Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 100: Table of Fortunes

When night fell, the hour stole colour from the sky over the town of Brackenwell. The streets had turned mostly deserted with lanterns burning along the narrow roads.

Harold Belmont pulled his coat tighter around himself as he walked. His footsteps moved quickly as if he had somewhere important to be. He finally arrived at an establishment where one could hear the clatter of coins and chatter.

Straightening his shoulders, Mr. Belmont pushed the door and stepped inside.

"Rough day, Belmont?" one of the regulars called out, eyeing the bruise darkening Harold’s cheek. "Looks like fortune finally hit back."

"Quite literally," another remarked, which had a few men snort.

Mr. Belmont’s mouth tightened and he snapped, "Mind your business. As if you are any better than me," he muttered under his breath.

"Shall I pour you a glass?" asked the owner of the place.

"I don’t need the cheap thing. Bring me something decent," Mr. Belmont said with a wrinkled sneer.

"Of course, only the best. Though you know it needs to be paid up front," the owner informed with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Mr. Belmont shot him a look of pure disdain. Once upon a time, he would have never been spoken to in such a manner. In the past, men used to rise when he entered a room.

He had been a respectable man once who was nearly seated at the courthouse, almost counted among men of importance. Men bowed at him but then the damn war had ruined everything. He was swept aside and was left in a corner of the world that no longer cared for his name.

With a begrudging expression, Mr. Belmont produced a few shillings from his pocket and dropped them into the man’s palm.

"Thank you," the owner bowed and said, "I’ll have your drink brought over."

Mr. Belmont’s eyes drifted across the room as he weighed each man in there, searching for the weakest hands.

Then he noticed a particular table at the back of the room. Unlike the others, where dull copper coins lay in meagre piles, this one gleamed with silver and some pieces of gold.

Now that was a table worthy of him and his hope rose quickly. That was the money that could change his week or month!

Seeing how the three men seated there finished a round of the game, he made his way to the table while his cane clicked lightly against the floor.

"I was so close," one of them complained, tossing his cards onto the table. He watched the other member at the table push the coins before setting them aside. "Another hand and I would have had you."

"Being close to winning doesn’t matter. You still lost, Stuart," the dirty blond man replied with a smirk.

"You were just lucky, Jay," Stuart rolled his eyes.

Mr. Belmont paused beside them, letting his presence announce itself. But when no one paid attention to him, he spoke, "Gentlemen, mind if I join you?"

He rested a hand on the back of an empty chair, already assuming the answer would be yes.

"Do you have the money?" Jay asked, raising his brows as he sized up Mr. Belmont.

"I do," Mr. Belmont replied with confidence.

"Then take a seat. The more the merrier, don’t you agree, gentlemen?" Jay gestured to the empty chair.

Mr. Belmont accepted at once, sitting comfortably in it as if he hadn’t been hit by the debt collectors this morning.

they were given to each of the four players. Mr. Belmont was more than pleased to notice

in his chair with

of Mr. Belmont was quick to discard his cards.

with maddening slowness. It made Mr. Belmont increasingly impatient. The only good thing was that this person dropped cards that he needed and it

Mr. Belmont thought. He would be more than happy to take it from

final card, he slid it neatly into his hand and revealed his set with a

though I have won this round." He then reached for the

seem to have lost this round

me is no small feat," Jay remarked to Harold. "You must

was going to agree to Jay when

deal of experience without ever winning," the gentleman looked at his own cards before

"Pardon me? If you didn’t know, experience

"Though the two often

He tapped his winning cards and stated, "Keep your wit. I will keep

he proudly gathered the gleaming pile of coins with obvious satisfaction. Glancing at the gentleman

are taking notes. This is what competence looks like when it is

sitting on the right did not answer. He only set his cards down with a

Belmont’s chest as luck continued to favour him.

Cards that had earlier fallen neatly into his favour now betrayed

Mr. Belmont grumbled, tossing his cards down in frustration. It was alright, he convinced himself. The night was still

coin idly between his fingers. "I cannot allow you to

to the right, he caught the gentleman merely gathering the cards and straightening them with quiet efficiency, as if the loss or gain of coins meant very little to him. He noticed the

been at it for

Belmont asked at once, unable to hide his dismay. One of his golden geese leaving already? "Surely another round will

the same way," Jay replied

suggested. He leaned back in his chair as if he had

person produced a heavy pouch and let it

"Two hundred gold coins."

his breath caught,

Two hundred gold coins could clear his debts in a single night. He could already imagine it. All it required was one fortunate

what Mr. Belmont had observed, out of

followed suit, placing their

playing now," the gentleman on Mr.

backing away now. This was not recklessness. It was

playing with their wealth, he thought with scorn. He had spent years at such tables. He understood the game far better than they

the shoulder. "It seems you will have to leave the table and join somewhere

cards were gathered and shuffled anew. Before the cards could be dealt, Mr. Belmont stood up from his chair and

something

on the table, then. No need to be shy," Stuart

Mr. Belmont replied as he picked up his cane. "Give me a

rummaging through drawers. He wondered where he had kept

luck was on his side today, and he would change his and his family’s fate. And while he looked through, an anxious Mrs.

have been waiting for you. There is something you must hear. Caroline wore the earrings Ruelle brought from

asked absently, not bothering to look at

"Harold, listen to me! Those earrings—they create some sort of contract between humans and

exclaimed, triumphantly pulling a bundle

"Harold—"

winnings. "Here. Keep these safe. I will