Page 67 of Fortune's Kiss
Mayté covered her mouth.Xiomara gasped.Next to her, Don Zelaya simply folded his hands and stared on with curiosity.Carlos looked down, and the shopkeeper looked away.
“Fun,” Rodrigo whispered with a cruel snicker.
As for Dominic, he stood slowly.
With a whine, the dog sat and stared at him expectantly.It panted, pink tongue flopped out.The way its mouth curved made it look like it was smiling.
It had no idea what was about to happen.
“No,” Dominic blurted.“I can’t do that.Iwon’t.Take my coin.”
“I can do that, but the challenge will not end.You’ll have to keep wagering higher and higher until you vanquish it,” Misterioso said.
“NO!”Dominic yelled.
“We won’t be able to move on until you do.Either the dog dies, or you,” Misterioso said, voice dull.“Unless … you would rather fold?”
Mayté let out a sharp breath.
“N-no …” Dominic’s wide eyes watered.His lips moved, but no sound came out.
No doubt he would be the next to die.Lo felt … nothing.No, actually, she felt the teeniest, tiniest bit of relief.One fewer person to worry about.
“What will you do, Dominic Castro?”Misterioso asked.
Still panting, the dog approached Dominic.He backed into his chair and fell.
Rodrigo burst out laughing.
Dominic coughed into his sleeve.Loud rasping coughs.The kind that sounded painful.
“I hope he’s not ill,” Xiomara murmured.“I don’t want to catch anything.”
Still hacking, Dominic hunched over.
Mayté turned to Lo, eyes wide with terror.
Was this because he was about to die?
“Dominic, please make your choice,” Misterioso said, voice growing stern.“Failure to take action can be seen as breaking the rules, and rule breakers automatically forfeit at the end of the round.”
“Ay, just take your chair and clobber it,” Rodrigo said.
Dominic began to weep.El Perrito came over and licked his face.
This was the end.
“Enough!”Mayté held out her card to Dominic.“Use it.”
“Wha—?”He looked up, red cheeks streaked with tears.“No!I can’t!I could never.I—”
“It isn’t your choice,” Mayté said.
“No!”Dominic shouted.
“Wait!”Lo exclaimed.
Mayté took the card and held it up.It flashed, and a silver shield appeared between Dominic and El Perro.
