Mages of Buldoun (Aether’s Revival Book 5)

Gregory took his seat again, having wished his wives and friends a goodbye. He was really curious about where they would go, but he could ask Yukiko later. “What did you have in mind for passing the time, Father?”

“You will be going to train with your men after this tournament, right?”

“Yes. The elder already told us that we won’t be returning to the academy.”

“How have your dice and card-playing been?”

“I believe I still have a solid base for them.”

“Good. We will test that. Lin, bring four of your better players in. We’ll play with live stakes, if my son-in-law has money with him.”

Gregory hesitated— he was sure the men brought in would be the best players in the unit. “I do have some money on me.”

“I don’t have much,” Adolphus added.

“Very well,” Hao nodded. He pulled his money pouch onto the table and quickly divided up what he had between him and Adolphus. “There you go.”

“Hao, I can’t—!”

“Nonsense. We are related and soon-to-be business partners,” Hao said, cutting Adolphus off. “If you feel the need, just pay me back with your winnings. If there are no winnings, then there’s no need to pay back.”

Gregory chuckled as he counted out his vela. “I know, without question, where Yuki gets it from now.” He gave his other father-in-law a sympathetic look. “Dad, there’s no point in trying to fight.”

Adolphus sighed. “Very well. We’ll start with dice?”

“Of course,” Hao grinned. “Lin, go ahead.”

Lin chuckled as he set out some vela for himself. “I want in on the game first. You want the best players?”

“No, not the best. I want to have some fun, after all. Just some of the better ones.”

“Very well.”

“What’s the difference?” Gregory asked once Lin had left the room.

“He has two guards, who are both known cheats, that are his best players. They’ve even admitted to cheating, but no one has caught them at it. They’ve since stopped cheating the others, but when we are at inns, they normally take nearly everyone at the same game.”

“Rather not play them,” Adolphus said.

“Hmm…” Gregory said slowly. “Maybe after a bit, we can bring them in?”

Adolphus and Hao gave him raised eyebrows before Hao started laughing. Adolphus looked at Hao, then nodded, laughter soon following.

“Glad you both see it,” Gregory grinned.

“Let us have some fun first, and then you can do what you are thinking of,” Hao chuckled. “Oh, those two will finally get their comeuppance.”

Lin was back a few minutes later with four of their guards.

“Not often we get asked to play with you, sir,” one of them said to Hao.

“Wait… no disrespect, Magi, but you won’t be using foresight, will you?” another of the guards asked Gregory.

“Not against you four,” Gregory chuckled.

“Thank Aether for that,” the man replied.

“Sir, what games are we playing?” The voice was higher than the others, and it took Gregory a moment to realize that the guard was female. With her hair cut short and the armor hiding any obvious clues, he’d first thought she was a man.

“Standard variants. It’s mostly to help Gregory.”

The four guards nodded as they took seats. “Because he’ll be off to train with his men soon.”

“Right after the tournament,” Gregory nodded. “Did all of you do a stint?”

“Yes,” Lin said, “except for Shelly. Women don’t have compulsory obligations to the army. She tried to join a couple of units, but they didn’t take her.”

“Idiots,” Shelly snorted.

“Better for us,” Lin chuckled. “Okay, pony up. We’ll start with Dice Pass.”

~*~*~

The hours went lazily by, with the games having ups and downs. Dice turned to cards, and it was during that point that three of the guards lost the last of their money. Gregory had been holding mostly even, and both Adolphus and Lin were down a little. Hao and Shelly had taken the majority of the losers’ coin.

“Lin, go get our two cheats,” Hao chuckled, after the three guards left.

Lin’s eyebrow went up. “You really want them to play?”

Shelly started collecting the money in front of her. “I’m out, then.”

“Stay,” Hao said to Shelly. “We have a plan. I will make up any loss on what you currently have.”

Shelly glanced at Gregory, then grinned. “I accept. What’s the play?”

“Gregory?” Hao asked him.

“Losing for a bit. Are they both dice players?”

“One of each?” Lin asked.

“Bring in the dice guy, first,” Gregory said. “Don’t want to tip our hand to the one who plays cards.”

“Won’t they think there’s something going on?” Adolphus asked.

Lin shook his head. “I can spin it that Shelly’s been getting cocky, and that we want him to pull some of her gains away. I’ll tell him that he can keep half of everything over his starting coin, and the rest gets split between Hao and me.”

“It’s been nearly a year since we used him like that,” Hao chuckled. “That Limaz merchant we met at the south border?”

“Yes. Shelly, have some bravado, if you will.”

Shelly grinned. “That I can do.”

It took Lin a few minutes to wrangle the mark back to the room. The guard was all grins when he sat down at the table, but his smile faded a little when he saw Gregory. “Magi, not going to use your magic, are you?”

“I haven’t. I’m here to learn, not win,” Gregory smiled amiably.

“Good,” the man chuckled. “So, what’re we playing?”

“High Point to begin, Burt. You start,” Hao said.

~*~*~

It was nearly a half-hour in when Gregory saw the switch, and it was very good. If not for foresight, he’d never have even known. He’d been triggering his magic sparingly to make sure he could do what he wanted to. When he finally had his moment, he went with it.

Burt grinned as he reached for the dice. There was a lot of vela on the line, and he was about to switch the dice to get the roll he needed. Just as he was about to grab them, Gregory’s hand slapped his. Two dice went flying across the table from the unexpected impact.

“Sorry,” Gregory said apologetically, “I thought it was my toss.”

Burt rubbed his hand. “Yeah, it’s fine. You’re new to gambling, right?”

