Empress of the Sea|✔️

Chapter 30

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Sehyun Han enjoyed playing poker, but only when it was against his best friend and rival. Anyone else was easy to beat and boring to win against. He missed Marty with all his heart, but he'd decided to take a vacation a few weeks before he encountered Aeryn Branche.

Marty had intelligence in his brain, but never his actions.

"Fold," he said, staring into his seven of spades and two of hearts, both cards useless in this game of gambling. Sehyun only liked a certain pair of cards and none other.

The ace of clubs and the ace of diamonds.

Both diamonds had an appeal that none of them had. The ace of spades was nice, fancy, but it would never fit his taste.

He threw his pair of cards onto the round table, earning a look of distaste from Maya. "Why did you do that?" she whispered.

Closing the distance between his ear and shoulder as he was disturbed by her warm breath and sharp tone, he replied, "I have my reasons."

Maya inhaled, but let the topic go. Sehyun certainly knew what he was doing. He had doubled the amount of money he walked in with, and the only thing he offered was his name and the man had given him a pile of poker chips. Did that mean he had three times the money?

She couldn't tell. Math wasn't her strong suit, it was Sehyun's. No wonder he was winning such a game.

Then why was he complaining about being the worst poker player in history? Was there someone better than him?

Sehyun pulled out a pocket watch and pulled down his mask for a small breath of cold air. He stood. "Miss Aranaz," he started, careful not to use her first name. In the world of pirates, names were a type of weapon that were weld in the unclean hands of sailors. Betrayal was easy when it went freedom. "Would you mind taking over for a while? I need a breath of fresh air."

Without waiting for her reply, he gestured at the seat he'd warmed. She took the spot with ease and slow movements.

"You must've analyzed my playing style, so be sure to copy it," he offered before walking out, the sane pirates around him creating a path and giving messy bows. The drunk ones simply moved out of the way to match the actions of the others.

So many captains, quartermasters, and first mates had come up to him, pleading for mercy with the promise of jewels.

He'd merely replied, I'll take your jewels. I will show gratitude for sharing your wealth with me. But Han never promised the health of their crew or ships.

Promising something meant keeping it, even if he had a change of heart. So he simply changed his habit of saying yes to saying something that wouldn't place an odd weight on his heart.

He kicked open the doors, refusing to touch the blood and alcohol stained wood even with gloves on. He gave the casino a final glance.

The warm glow of candles lit up the windowless place, bottles of whiskey hanging from the roof on ropes. This place would be fitting for Marty, not him. The chaos of the room had substantially decreased after his identity was revealed, but when pirates get a taste of freedom, it's hard to let it go. Even in the smallest of moments, the most minor of instances. A simple inconvenience would throw any normal pirate into a rage.

But Sehyun had gotten used to setbacks. They were his everyday cup of afternoon tea.

He watched Maya slump in her chair, sitting less than ladylike, and he admired her ability to speak her mind. She snapped at Illorin, and he laughed.