Page 103 of A Light in the Dark
Joel snickered. “Once a gamer has been killed, they canremain playing, but they’re influencing the game through controlling supplies their fortifications produce. They can also defend their fortifications. If an enemy attacks their town, they will be able to get kills still. It keeps the game interesting. But there are several ways to win. Having the best town is one of those ways, which keeps the killed players working on their territories. Conducting the most trades is another way. The trades section is actually secret, so nobody knows who is going to win that until the very end. Finally, highest number of kills can win you the game.”
“So, there are three potential winners?”
“Four,” Calden replied, and he sighed. “The player with the highest amount of money at the time of the final death also wins. Usually, the person with the highest number of kills also ends up the wealthiest from taking the killed player’s carried resources.”
Interesting. I wondered if us handicaps could sweep all winning categories through trickery and betrayal.
Pirates were supposed to be backstabbing betrayers, and I’d even allow my partner to be the top gamer moth before the pack of scorned women and their teenage boy sidekicks offed him and voted me in as their queen.
I looked forward to plundering Joel, claiming him as my prize, and then using explosives to wipe out my conspirators in the game.
“What’s your plan for taking out your father?” Joel asked.
“That’s the problem. I don’t have a plan. He’s wily, and I don’t know who his partner is.”
Coraline rolled her eyes, shook her head, and headed deeper into the townhouse. “Come with me, Valerie. We’ll leave the men to fetching your pretty clothes out of the SUVwhile we raid the kitchen. We must choose what your beverage service will be so Calden is happy doing his kitchen work. He gets downright pouty if he can’t do his beverage service. For someone who claims he’d like some time alone, he is just not happy unless he’s in the kitchen fussing when there are guests over.”
“I’m supposed to be a good host, and my wife should not be a slave in the kitchen. It’s my turn. I am the kitchen king tonight, and you just have to deal with beverage service while monitoring our bunnies playing.”
“There are worse ways to go,” Coraline informed me with a smile. “Are you a tea, coffee, or hot chocolate drinker? And if you’re none of those things, we’ll improvise.”
“Can I have my coffee spiked with copious amounts of hot chocolate?”
“You absolutely can. Let’s get some drinks, take our seats, and watch Joel’s brain explode when he identifies where you were shopping.”
“Why is my brain going to explode?” Joel asked in a curious tone.
“One word, Mr. Sampson: lingerie.”
THIRTY-TWO
I did not want to win this competition.
For four days,Joel and I visited with Coraline and Calden, and when they needed to work, we babysat their bunnies, worked on our crafts, and enjoyed rest. He healed while I worried.
The election happened, and I refused to listen to the results, sticking my fingers in my ears and humming. On the fifth day, Coraline herded us into Calden’s SUV, loaded with my new clothes, my crafting supplies, and a ridiculous amount of silk, and headed for Stonecreek.
We couldn’t fit all the silk, and Calden promised he’d have the rest shipped to us after we were confirmed to be safely home.
“Are you ready to be crushed with disappointment yet?” she asked, raising a brow and glancing my way. As we had no idea if Joel would be reduced to gagging due to motion sickness or not, he ruled over the backseat. That Coraline provided a brand new pack of vomit bags worried me.
“Judging from the commentary, I won. I did not want to win this competition.”
“You were the only ‘competitor’ with the backing of Moonriver. And as Moonriver is notorious about having low corruption since Calden’s father took over, the voters in Stonecreek more wanted access to him than you, although you do have a strong following. You saved lives, and they know it. And you almost paid for that with your life.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Joel, why did you say nice things about me to a reporter?”
“The concussion made me do it,” he replied.
Damned concussion. That concussion would be the end of my sanity, although he’d gone two days without even a hint of a headache, the first real sign he truly healed. “Please tell me the headache is still gone.”
“It’s still gone, and I’m not getting motion sickness anymore.”
“If you’re still not getting motion sickness by the time we actually reach Stonecreek, I’m going to throw a party,” I muttered.
“Me, too. I’m still not sure why I’m the one driving you back.”
“The rental fees for a one way from Moonriver to Stonecreek are lethal.” I’d offered to drive us, but the two thousand dollar rental fee had choked me, resulting in a heated debate over wasting two thousand dollars or forcing Calden, Coraline, or one of the other Hunters to drive us. Coraline’s decision to volunteer, assuming her tyrant of a boss would pay her for the work, had put an end to the war.
