Pretty is an understatement. She is ravishing.” Flynn elbowed Zander in the ribs. “And I must say, we’d make a very handsome couple.”
“Listen to this one, he has himself married off to Her already,” Raphael said.
“Well that’s the point of this tournament, is it not? I’ve been with my fair share of women.” He smirked. “In fact, I’ve been with many men’s share of women. But The Savior is a true prize. I don’t bow to many, but I will bow to Her.”
Oh, just shut up. Tobias nearly said the words aloud, but he resisted, his eyes on his leg—and on Leila.
“Artist,” Flynn said. “Have you nothing to contribute?”
Tobias fought the urge to groan, then winced as another pang shot through his thigh. “Apologies, I’m a little preoccupied. There’s a needle in my leg.”
Flynn laughed. “You can take a blade to the leg, but you can’t handle a needle.”
Flynn’s laughter morphed into idle conversation, perhaps more praise of The Savior—Tobias wasn’t certain, as the maddening sting of Leila’s damn needle was far more intriguing than whatever came out of Flynn’s mouth. Leila reached the end of the gash, double knotting the thread before clipping it with her teeth.
“All done.” She wrapped a fresh bandage around his thigh. “No walking, at least until tomorrow.”
“If I’m even able to walk tomorrow,” Tobias muttered.
“You will. Probably.”
Lies. Before he could dwell on the matter, Leila packed up her satchel.
“You’re leaving?” he asked.
“I’ve finished, haven’t I?”
“You should stay.” He nodded at the cards. “Play a round with us.”
“I’m here to work.”
“Do you have anyone else to tend to?”
She shook her head, and Tobias scooted to the side, making room within the circle. “Come. Play.”
Leila wavered, glancing between Tobias, the cards, and the sanctuary behind her. Biting her lip, she shuffled into the empty spot beside him.
Tobias smiled. “It’s a memory game. You flip a card at random. If the card reveals a symbol, you must match it with another. If the card reveals an all-seeing eye, you solve a riddle.”
Leila lowered the hood of her cloak. “I’m familiar.”
Hair—long, straight, and parted down the center, the deep-brown color dark enough to pass as black. She met his prying gaze, and he quickly looked away.
Raphael nodded at Flynn. “It’s your turn.”
“Nonsense, the Healer has only just joined us.” Flynn bowed at Leila. “By all means, ladies first.”
“Don’t try to pass your cowardice as chivalry. We all know you’re simply delaying your inevitable loss,” Raphael said.
“I’ll just watch.” Leila hugged her knees. “I imagine it’d be unfair if I played.”
“And why’s that?” Tobias asked.
“Because I’m smarter than all of you.”
The group laughed as one. Flynn stared at the cards disgustedly, flipping one over, revealing a large, black eye. “Oh hell.”
“A riddle for Flynn,” Raphael announced.
“Of course it’s a riddle,” Flynn grumbled. “It’s always a fucking riddle.”
Raphael drew a card from his stack and read it aloud. “Lined tip to tip, we form a square, though our true place is in the sky. Our wingless flight is yours to command, but know we’ll always stop to rest.”
Four arrows. The answer immediately materialized in Tobias’s thoughts, and he could tell by Leila’s half smile she had figured it out too.
Flynn groaned. “I hate this game.”
“You have no answer?”
“There is no answer!” Flynn spat. “How could anyone possibly decipher that? It’s impossible!”
“It’s four arrows,” Tobias blurted out.
Flynn turned toward him. “It’s what?”
“Four arrows.” Tobias looked down at the cards, trying to recall the symbols beneath them. “There are four sides to a square.” He flipped over a card with an arrow on its front. “Arrows fly without wings…” he flipped a second card with a second arrow, “…they’re commanded by man…” another card, and another arrow, “…and they stop only once they’ve hit their target.” He moved to the top corner of the spread and revealed the final symbol. “Four arrows.”
Flynn scowled. “You know, I’m beginning to regret our friendship.”
“Oh, don’t be cross with the man just because he’s smarter than you,” Raphael scoffed. “You should be used to that sort of occurrence by now.”
“You’re a cock. A hellish, intolerable cock.”
The group laughed at Flynn’s expense yet again, but Tobias was more interested in the hint of a smile forming on Leila’s lips.
“You’re good at this,” she said.
He grinned. “It’s a simple game.”
The game stretched on for hours that felt fleeting. Flynn remained a mess, his frustration mounting with each miserable failure and Raphael’s barbs. Orion and Zander took turns playing mediator, while Enzo did little more than grunt and glare,