The Last Chess Game
sed since Victor
range occurrences
rearranged itself overnight, p
ust for a moment, every
onent always responded with Blackwood's exact strate
me had
invitati
r his door, its seal marked
a sing
dmaster's
like no
u wish to
sclosed upon
ith you
ard, a chess notation
ht to
stomach
sn't done w
-
foolish enou
d Elena. They met in Celeste's dimly l
uttered, tossing an identica
eld up he
to her bag. "Mine... was delivered to my bedro
ence fell o
th a quiet curse.
means we need to find
'Grandmaster's Tournament'? It h
is arms. "And
slowly. "Then w
he picked up a pen
n to
t the paper, his phone
nament w
had jus
-
te estate outside the city, hid
cars, taxis, and even limousines-men and women from all over the world, s
nnamed geniuses who had vanished
d received the
The chandeliers flickered. The walls seemed too quiet. The air c
was a massive chessboard, engrav
beside it, his face obscured
id, his voice ca
ve been
-
ntroduced himself s
r," he announced. "Each of you will face an oppo
toward Victor. "Some of you alre
s skin
ssboard. "Win, and you may ask one qu
his eyes. "A
ter didn
hand-and the doors be
mes ha
-
chamber, where a single wooden c
t was alrea
er eyes sharp, her
r a long moment, t
efore," she said softly.
th caught. "Y
And the other
racing. "Then you know wha
first piece-
" she murmured,
-
is opponent's every expression. She
as if the air grew heavie
mething
into position, the wal
longer in
ding in Bla
him, but now... Blackwood
id, his voice smooth and k
e pounded. Th
t you should know-winning the
d hovered ov
you mean?
wood
out winning or los
ho takes the
chest t
pieces were still in play, but t
bore Blackwoo
re hi
-
rly woman-spoke softly, dr
ing to see it
mbled. "This isn't
head. "It's
to him. The players never just vani
e was looking fo
d to make
ensuring his
ay to break
oman moved he
he
. If he won, he cou
it would be the quest
ard and reache
ckma
-
-