now getting pushed Annie’s way.
Okay, so it’s… kind of a lot of chips, Annie thought as she sorted through them. But what the hell is this? And this?
It was clear that shifter poker – or at least, this shifter poker – allowed people to bet with things other than chips when they started running low.
“Oh, a manticore claw, that’ll come in handy,” the woman sitting next to Annie said with a grin as Annie held up a long, curving talon to the light, wondering if it was an actual biological substance, or if it were some kind of modern art or something that she just couldn’t appreciate.
“Oh – yeah, you’re right there,” she said, doing her best to join in the woman’s light laughter.
I have absolutely no idea what a manticore’s claw does, she thought to herself. I barely have any idea of what a manticore even is.
She sifted through the rest of the items and random curios that she’d won in the last hand, barely daring to speculate on what some of them were.
Is… is this a vial of blood?! Ew, no, that would be weird. No one plays for vials of blood!
“Ugh, that’s it, I’m out.” The woman seated across from Annie slammed her hands down on the table. “Bad enough to lose, but to lose to a human…!”
Annie dropped her eyes, keeping her face neutral. Beau had warned her this might happen, after all.
The woman – tall and impressive – slammed her hands down on the table once more as if to emphasize her disgust, before standing and storming away from the table.
Annie took a deep breath, licking her lips.
“Don’t worry about Dorie,” the woman next to her said cheerfully. “She’s a terrible player, but she always insists on playing for high stakes. It’s very silly. She’s just mad because you got her last vial of griffin blood.”
“Oh. I – I see,” Annie managed to stammer out, staring down at the vial in her hand and trying not to grimace in disgust.
I guess it really is blood, then?
Griffin blood, apparently, but Annie wasn’t sure what difference exactly that made.
As the dealer shuffled the cards, Annie turned her head, looking for Beau. She felt a little ashamed of just how caught up she’d gotten in the last hand – and how secretly pleased she felt at how often she’d been winning.
Not even slightly the point of why we’re here, she told herself, as she saw Beau walking smoothly back across the room, a drink in his hand, and looking way too amazing for words.
If he’s coming back, it means he hasn’t found Scott yet, Annie thought, as the dealer began dealing a new hand.
Sure enough, Beau leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek, breathing, “No luck yet,” in her ear as he stood back up.
Annie saw him do a double-take as he spotted the pile of chips – and various other items – sitting on the table in front of her.
“Though it seems like someone’s been lucky,” he said, blinking in surprise. “Though I suppose I shouldn’t say luck – this looks like pure skill. I thought you said this was just a bit of fun?”
Annie laughed, ducking her head. “’Fraid not. This is all luck.”
“Don’t undersell yourself,” Beau said, his thumb running over Annie’s shoulder, making her shiver. “But look, since you look like you’ll be here a while, I might go entertain myself somewhere else. Let’s say half an hour?”
“Sounds good,” Annie said, feigning disinterest in what he was saying as she lifted her new hand.
Half an hour. I guess that means I better be ready to go then.
At least she hoped that was what Beau meant. As much as she was enjoying her success, being here really was kind of nerve-wracking. Burying herself in the game was her way of making sure she wasn’t looking around for Beau every thirty seconds.
Letting out a slow breath that she hoped could be passed off as calming herself before the new hand started, Annie watched Beau’s back from the corner of her eye as he headed out of the room once more.
Hurry back, Beau. Please.
Chapter 12
As much as he’d known Annie was intelligent and courageous, Beau had to admit he was the tiniest bit surprised at the massive amount of chips and other winnings he’d seen piled in front of her.
Why would you be surprised? Our mate is perfect. Why should she not outshine everyone around her in every regard? his hippogriff spoke up, sounding