The competitor's lounge had decent air conditioning. I sat with my back against the wall, watching the other contestants through half-closed eyes while pretending to rest. Old habits from a previous life. Never let them see you watching. Never let them know you're already three moves ahead.
Isabelle turned a page in her ancient book without looking up. "You're not sleeping."
"Neither are you."
"I don't require sleep before competitions. My body operates on willpower alone."
"That sounds medically concerning."
"It concerns my enemies. That's sufficient."
Juan snored from his couch. The sound vibrated through the room at a frequency that should have been illegal. Raphael stopped pacing long enough to glare at the unconscious strategist.
"How does he do that? We have the biggest event of our lives in forty minutes and he's dreaming about clouds or whatever."
"Juan's brain never stops working," I said. "He's probably running battle simulations while unconscious."
