerned,” she said.“Smitten, even.”
“He was just being nice.”Mayté grabbed a pillow and squeezed it against her chest.
“Maybe so, but men are only kind when they want something in return.”
Mayté looked like she wanted to say something, but then seemed to change her mind.She looked away instead.
“Use that to your advantage.He’ll become soft like clay.Orthink of him as a blank canvas, free for you to paint your masterpiece on.”
“Blank canvases aren’t soft,” Mayté muttered, but Lo ignored her.
“Get as much information as you can from him about the house and the games.We need every advantage if we’re going to survive and win.”
“Ugh!I’ll try,” she growled, but her red cheeks revealed that she was more flustered than anything.“No promises it’ll work.I’m not good at this stuff like you.”
“Nonsense!”Lo retorted.“You’ve already caught his attention.All you have to do is be yourself.”
Mayté responded, not with words, but by hiding her face behind the pillow.
“And while you do that, I think I’ll see what I can find out from Misterioso.He seemed quite sore after the Banker gave me this room.I can use that to butter him up.”
Mayté’s head shot up from the pillow, face no longer flushed.“Lo, be careful.After everything that happened tonight, he seemed … jolly?It felt sadistic.He’s dangerous.”
Lo couldn’t help but scoff.She wasn’t scared.No man could frighten her more than her father.“Maybe you’re right, but we both have to do everything we can.”She glanced out at the balcony.The full moon shone bright like a glowing opal, but she swore the dark spots made it look like a round calavera.“We should probably try to sleep.Who knows how early in the morning the next game will be.”
Mayté shuddered.“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep after … all that.”
“I know.”Lo took Mayté’s hand and ran her thumb over the fading scar.Mayté’s skin was rougher than Lo’s, with some dry spots and a callus or two on her fingers.It was as if her scar hadn’t healed as much either; it was pinker and the flesh still felta bit jagged.“Remember what you told me?We just need to do our best and keep going.”
Mayté nodded with a small smile.“As long as we stick together, we’ll have an advantage over everyone else.”
Lo knew it was true.As long as they were together, everything would be okay.
NINEMayté
Mayté spun around the dance floor.The cool night breeze invigorated her, and the colorful string of lights dangling above glowed extra bright against the black sky.With every twirl, her azure skirt fanned out around her like endless ocean waves.The cheerful pops of accordions and guitars, paired with rhythmic clapping from the crowd, pumped through her veins.She clapped her hands and stamped her feet in time with everyone else.These were the dances she had been taught by instructors before her father’s disgrace.Despite everything, her arms and legs never forgot the swift movements.They were ingrained in both her heart and body.
All the boys wanted a turn to dance with her.Juan Felipe, Ernesto, and even Dominic.Their sombreros and embroidered suits glittered under the winking lights.
Lo was nowhere to be found.
Soon another boy pushed his way to the front and asked for a dance.She didn’t recognize him, but he had the most beautiful hazel eyes she had ever seen.He took her by the hand and wrapped an arm around her waist.This dance would be different.
