Surviving Fate // Mattheo Riddle ♣️

Chapter Four - Logic

Warnings: None. 

Word Count: 2,949 words. 

"I just... snapped," I told Credence, moving the knight's piece forward on the chess board, taking one of Credence's pawns.

I sat, cross-legged on my bed, playing muggle chess with Credence Barebone. He had been there when I entered the room, looking ready to scold me.

Instead of that, he had taken out the game we were currently playing and had directed me to sit on the bed.

"And why did you do that?" he asked, moving another one of his pieces forward.

I scanned the board, biting the inside of my cheek in thought. "She told my aunt to be silent," I told him with a scoff, reaching forward to move one of my pawns. "She thought that she could order her around."

"She is her sister."

My eyes shot up to him. "That doesn't make her Narcissa's keeper."

Credence nodded slowly, making his next move. "You have to be more careful Lyra. Especially with that thing on your neck."

My hand moved to the pendent I wore. "I've tried taking it off, but I just... can't."

"It's doing little damage at this point. Your memories are already deteriorating, all that necklace is doing is making you less aware of it."

I shook my head. "I can feel them slipping away."

Credence stopped playing, looking up at me as I began to fiddle with my hands, picking at the skin on my thumb. "How so?" he asked.

"It's like..." I paused, trying to think of the right word. I looked up at him. "It's like trying to remember a dream, except I know that it's more than that."

The man in front of me nodded. "That's how it started with me. It's small things. Memories from your childhood, but the more you use this..." he struggled for words. "power, the more important the memories that'll fade."

I took my next move. "Check," I muttered. "You're not filling me with confidence."

"I'm telling you the truth," he urged, looking at his pieces on the board. "How did you do that?" he asked.

"You're not very good," I observed. "You leave yourself open for attack. You're good at taking my pieces but not so good at defending the pieces you leave behind."

"You're good at this."

I shrugged my shoulders. "My uncle liked to use it as a brain teaser. To test my logic skills."

"I used to play it with my father," Credence told me. "He taught me how to play."

I smiled, looking up at him as he moved his Queen to the side, giving me the opening I need.

"Aberforth doesn't seem like the fatherly type," I commented.

The man in front of me let out a small laugh. "It hurt him. When I died. I know it did."

I nodded, taking my knight and moving it forward. "Checkmate," I told him.

Credence looked down at the black and white tiles, seeing that I indeed had him completely trapped. "Well, would you look at that, it seems that I am surrounded."

I uncrossed my legs, settling back against the head of my bed. Credence matched my position, moving to sit beside me.

"It would seem that I am surrounded too," I told him.