She lost again. Not that she had expected anything different, but that didn't make it sting less. The Crown Prince captured her king dramatically, kicking it off the board with a promoted pawn—a new queen.
She had captured his Queen halfway through the game. She should have known it was bait, and this was his real goal. She knew the moment she wouldn't be able to make a comeback, no matter what she did.
Rose took a deep breath. It wasn't just losing and the kiss she was worried about; rather, it was how long she would last. Why had she agreed to any of this, especially the latter part?
Rose lifted her head to see Caius eagerly waiting. His body gave off a nonchalant air, but she could see his eyes; they hardly lied. It was just difficult to interpret their meaning most times, but this look was a familiar one, so Rose knew.
