Page 49

High Stakes

At last, Marsh turns to Victor and nods, ready for him to deal the final card that will decide the tournament.

She doesn’t know what Chrysalis might try if she attempted to escape in some way before the end, but she doesn’t want to find out.

But how will she win? Nothing in poker beats a royal flush, and Ren’s already got it. She doesn’t see how there’s anything that can save her.

She swallows grimly as Victor reaches for the deck.

SharpTruth217: Marsh

SharpTruth217: The cards

SharpTruth217: Something’s—

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But before SharpTruth can return, Victor flips the last card over.

Marsh blinks in disbelief.

... What?

“Holy...” Victor nearly curses by accident. “That... that...”

The crowd gasps in amazement.

Marsh looks back at her cards, and then to the first three that Victor dealt, certain that she’s misremembered them.

But she was right.

All four aces are in play—two in her hand, and two on the table.

So how can the final card also be an ace?

PokerChamp888: Wait, WHAT??!?!

Moms4Marsh: Holy mackerel! Does that beat Ren’s hand?

Notamackerel: No! I mean, yes—but it doesn’t make sense!

N3vrGiv3Up: What do you mean?

PokerChamp888: Because that card is impossible!!!

It’s not, if we’re playing by Chrysalis’s rules, Marsh thinks, as she stares at the wings of the Sharp Purple butterfly at the center of the card.

She waits—for someone to realize something is wrong, for the audience to accuse her of cheating, for the tournament to discredit her victory—her breath held.

At last, Victor raises a microphone.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” his voice booms. “Coming in at the last moment with an incredible five-of-a-kind, the only hand in history that could beat Ren’s royal flush... we have our champion!”

The whole casino explodes with raucous applause.

Marsh startles as whistles erupt around the room, and her opponents all swoon with anguished awe at how incredible her victory was.

Somehow, Chrysalis managed to tamper with the deck, and create a fifth ace.

She really wins after all.

“Let’s hear it for Marsh!” Victor shouts.

“Marsh! Marsh! Marsh!” the crowd rallies.

Despite her shock, it’s impossible for Marsh not to be swept up in the excitement. It physically presses itself upon her. Jo is shaking her hand and congratulating her, and row after row of fans are pressing in on their table, begging her to autograph their own card decks, their T-shirts, their bodies. Their jubilation is so wild, Marsh feels like she just hit the jackpot at a slot machine.

“You think you’ve won,” Ren says over the commotion, tossing down his royal flush as the applause continues to thunder throughout the casino. “But just wait. It’ll be me, next time.”

Marsh waves him off at first. There’s so much commotion and sound, and she’s too distracted to hear him clearly, so it takes a beat for Ren’s words to fully land.

Next time.

Marsh pauses.

What an odd thing to say.

Does Ren... know something?

She turns back to him, confused. “What do you mean, next time?” she asks. The hairs are standing up on the back of her neck.

But Ren just snorts.

“You know.” He gestures to the casino. “Next time. It’s an annual tournament.”

He puffs out his chest.

“I’ll beat you next year, and the year after, and the year after, until I break your record.”

Marsh watches him closely—but Ren’s gaze is steady. His expression is confrontational, but open. He clearly doesn’t know about the show, about the choices. He’s just talking smack.

“Next time,” Marsh agrees at last, and Ren hmph s. “I look forward to it.”

SharpTruth222: Marsh, this is your chance

SharpTruth222: Find Julie

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Marsh whirls.

Of course!

Julie Pabst was a part of All This and More from the very start—when it was no more than an idea in development! If there’s anyone who might be able to tell her more about Chrysalis, it could be her.

She scans the crowd eagerly, but Julie’s nowhere to be seen.

Where did she go?

“Are you coming?” Jo asks her.

“What?” Marsh asks. “Where?”

“To the Chrysalis Tournament after-party, of course!” Jo says. “Everyone will be there.”

So, it’s called the Chrysalis Tournament now, is it? Marsh muses.

She’s certain that if Julie is still in this path, she can find her there.