Page 107 of Mage Massacres

“More time for what?” I inquired, furrowing my brow.

“To build an army, Moonlight,” he murmured, dropping to his knees in front of me. “You’ll have to play both black and white with Alric. He’s not the king. He’s the board, shifting the squares and bending the rules to fit his needs.”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My mind spun, gaining speed as Raguel moved to allow space for a coffee table.

“Chess?” Palmer asked incredulously. “Really?”

Papi sighed, nodding his head. “Amelia and Alric grew up playing against each other. He was good, but Amelia was better.”

“Their whole life was like that,” Dad muttered. “She wanted to do everything that her older brother did, so she studied and practiced until she could keep up. As she got older, she got better, and Alric hated losing.”

“All right.” Raguel clapped his hands. “There are thirty-two pieces. Sixteen black and–”

“I know how to play chess,” I told him.

He ignored me. “Sixteen white. If Sloane is both kings, then that means her army consists of thirty people. Fifteen dark and fifteen light supernatural creatures. Those are the people the Fates lined up for you to meet.”

“You’ve lost me, Rig,” I quietly admitted.

His head snapped up, a reassuring smile gracing his lips. “That’s okay, Moonlight. Leave the strategy to us for now. You have a few more steps to take before you walk onto the board.”

I took a deep breath, swallowing down all of my doubts as I rolled my shoulders back. I knew the next steps, though they might not be in everyone’s preferred order.

“I’m killing Annette first.”

Palmer nodded. “Then we’ll handle the guild.”

“After that,” Vaughn started, his icy eyes meeting mine. “We’ll go to the fae realm, kill Vex, and rescue Nate and Amelia.”

I pursed my lips. “I have one stop to make on the way to Oxford.”

My mage chuckled, hanging his head. He already knew what I was going to suggest. “The lycans?”

“Why the lycans?” Papi questioned.

I pointed to the coffee table, its surface divided by a black and white line. The rules of the game fluttered around my mind, the words turning whimsical as they sprouted wings and rearranged themselves.

“You know the board. I know where to find the material.”

They all observed me, waiting for more of an explanation, but I could only shrug.

I didn’t understand what was happening.

Yet.

I knew when to trust my gut, though.

“You don’t play mind games with a mind reader if you aren’t willing to break the rules,” I whispered. “If I’m playing both sides, and Alric is manipulating the board itself, then I don’t think the actual rules of the game apply anymore.”

“What are you saying?” Raguel asked, a black pawn in his grasp.

Dad grinned. “She’s saying that anything goes. She’ll do whatever it takes to get the check, Rig.”

I nodded, making my way to the door. I paused as I turned the handle, two questions burning at the tip of my tongue.

“Why do they call you Rig?”

He snorted, easing away from the table. “The Sumerians called me Rig. Amelia thought it was funny to point out how much older I am than her.”