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I marveled at his audacity. We had no money for even a night in a shed, yet he acted as if he had a choice of luxury hotels lined up eager to welcome him.
“Depends.” The man’s eyes shifted up and down the alley as he hurriedly smoked his cigarette. “What are you looking for?”
“For accommodation for a night,” Kyllen replied. “In a place that might be willing to negotiate on the price. If you know of something suitable, I’d like to make a deal.”
The man shifted my way, giving me an appraising gaze.
Kyllen stepped sideways, almost completely blocking me from the man’s view, clearly letting him know I wasn’t a part of their negotiations.
The man spit on the ground. “I may have something for you. It comes with an entertainment option.” He bared his teeth in a crooked smile.
“What kind of entertainment?”
The man shot his gaze up and down the walkway again. “Do you like gambling?”
Oh no. I squeezed Kyllen’s hand in mine. “Let’s go.”
The man gave me a bad feeling. I’d seen plenty of his type at the fairs. They were always ready to strip a gullible person of their last penny. I had no desire to participate in whatever scheme he had in mind, even if I had money to spare, which I didn’t.
“What kind of gambling?” Kyllen’s voice picked up.
Was he actually considering this?
“Kyllen, no.” I discreetly tugged on his hand.
The man’s eyes flashed greedily. “Whatever you want. Blackjack, poker, roulette?”
I waved him off. “We don’t know these games—”
“Roulette is good. Where is it?” Kyllen sounded excited.
He had told me that our worlds used to be one, long ago. Apparently, some things endured the passage of time—gambling, for one. He even knew of roulette.
I shook my head, battling a swell of worry rising in my chest.
The man tossed aside his cigarette and rubbed his hands together in the chilly late-January air. “Lovely, lovely. This way, mate.”
“Kyllen…” I tried to stop him by squeezing his hand tighter, but he gently tugged me along.
“This will be fun.” He flashed me a smile from beneath his hood. “Trust me.”
