Game of Chance

“Ya know,” Alex said, lounging against the bars of the cage, “if agreeing to this deal is your way of trying to apologize for getting us into this mess, it doesn’t really count if you’re already planning your defeat.”

Jazz sighed as she tied her hair back so she could think. “Shut up Alex.”

“Oh I’m sorry for being concerned about you gambling both of our lives.”

“I said shut up.” Jazz stood, her back still to the cage. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Forgive me for doubting you, but you really don’t have the best track record to prove that.”

“Alex.” Jazz reached through the bars of the cage to grab his hand and squeeze it tight. “For once in our lives, can you just trust me?”

Alex sighed, and Jazz felt the cage vibrate as his head fell against the bars. “I want to go home,” he said lowly. “I want to see my father again.”

“I know.” Jazz squeezed his hand again. “I’ll get us out of this Alex. Please, just trust me.”

“If you don’t, just know I will hold it against you,” Alex warned.

“Yeah yeah, I know.”

They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, and Jazz and Alex both straightened up. The door opened, revealing their captor and his guards.

“Hello again Jasmine, Alex.”

Shivers ran down Jazz’s spine. “Jason,” she greeted coolly.

The sorcerer Jason smiled lazily at her. “Have you had a chance to think about our deal?” he asked. “A game to decide your fate?”

“Be careful Jazz,” Alex breathed in her ear.

Jazz took a deep breath. “You promise if I win, you’ll let us both go free? Absolutely no tricks or hidden clauses somewhere?”

“No tricks. Your freedom, as you were before you stumbled upon my domain,” Jason agreed. “But if you lose, you remain here with me. And for your bravery in challenging me alone, I’ll give you free reign to wander and do as you please, short of leaving.”

Alex squeezed her fingers in silent support. Jazz nodded slightly. “Okay. I accept.”

Jason held out his hand, fingers sparkling with magic, and Jazz pulled away from Alex to take it, magically sealing the deal between them.

Jason’s smile grew. “Wonderful.” He snapped his fingers, and a table and two chairs appeared. “How do you feel about dice? I figure a game of chance is our best bet, so neither of us accidentally outmatches the other.”

“How do I know you won’t rig it somehow?” Jazz asked with a frown.

Jason laughed. “It would be no fun if you didn’t have a fighting chance,” he replied. “But, if you’re worried, here.” With a wave of his hand, the table moved to rest against the bars of Alex’s cage. “Your cousin can watch and make sure I don’t rig it, as long as he doesn’t communicate with you.”

“Got it.” Alex pushed away from the bars and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I can do that.”

“Alright.” Jazz slid into one of the seats. “Explain the rules to me.”

“It’s quite simple.” Jason settled across the table from her. “We roll at the same time,” With another snap, five dice appeared in front of Jazz, “you choose a number and guess how many dice landed on that number. I can either challenge or bet that more dice landed on that number. If I bet, you then challenge or bet, so on so forth until one of us challenges the bet. With me so far?”

“Yup.”

“Good. So once the bet is challenged, we reveal our dice, count them up, and if the bet is met or exceeded, the better wins. Otherwise, challenger wins. Loser removes one die and gets to bet first next round. Winner is whoever still has dice left at the end. And if we get to the point where we both only have one die left, we bet on the sum of the dice instead.  Got it?”

“Seems simple enough.” Jazz scooped up her dice with a shrug. “Let’s go.”

It didn’t take long for Jazz to get a hang of the game, even if it was purely chance and probability. It was rather evenly matched as well, and Jazz lost just as many rounds as she won.

Finally, they were down to the final two dice. It was Jason’s bet, so Jazz rolled her single remaining die, then watched Jason. Unfortunately, Jason had a flawless poker face that gave nothing away as he said, “Seven.”

Jazz could practically feel Alex’s gaze on her as she thought. On one hand, she really wasn’t good at figuring out probability stuff. But on the other, she currently had a five, which meant that unless he had a one, Jason would win if she challenged him right now. And Jazz wasn’t willing to hand over defeat that easily.

“Eight.”

Another pause. If Jazz knew her cousin, he was probably internally yelling right about now. Whether it was at Jazz, Jason, or the universe in general though, only Alex knew.

“I’ll challenge that.” And Jason raised his hand to reveal a two.

Jazz sat back with a curse. There was really no way she could have won that round.

“I really hope whatever you planned works,” Alex muttered to her.

Jason examined the dice, then hummed. “If it’s any consolation, you fought bravely,” he said as he stood.

“It’s not.” Jazz took a deep breath, standing as the table disappeared to wherever it came from. “So. Let me get this clear real quick. I have the same freedom, the same power you do here, except I can’t leave?”

“Correct.” There was a small smirk on Jason’s face that Jazz didn’t know if she liked. But she pushed aside her discomfort, because Alex needed her to be strong right now.

“Okay.” Jazz turned to look at the guards standing by the cage’s door. “Let him go.”

The guards glanced at each other, then at Jason. Jason’s smirk grew. “You heard her. Release him.”

Without any further hesitation, the guards unlocked the cage. Before they had a chance to open the door themselves, Alex burst through the door to tackle Jazz in a hug.

“That was so stupid,” he whispered in her ear.

“Yeah, well,” Jazz sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. “I told you I had a plan for my defeat.”

“What now?”

“You go home.”

“What?” Alex pulled away to look at Jazz. “What do you mean?”

“The deal,” Jazz said, turning to look at Jason even as she spoke to Alex, “was that if I lost, I had to stay. And while it was implied that you would also stay, it was never explicitly stated. Therefore, since I’m sure Jason is a man of his word, you can go home.”

“Clever girl,” Jason chuckled.

“No.” Alex was shaking his head before Jazz was even finished speaking. “No way, I’m not leaving you Jazz—”

“Hey.” Jazz cupped his face in her hands. “I’ll be fine. You heard him, at least I’ll be treated well. And I’m sure I can figure out some deal for my own freedom.”

“Jazz—”

“Tell my parents.” Jazz stepped closer and lowered her voice. “And if I’m not home by the full moon, come find me.”

“Okay.” Alex drew her close and kissed her forehead. “We’ll come for you.”

“Good.” Jazz held on for a moment longer, then stepped back and turned to Jason. “So?”

Jason waved a hand at his guards. “Escort him to the edge of my domain. I’m sure he’ll be able to find his way home from there, no?”

Alex nodded, though his hand found Jazz’s and squeezed. Jazz returned the gesture, then pulled her hand away as the guards came for Alex.

As they led him out of the room though, Alex turned and met Jazz’s eye one last time. Jazz recognized that look on her cousin’s face. Somehow, she doubted he would wait for her to try and wiggle her way out herself.

Once the door closed behind Alex, Jason chuckled. “Well, you certainly are an interesting one, aren’t you?”

Jazz turned to face him. “What now?”

“You are free to wander, if you wish,” Jason replied. “Or, perhaps another game?” He held out his hand, sparkling with the same binding magic as earlier.

Jazz glanced at his hand, then smirked. “What are the terms?”