Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 400

"Careful now, Nina," Stella chided smoothly. "If you're going to accuse me of cheating, you'd better have the evidence to back it up."

Nina sank slowly back into her chair. She had lost her temper.

A loss was a loss. Throwing a tantrum over it was beneath her, and she knew it.

"I lost. I shouldn't have made that accusation. I apologize."

"It's fine. I knew you were a professional. Like I said, I don't want the money. I just need to ask you about something. Why don't we take this somewhere more private?"

Other patrons in the VIP room were starting to stare, and it was hardly the environment for a delicate interrogation.

"Follow me." Nina stood up and led them down a private corridor into a vacant, soundproofed office.

Once the door clicked shut and they all took a seat, Nina crossed her arms. "A deal's a deal. What exactly do you want to know?"

"I just want to know the name of your master."

Drake leaned forward, his eyes burning with sudden intensity.

Nina bristled, immediately defensive. "Why are you asking about my master? That's strictly off-limits!"

"Take a breath, Nina. We aren't looking for a fight. We just want to know who taught you those skills. Drake here is hoping to become an apprentice. And I have a few questions I'd like to ask your master in person."

Stella laid her cards on the table.

Nina shot a dark look at Drake. "So that's why you keep coming back to challenge me. You thought if you beat me, you could force me to introduce you?"

"Exactly," Drake admitted without hesitation.

Stella kept her eyes locked on Nina's face, analyzing every twitch of muscle.

But to her deep disappointment, Nina's blank confusion appeared entirely genuine. She truly didn't know anything about her grandfather.

Nina pulled a cigarette from a case, lit it, and blew a slow ring of smoke toward the ceiling.

"My master doesn't take visitors. And I am never going to tell you his name. With skills like yours, sweetheart, somebody must have trained you.

"Which means you should fully understand where I'm coming from. If I asked you who your master was, you wouldn't tell me either, would you?"

It wasn't about breaking a promise to Stella; it was about honoring an absolute oath to her mentor. Under no circumstances would she ever burn him.

Stella respected the code and didn't press the issue. "I understand. Since that's off the table, is there any other way for us to get into rooms with players even better than you?"