“He is, but I do want to know why there are three dice on the table now,” Hao said.

Burt’s gaze jerked to the two dice that had gone flying, then toward the one where he’d been reaching. “Uh…”

“It’s not something I would have thought about,” Gregory said. “Inside the cuff of your shirt?”

Burt’s eyes grew wide for a fraction of a second. He was about to object, but Lin was laughing.

“Oh, that explains it. Easy for him to push the dice into one side, then bring out the weighted ones from the other side,” Hao nodded. He picked up the dice and rolled them a couple of times. They both came up with sixes all three times.

“He used his magic,” Burt said tightly.

“Wanted to know what the better cheats would do,” Gregory chuckled. “And they all said you were that for dice.”

“I’ve long waited to see that look on your face,” Lin laughed.

Both Adolphus and Shelly were laughing as they split the pot, which was invalidated because of cheating. They were glad that the game had ended, as Burt had been taking their money quickly.

Lin slapped Burt on the back. “That’s what we wanted you for. How’s it feel to finally be found out?”

“Terrible,” Burt grumbled. “Now everyone will know.”

“Shelly, will you keep it between those of us in the room?” Hao asked.

“Hmm, don’t know… I could make a tidy sum if I told the others for a price,” Shelly said, looking right at Burt. “I could be paid off, though.”

“Fine,” Burt sighed. “How much?”

“Oh, not a one-time cash payment right now,” Shelly chuckled. “We have the same day off in two days. I want half of what you win, then, as we’ll be going to one of the gambling halls.”

Burt stared at her, then grinned. “Deal.”

“Good,” Lin said. “I’ll go get Adam.”

Burt looked from Lin to Gregory, then back. “Going to do the same thing to him?”

“Yep. Have to learn, after all.”

Burt’s brow furrowed before he started laughing. “You didn’t lie earlier. You used honest words, twisted to misdirect.”

Gregory chuckled. “I’m learning from my wife.”

“Little Miss does take after her father,” Burt laughed as he got to his feet. “Can I have my dice back?” he asked Hao, dropping the normal dice back on the table.

~*~*~

Adam was polished— he spoke clearly, and both his clothing and gear were immaculate. He wanted to look like he belonged at a card table, and he sold it. When he’d joined them, he’d asked the same question as Burt had, and Gregory deflected it in a similar manner.

Again, it took Gregory some time to find his spot to interrupt the moment. They were playing Acey Deucey, the second game they’d opted for. Adam had taken a good chunk out of them during Trade and Barter, and Gregory had seen how he’d done it, but he wanted an example during a different game.

Adam started to deal his cards for his turn; the pot had grown large, as everyone else failed to win the round. Gregory laughed as Adam placed the cards down, showing the game’s name’s sake.

“Looks like I’ll win,” Adam grinned.

“You dealt those two off the bottom,” Gregory chuckled. “Very smoothly too.”

“What?” Adam asked, affronted. “Are you accusing me of cheating?”

“Yes, because I saw it. I also know the next card you’ll lay down from your sleeve is an eight.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll let you turn over the top card, then, after I match the pot.”

Gregory nodded. “Okay. Everyone heard you.” Gregory flipped the top card over, showing a two. “You lose.”

Everyone started laughing, and Adam’s face grew hot.

“Lin asked you in here so I could learn how the best cheats work,” Gregory said. “And I learned. I know when you drew from the deck during Trade and Barter that you took two cards each time, then got rid of the ones you didn’t want the same way. I would’ve called you out then, but I wanted to see more.”

“That’s why Burt was grinning like an idiot?!” Adam snarled. “He knew you were going to set me up!”

“Easy,” Lin said, slapping Adam’s back. “You’ve grifted most of the guard before you stopped. Consider this making it all even.”

Adam grimaced, then exhaled. “Sorry… the mask of indignation is natural now.”

“Shall we settle up?” Hao asked. “Shelly, same deal for him?”

“What deal?”

“I’m not interested in being paid off here and now to keep how you cheat a secret,” Shelly said with a bright smile. “I’d rather have half of your profits tomorrow. We both know you’ll be at a gambling hall then.”

Adam sighed. “Honor-bound?”

“My lips will remain sealed unless it’s to one of the people already here. You and Burt can commiserate together.”

“Fine, fine…” Adam grumbled as the pot was split between everyone but him. “Anything else, sir?” he asked Hao.

“No. Thank you for helping my son-in-law learn. And you didn’t lose much, either.” Hao separated out some vela and handed it over. “There. No loss to you at all.”

Taking the coins, Adam got to his feet. “Thank you, sir.”

“Go ahead,” Hao nodded. When Adam left, he sighed and collected his money. “The others should be back soon. Shelly, thank you for playing along.”

“I didn’t lose any from my starting funds, and I’m going to get two nice payouts from it,” Shelly laughed as she stood up. “It was my pleasure.” She slapped Gregory on the shoulder. “Anytime you want to bust cheats, just let me know.”

Gregory laughed with her as she left the room.

“Did that help you at all?” Hao asked him.

“Yes. I know about what times to look for cheats to make their moves. Thank you.”

“I made a little,” Adolphus said, passing the majority of the vela in front of him to Hao, slipping a smaller stack into his pouch. “There we go.”

Hao collected the returned vela. “It has been a good day.”

“Agreed,” Adolphus nodded.

“I’ll agree to that,” Gregory said, his vela having increased, as well.

“Not as much for me, but it was entertaining,” Lin said— his money had taken a small loss during the course of the day.