Caius raised a brow as Rose stared at him, and she realized she had let a small smile slip. She turned away immediately and walked to the chessboard to rearrange the pieces.
Caius didn't wait for her call this time. As soon as she made her move, he followed suit. The game was just as swift. Caius didn't hold back; his moves were quick and clearly calculated. It was pretty clear he had been holding back—that was the only reason she had been able to drag out the former games.
Her loss left her feeling like she had climbed a mountain on her knees. It wasn't a long game, but somehow it left her feeling exhausted. Rose thought it was cruel that he had been taking it easy on her. She had known she couldn't win against him easily, but she had vastly underestimated the difference in their skills.
However, her loss didn't take away the satisfaction she felt at Caius's disappointment when he saw he was not going to get what he wanted.
