The dealer’s hand hovered. “Careful,” Maren murmured, but there was something else in her voice now—curiosity. She’d seen men gamble fortunes away and bring them back even poorer. She’d seen pockets emptied by love and loaded by lies.
Silas felt the world tilt. Whatever bets a man makes, some are settled by force. Harlan’s grip found the coat’s edge, tugged. The lining hesitated and, with a seam’s betrayal, the oilskin slipped free and tumbled to the floor. It fell like an accusation, a small white comet that struck the wood and rolled toward the spittoon. faro scene crack full
Harlan’s laugh was a dry leaf. He stepped closer, scenting the odds. “Empty-handed men forget easier.” The dealer’s hand hovered
“You know the rules,” she said. “No new faces at midnight.” She’d seen pockets emptied by love and loaded by lies
“Gods,” she whispered. “What is this—”
Outside, a storm began to press against the windows—a sound like distant buffalo. The lanterns bobbed, flinging shadows that turned the room into a place between maps. Silas felt the city press in with every gust: the alleys, the dockside laments, the steady, exploitative machinery of men like Harlan. He felt the smallness of his coin and the smallness of his promise.
“You don’t have to go easy,” Harlan said. The threat was idle, more ritual than intent. Men like Harlan spoke softly—violence reserved for when talk failed. But his hand rested near his hip where a pistol sat like a sleepwalker’s knife.