Ace of Diamonds, The

by Nona Mae King

  ~~~

  “That’s the third hand I’ve won,” Locke stated as he threw down his cards. He crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair. “Cut the crap, Setzer. What’s the matter with you?”

  Setzer took up the cards. “I’m sorry, Locke. I suppose I’m a bit distracted.”

  “There’s an obvious understatement. You haven’t made mistakes like these since . . . Hell. You’ve never made mistakes like these.”

  “As I said before: I’m distracted.”

  Setzer shuffled the cards, but his mind wouldn’t focus. He still thought on what Edgar had said. Of revenge and its control. Of rage and its ability to change a person’s heart. Of keeping Terra from retaliating against the man who’d taken her children. Would I have been able to remain as firm if it were Marée? Will I remain as honorable if she is in danger? Setzer didn’t believe he would. Marée’s intoxication of his soul had become a part of his existence, odd as that seemed. If she was harmed in any way, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill those responsible.

  It was who he was.

  “Setzer, why did you go to Zozo?” Locke asked suddenly. “You’ve no love lost on that place, and I can’t believe you need money bad enough to show up just to play cards.” Locke began to toy with a boomerang-type weapon called Hawk Eye. “Come on, gambler. What’s up?”

  “I told you. Personal business.”

  Locke scoffed. “And what color eyes were they?”

  Setzer raised his calm expression from the cards. “My personal business is none of your concern, Cole. I suggest you keep your mind on your cards.”

  “Me? I’ve already won 1,100 gil from you. I’d say you’re the one needing to pay attention.” Locke grumbled. He put his toy away and grabbed the freshly dealt hand. “Geez. I ask a simple question and get my head nearly handed to me.” Locke discarded two cards and tossed some gil onto the table. “You and Edgar both need women,” he mumbled.

  I know, Setzer nearly moaned aloud, sparing a glance to Marée’s portrait. His chest tightened with a collision of memories and expectations, worry fanning the flames of their passion. When he saw her face again . . . Setzer drew his eyes back to his cards, but his mind wouldn’t go to the game. He relived her scent, her voice, her walk, and her very presence. When he saw her again, there would be no whisper of ‘not yet’.

  Locke tossed down his cards again. “If you’re not going to play like a man, then I’m not going to take your money. I’ve got some pride, you know.”

  Setzer blinked and lowered his cards, pushing back from the table to silently walk to the window behind his desk. He stared out at the passing scenery, hands clenched behind his back. How many days since I saw your face, Marée? Three? Yet it seemed longer. So much longer. He clenched his jaw and briefly itched at his scar.

  “Now that is a woman of the sea.”

  Setzer turned to see Locke examining the picture of Marée.

  Locke met Setzer’s eyes. “Darryl?”

  Setzer shook his head, and he couldn’t force himself to speak her name. At least he doesn’t also know her.

  Locke changed his eyes back to the portrait. “That daring look in her eye reminds me of you,” he observed with a smirk. “No wonder you’ve got her portrait.” Locke took a step closer and leaned in. “Hm.”

  A prickle chased dread down Setzer’s spine and back up again. “What is it?”

  “The ship.”

  “What about it?”

  “Seems like I’ve seen it before.”

  Setzer adjusted his crossed arms and turned his attention back to the scenery outside. “It’s a cargo vessel, Locke. Of course you’ve seen it.”

  “Yeah, but the name sounds familiar.” Locke gave a shrug and turned away from it. “Guess it doesn’t matter. So.” Locke leaned against Setzer’s desk and began fiddling with different items on his desk; a dagger letter opener, a broken magicite shard paper weight, and a collection of dice that Setzer had gathered on their varying adventures. “What’s her name?”

  Setzer clenched his jaw. “Marée.”

  “Where’d you meet her?”

  “Over a deck of cards.” Which wasn’t exactly a lie.

  Locke chuckled. “Figures.”

  Setzer could feel Locke’s stare on the back of his neck. But Locke kept his other questions to himself, much to Setzer’s surprise. Since acquiring his own personal completion, Locke had made it a goal to do the same for his friends. Setzer, who’d never cared for attempting to control his fate, rathered Luck take a hand in his ‘love life’.

  “Locke, no conniving or plots, if you please,” Setzer said in an odd voice. “I prefer Fate to have her own way.”

  “Suit yourself. Although how she’s going to do that when we’re busy tracking a snake, I’ve no idea.”

  Setzer surrendered to a smirk as he turned from the window and sat in his office chair. “The same way I met her in the first place. The same way you met Celes. The same way she deals the cards to all.”

  “The same way she dealt with Darryl?”

  Setzer’s smirk faded to a scowl.

  Locke straightened, setting the magicite shard carefully back on the stack of papers. “Sorry, gambler. That was out of line. I’ll go sit in the corner.”

  Setzer grabbed up the dice and clicked them within his hands. Like Darryl. His glare deepened, and his suspicion toward the Fates grew. Especially with how they seemingly liked to tease him.