The sickened luna’s last chance

The bitterness I’d been trying to swallow rose up again. Did anything Alexander did come from a genuir calculated for maximum political benefit? Was what happened in the alley just for show, too, in case s

“Well, then,” I said stiffly. “By all means, make yourself comfortable.”

lace? Or was it all

one saw?

Alexander nodded and sat in the chair Lilith had occupied earlier. Then, to my surprise, he reached into the bag he’d brought and pulled out a small wooden chess set.

“I thought we could play,” he said, setting up the board on the rolling table beside my bed. “It helps pass the time.”

I stared at the chessboard. In five years of marriage, Alexander and I had never once played a game together. Never spent an evening doing something as simple and normal as chess.

“I don’t really know how to play,” I admitted. “I mean, I know the basics, but I’m not very good.”

Alexander shrugged. “That’s fine. I can teach you.”

For a moment, I considered refusing just to spite him. But the thought of sitting in silence while he watched me seemed even more awkward than fumbling through a chess game.

“Alright,” I sighed. “But go a little easy on me.”

Alexander nodded and began setting up the pieces, explaining each one’s movement as he placed them on the board.

“White goes first,” he said, gesturing to my side of the board. “Your move.”

hesitated, then moved a pawn forward two spaces. Alexander nodded approvingly and moved one of his own pawns.

The game progressed slowly, with me making cautious moves and Alexander responding with quick, strategic ones. It was clear he’d played this game many times before, while I was just guessing at the best course of action.

“Knight to E5,” I said after a few minutes, moving my piece.

Alexander’s lips twitched. “You just moved your bishop, not your knight.”

I looked down at the piece I’d just moved, then back at Alexander. “Wait, which one is the knight again?”

“The horse,” he said, pointing to the piece shaped like a horse’s head.

“Right” felt my cheeks heat. “I knew that.”

Alexander’s expression remained neutral, but there was a gleam in his eyes that might have been something akin to amusement. 1 moved my actual knight this time, only to watch Alexander immediately capture it with his bishop.

“I should have seen

look at what your

the board, trying to think three steps ahead like Alexander clearly was. But after a few more moves, Alexander had captured half my pieces

as he added my rook to his growing collection of captured pieces.

2/3

10:33 Fri, 22 Aug

Chapter 51

Did anything Alexander did come from a genuine place? Or was it all calculated for maximum political benefit? Was what happened in the alley just for show, too,

“By all means, make yourself

60%

to my surprise, he reached into the bag he’d brought and pulled out a small

we could play,” he said, setting up the board on the rolling table beside

at the chessboard. In five years of marriage, Alexander and I had never once played a game together. Never spent an evening

know how to play,” I admitted. “I mean, I

“That’s fine. I can teach

I considered refusing just to spite him. But the thought of sitting in silence while he

“But go a little easy on

up the pieces, explaining each one’s movement as he

goes first,” he said, gesturing to my side

Alexander nodded

strategic ones. It was clear he’d played this game many times before, while I was just guessing

E5,” I said after a few minutes,

twitched. “You just moved your bishop, not

at the piece I’d just moved, then back at Alexander. “Wait, which one

he said, pointing to the piece shaped like a

my cheeks heat, “I knew

remained neutral, but there was a gleam in his eyes that might have been something akin to amusement. I moved my actual knight this time, only to watch Alexander immediately capture

I muttered. “I should

look at what your opponent could do on

three steps ahead like Alexander clearly was. But after a few more moves, Alexander had

added my rook to its growing collection of captured pieces. To getting

214

16:33 Fri, 22 Aug

Chapter 51

“You’re not that bad.

right about now.” I gestured to the scattered pawns. “They’re plotting their escape as we speak. Probably making little parachutes out