Page 78 of Fortune's Kiss
The buried.Lo swallowed down her fear.This wasn’t the first card that wasn’t normally in Lotería, but something about it was extra strange.Her heart raced with dread.
“Very well.”Don Zelaya rubbed his hands together.“This should be interesting.”
Pearla chuckled.“He’s a bold one.”
“Bold indeed,” Misterioso murmured just as the floor rumbled.
“Whoa.”Dominic stood.
Lo and Don Zelaya did the same.Xiomara remained asleep, even as the table jerked around.
Dominic backed up until he couldn’t move any longer.Just like the previous round, they were trapped inside invisible walls with whatever was about to happen.
“Beware,” Misterioso boomed.“El Enterrado won’t give up until it takes someone with it.”
That same hand from the card shot up from the floor next to Don Zelaya.If he hadn’t stumbled away, it would have snatched his ankle.It didn’t stop there; more and more hands broke through the floor in pursuit of him, each looking more decrepit than the last.Rotting flesh hung from stained bones.
Lo felt grim satisfaction.If he was smart, he would use his La Corona card to call off the hands.Otherwise, there was no way he would survive this.He wasn’t quick and spry likeDominic or Carlos.He turned to Xiomara, who hadn’t stirred from all the chaos.
Xiomara—oh no.
“Don’t!”Dominic yelled.
But it was too late.Don Zelaya snatched Xiomara by the arm.She jolted awake with a sputter, but couldn’t move in time.He pushed her to the floor, and the hands snatched her arms and legs, pulling them through the broken floor.She screamed and writhed but couldn’t break free.The hands pulled her deeper and deeper until only her head down to her neck stuck up from the floor.
“Why?”She sobbed, but it quickly transformed into an enraged scream, so loud and piercing that it made Lo’s skull ache.But more than that, she felt the betrayal.She could almost taste the bitter pain and revolting rage in her voice: “AFTER EVERYTHING I’VE GIVEN YOU!”
“And I thank you for that.Truly.”Don Zelaya took a cautious step closer.No more hands tried to attack him.El Enterrado was appeased.Now that it was safe, he crouched in front of her.“I was hoping to keep you around longer.”He grabbed her chin.“But alas …”
“¡Hijo de puta!”Xiomara bared her teeth, but soon her eyes widened with horror.Another hand shot up and yanked her by the dark brown hair.Two more hands grabbed her face, pulling down through the floor.She screamed and cried until her head was completely under.The marble suddenly repaired itself, cutting off her screams and entombing her.
She was gone.
Dead.
Just like Mamá.
Don Zelaya dusted himself off and stood.
“And that concludes sudden death!”Misterioso cheerfully announced.“There are now six contestants left.Six out of eleven.A little over half.Be prepared; the latter part of our games always goes much quicker than the first.”
Lo clenched her fists, the truth pounding through her.The house had killed Mamá.It had stolen her from Lo and her sisters.She caught Pearla staring at her, brown eyes visible from under her mask.
“Congratulations on surviving another round,” Pearla said, voice almost taunting.
What was the point of surviving if Mamá was gone?
The Banker came over and took back the deck from Pearla.The woman spoke to him, voice hushed.He glanced at Lo, a strange look on his face.Was that concern?After all this time,nowhe had the gall to act as if he cared?His gaze lingered on her for another moment before he followed Pearla.
What was the point of any of that?
Lo stormed off.Past Mayté and Carlos.
“Lo?”Mayté called after her.
Lo whirled around.“You were right about my mother.You were right, and I was a fool.Are you happy?”She ran out of the room.Tears slid down her cheeks, but burning rage evaporated them.Lo was going to destroy Fortune’s Kiss and avenge Mamá.She had never been so sure of anything in her life.
As she rode the elevator alone, the pieces of her plan fell into place.She would burn the place down.It was only fitting, since Fortune’s Kiss had made all their lives into a living el infierno.
