The sickened luna’s last chance

The bitterness I'd been trying to swallow rose up again. Did anything Alexander did cfrom a genuir

calculated for maximum political benefit? Was what happened in the alley just for show, too, in case s

“Well, then,” | 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.”

| stared at the chessboard. In five years of marriage, Alexander and | had never once played a gtogether.

Never spent an evening doing something as simple and normal as chess.

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

Alexander shrugged. “That's fine. | can teach you.”

For a moment, | 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,” | 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 gprogressed slowly, withmaking cautious moves and Alexander responding with quick, strategic

ones. It was clear he'd played this gmany times before, while | was just guessing at the best course of

action.

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

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

| 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.

“Dammit,” | muttered. “I should have seen that coming.”

“You left it undefended,” Alexander explained. “Always look at what your opponent could do on their next move.”

| frowned at the board, trying to think three steps ahead like Alexander clearly was. But after a few more moves,

Alexander had captured half my pieces while I'd only managed to take two of his pawns.

“This is embarrassing,” | said, watching as he added my rook to his growing collection of captured pieces. “I'm

getting absolutely destroyed here,”

2/3

10:33 Fri, 22 Aug

Chapter 51

The bitterness I'd been trying to swallow rose up again. Did anything Alexander did cfrom a genuine place?

Or was it all calculated for maximum political benefit? Was what happened in the alley just for show, too, in case

someone saw?

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

60%

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.”

| stared at the chessboard. In five years of marriage, Alexander and | had never once played a gtogether.

Never spent an evening doing something as simple and normal as chess.

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

Alexander shrugged. “That's fine. | can teach you.”

For a moment, | 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,” | 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 gprogressed slowly, withmaking cautious moves and Alexander responding with quick, strategic

ones. It was clear he'd played this gmany times before, while | was just guessing at the best course of

action.

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

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

| 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. | moved my actual knight this time, only to watch Alexander immediately capture it with his

bishop.

“Dammit, | muttered. “I should have seen that coming”

“You left it undefended,” Alexander explained “Always look at what your opponent could do on their next move.”

frowned at the board, trying to think three steps ahead like Alexander clearly was. But after a few more moves,

Alexander had ceptured half my pieces while I'd only managed to take two of his pawns.

This is sbarrassing” | said, watching as he added my rook to its growing collection of captured pieces. To getting

absolutely destroyed here?

214

16:33 Fri, 22 Aug

Chapter 51

“You're not that bad.

“If this were a real battle, my army would be considering mutiny right about now.” | gestured to the scattered

pawns. “They're plotting their escape as we speak. Probably making little parachutes out of hospital napkins.”

60%

15

Suddenly, Alexander laughed, and | looked up at him in surprise. His smile transformed his face, softening the

hard lines around his mouth and making him look years younger. Handsome. Kind. He tossed his head back and

laughed loudly and deeply, teeth shining beneath the fluorescent lights, red hair falling into his closed eyes. |

didn’t know how to react to the sight.

It hit me, then, that I'd never seen him smile like this before. Not in five years of marriage. Not even during our

recent public appearances where we’d been pretending to be in love.

This smile was real. This laugh was real. And it did strange things to my insides.

! blushed, looking away, and cleared my throat. “Um... Castle to C6.”

By the twe finished the game, it was well past ten o'clock. The hospital corridor outside had grown quiet.

“I should go,” Alexander said, glancing at his watch. “It’s late, and I've got work to do tomorrow.”

And just like that, the illusion shattered. Alexander wasn’t going to spend the night withlike a normal

husband would. Because he wasn’t a normal husband. And our marriage was just an act for the benefit of others.

I nodded, pretending-even to myself-that | didn't care. “Right. Thanks for bringing the stuff.”

“I'll cback tomorrow,” he said as he stood. “For another game. If you want.”

Hooked up, surprised. “You don’t have to. I'm sure there will be plenty of witnesses who saw you stay late

tonight. Your devoted husband image is secure.”

Something flickered across Alexander's face at that. It almost looked like pain, but it was gone before | could get

a good read on it.

“Ill canyway,” he said. “Maybe your chess skills will improve with a good night's sleep.”

| couldn't tell if he was joking or serious, but I didn’t dwell’on it. “Alright. See you then.”

Alexander nodded and moved toward the door. But before leaving, he paused and looked back at me.

“Sleep well, Ella.”

And then he was gone.

My heart fluttered traitorously in my chest. What was wrong with me?

Bil)

AD

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