Check & Mate

by Ali Hazelwood

God bless libraries.

I let out a laugh—a real one, my first since the tournament started, maybe even since Easton left. Emil stares with a kind, curious expression. “He has no chance,” he says cryptically.

“Hi,” I say. I can’t tear my gaze from his. Am I out of breath? “Hi.” Is he out of breath?

“I’m Darcy. Like Mr. Darcy. And this is Sabrina. Like Sabrina Fair. Mal didn’t get a literary name because…we’re not sure, but I suspect that our parents took a look at her and decided to temper their expectations.

“It has its ups and downs. I used to love it, but a little…sameness set in, and I actually thought about quitting. Then Mallory arrived.” His knee suddenly pushes back against mine. “Now I love it again.”

“Mostly that. Only secondarily because he doesn’t seem to be able to look away from my most oblivious daughter.”

“It should have been you, yesterday. It was…I had you there. In front of me, across the board.” His lips press together. “It should have been you.”

He leans toward me over the table, dark eyes earnest, stars traveling on his skin. “Do you know how incredible you are?”

Nolan. Nolan will know. He’ll want to fix this, too. I need to get in touch with him, but how? I don’t have his number. Do I summon him with a pentagram made of rooks, or—Emil!

“Chess is a bad idea.” “Why?” “Look where it got me.” “It got you here. To me.”

“Touch-take rule,” he murmurs. He stands, too. Every step back I take is one forward for him. “I— What?” “You touched me. Can’t stop now. Touch-take rule.”

“I’ve got you, Mallory. Nothing bad is going to happen. You can let yourself want this, because you already have it. You have me.”

“Because when I’m with you, Mallory, everything is different. When I’m with you, I want to play more than I want to win.”