The Count of Castle Rock

Chapter XXXVII- The Great Game

Lucky Blades plays a card then watches the reactions of the other players at the table. Two look away, weak players with weak hands. The other two weigh their options and weigh the other players. They, at least, understand that Crowns is played against the deck and the people at the table. One takes the bait and scores for the hand. The cards are shuffled, a new hand is dealt, and the one who scored plays a card. Again Lucky studies the table.

He compares his card pool with the dealt hand. His opponent always tosses low and grabs high. A strategy Lucky can exploit. One of the weaker players grabs using the last card from his pool. The score is checked and everyone is paid out a portion of the pot according to their standings. The weak player leaves with their meager earnings and the cards are shuffled once more.

Lucky takes a moment to look around the dilapidated gambling hall. Five circular tables dominate the room, each supports a handful of players. Each hoping to double the contents of their purses in games of chance. Behind a thick plank supported by two old barrels, a Hang-Du barkeep serves the best rotgut in this part of Ravensport coin can buy. The exposed mismatched floorboards squeak underfoot as the two servers, a skinny catkin named Maja and a sassy rubenesque woman by the name of Eva, keep the gambler's mugs full. Music filters in from the vagabond theater next door. If one ignores the stink of urine and destitution, the place feels just like one of the more reputable halls along the dock.

With his gang running protection for the establishment, Lucky takes in half the cut. Coin aside, he's grown quite fond of the place. A home away from home where he can put his feet up and grab a game or two of Crowns.

"It's your deal, Lucky," says a tall woman, clothed in leather armor and scarred across the throat, as she takes the empty seat. Her voice is surprisingly high pitched for a woman he's seen rip the tongue out a snitch's mouth. "What's the stake?"

"Fifty," mutters the man beside her.

She tosses fifty gold on the table, Lucky smirks and deals her five cards for her pool. He does a quick rifle shuffle and deals everyone two cards for their hands.

"It's been a while, Lykeshaw. I see you've got your hands on a bit of coin. Just finished a job?"

She studies her cards, expression stoic, giving nothing away.

"Card," grumbles the man beside Lykeshaw.

She scoffs and plays two cards from her pool, raising the ante. Lucky laughs and throws in another twenty-five gold pieces. The bad player to his left shakes his head and tosses his cards, forfeiting his cut of the pot. The man understands the game better than Lucky suspected.

"Stakes are too high for me," says a member of the town guard in to the gang for a few hundred gold. "I'll have the information for you by the end of the week."

"No rush," Lucky says with a friendly smile. "I'll send Powder to find you if you get lost."

The guard shudders. "No need for that, Lucky. I'll get what you need."

The men depart, leaving three at the table. Lucky waves over Eva, admiring what her top barely holds with the same amount of love he affords what's spilling out.

"Lucky, if you keep staring at me like that, you're going to make me blush." She takes his offered hand and settles into his lap. Her breath holds a hint of the rotgut, but the warmth of her body makes up for it.

"I can make more than just your cheeks red, darling."

"You know the boss doesn't like that sort of stuff in the hall," she whispers, staring across the room at the bartender.

"But I'm the boss," he says into the softness of her neck.

She laughs as she jumps out of his lap. "What can I do for you, Lucky?"