of copper and blades

CHAPTER SIX,

"JUSTINE, JOIN US," Ciri said from the other side of the room, which wasn't very far away since the ship's parlour was miniscule. Justine glanced up and shook her head.

"You know I don't play cards, Ciri."

"Well, at least come and watch," Ciri pleaded.

Justine smirked. "What, so I can help you cheat?"

Ciri raised her head. "As if I need that to win, Lan Zhenfei."

Cass let out a long and heavy sigh. "It's not Ciri you need to help, Justine. It's these three Arecians. At this point, they will have no money in their wallets by the end of the evening."

"It doesn't matter to me, does it?" Marcus asked, one brow raised. "My money is yours."

"Yeah," Cass shot back, "but General Stoneworth here..."

Gabriel looked up amused. "I'm not losing nearly as much money as your husband, Cassalyn."

"Is that a challenge?" Cass inquired with utmost politeness.

Justine let out a sigh. "Fine. I'll watch." She tossed her book aside and pulled a chair over to the table, sitting behind Ciri and Lawrence, just close enough to see how the game was going on but not close enough to distract or affect anyone. "Who's winning?"

"Me," Cass drawled. "Obviously."

"I'm a close second," Ciri argued.

"I'm a very distant third," Gabriel said wryly. "And I think I'd rather stay this way."

"For your own safety, I agree. These two can get quite aggressive at cards. You might just get caught in the crossfire."

Ciri spun around and kicked Justine's chair, causing her to yelp and move the seat a few inches closer to her husband. "My god, Ciri," Justine growled. "It's a game of cards, most definitely not cause for violence."

"There shall be more blood if you do not shut your mouth."

"You are the one who invited me over. I was perfectly content reading my book over there."

"No," Ciri simply replied. And one did not argue with Cirinique Diao when she replied with monosyllables. Justine exchanged a glance with Cass, who shrugged, and shook her head as she turned her attention back to the game, which had already recontinued.

And so she watched what could only be described as a bloodbath as the two Diao sisters wiped the wallets of the three Arecians clean. It was almost painful to watch, and Justine was almost tempted to give the three men some tips before deciding against it. For the entertainment value, and none of them needed the money anyways. It was either the two sisters' to begin with—in the case of Marcus and Laurence—or it didn't matter at all, as in the case of Gabriel.

"And that's another fifty to Ciri," she murmured as Marcus lost again. The man let out a loud groan, slumping backwards and letting out a decidedly ungentlemanly word. Cass' lips twitched upwards. Gabriel's eyes darted between the players, comfortable yet still wary, as if scared he'd accidentally say the wrong thing. He wouldn't. He didn't need to worry about that. They were all easy going people, but Justine thought it was rather funny watching him go around on tiptoes when there was no reason to.

Perhaps she was being rather sadistic, taking so much pleasure in his awkwardness. But really, could you blame her? It wasn't hurting anyone anyways, and even if she told him he didn't need to be so careful, he'd have insisted. It was a subconscious thing, she could tell that much. Laurence and Marcus, when they'd arrived the first time in Sai, had been much the same. Though she hadn't been there for the first few weeks of Laurence's arrival. She'd only returned to the Scarlet Palace when he'd been close to leaving. But she'd been there at the start of Marcus' arrival. The way he'd been back then had cracked her up. He'd been so visibly uncomfortable.