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“There are plenty of card games that don’t involve gambling. Or we can play those games for points or bragging rights.” Edmund didn’t think these elves would go for anything as uncouth as even small bets, but he was ready for something with stakes. Even if the stakes were bragging rights. A card game would at least make his brain feel like it was functioning again instead of rotting to mush with boredom.
Farrendel rolled into a sitting position. “Would this card game be something you would play with your brothers?”
“Yes.” Edmund, Julien, and Averett enjoyed a good, just-for-fun game of cards. Essie, too. Edmund only played for money when in seedier taverns or the fancy drawing rooms of the elite, searching for information.
Weylind sighed and pushed to his feet. “I suppose one card game would be acceptable.”
Finally. Something to do. Edmund shot to his feet and led the way toward the stairs up to Lethorel’s main room. “I have cards in my room. I’ll just fetch them. If you could clear a table in the main room, I’ll be back in a moment.”
He didn’t wait to see the looks on Weylind’s and Farrendel’s faces. Instead, he navigated the branches as quickly as he dared. He had to traverse the branches to one of the farthest rooms in Lethorel to a room near Essie and Farrendel’s. A room that also happened to be on the exact opposite side of Lethorel from Jalissa’s. Not that Edmund would do anything dishonorable, but he suspected the placement of their rooms was Weylind’s way of tweaking Edmund right back for all his teasing.
Reaching his room, Edmund found his pack and dug out a deck of cards. His good set of cards, not the whiskey-stained set that he trotted out when spying in disreputable taverns. As tempting as it was to show up with that deck of cards—smelling of liquor and slightly sticky—just to see the look of distaste on Weylind’s and Farrendel’s faces, he had already pushed them enough. And this card game was going to provide plenty of opportunities as it was.
By the time he returned to the main room, he found Weylind and Farrendel sitting at a table, their postures perfectly straight and proper. Ryfon had joined them, and he was the only one of the three who grinned and leaned forward as if eager to learn an Escarlish card game. While Farrendel’s tension betrayed the way he appeared torn between curiosity and trepidation, Weylind still had a slightly disgusted curl to his lip.
Edmund plopped into the open chair and casually shuffled the deck of cards. “Let’s start with an easy game.”
He wouldn’t mention that it was a game often played by Escarlish children. Nor that he was exceptionally good at it, since it didn’t take much to memorize which cards each of the players asked for and received.
He dealt the cards and explained the rules. The point of the game was to try to get the most sets of all four of the same denomination of card, such as all the threes or all the eights. The game ended when one player had no more cards. Once Edmund finished explaining the rules—this game would go especially smoothly with elves, who would not lie about the cards in their hand—they set to playing.
Weylind eyed his hand of cards, then glanced at Edmund. “Do you have any threes?”
Edmund smirked, then pointed at the draw pile. He could have told Weylind that Ryfon had a three. Weylind, presumably, had at least one, if not more. If Ryfon was paying attention, then he’d ask his father for threes on a future turn.
Weylind heaved a sigh and drew a card from the pile. The grim set to his mouth never wavered, giving away nothing about whether or not he was pleased with his new card. At least he had his poker face down pat.
Farrendel glanced at his cards once again, grimaced, and glanced at Weylind. “Do you have any kings?”
Weylind’s expression only grew grimmer as he handed over one card.
Farrendel re-arranged his cards, then glanced at Ryfon. “Do you have any tens?”
“Nope.” Ryfon prompted Farrendel to take a card.
Once Farrendel finished, Ryfon grinned and glanced across the table at Weylind. “Do you have any threes?”
Weylind sighed again and handed over two cards.
Ryfon took the cards, then turned to Edmund. “Do you have any queens?”
Edmund shook his head and pointed at the pile.
Finally, it was Edmund’s turn. He eyed Weylind. “Do you have any twos?”
Weylind’s jaw worked, and he held out a card.
Perfect. Edmund rearranged his cards, then he set four twos on the table. Then, smirking, he placed his final four cards on the table—four eights. “I believe that’s the end of the game.”
Farrendel had one set of four, as did Ryfon. But Weylind had none.
Gathering the cards, Edmund shuffled again. “Who’s up for another round?”
Weylind gave the closest thing to a groan Edmund had ever heard from him. “Fine. One more round.”
Edmund just grinned and shuffled the cards. Now to figure out a way to make the child’s game even more interesting.
* * *
