“Weelll, I don’t normally play cards with magicians, and I’ve heard that Skeeve here is supposed to be pretty good in that department. Maybe he’s good enough that you just can’t catch him at it.”
I was starting to get a little nervous. I mean, I wasn’t using magic . . . and even if I was going to, I wouldn’t know how to use it to rig a card game. The trouble was that Grunk looked perfectly capable of tearing my arms off if he thought I was cheating. I began racking my brain for some way to convince him without admitting to everyone at the table just how little I knew about magic.
“Relax, Grunk. Mr. Skeeve’s a good player, that’s all. Just because he wins doesn’t mean he’s cheating.”
That was Pidge, the only other human-type in the game. I shot him a grateful smile.
“I don’t mind someone winning,” Grunk muttered defensively, “But he’s been winning all night.”
“I’ve lost more than you have,” Pidge said, “and you don’t see me griping. I’m tellin’ you Mr. Skeeve is good. I’ve sat in on games with the Kid, and I should know.”
“The Kid? You’ve played against him?” Grunk was visibly impressed.
“And lost my socks doing it,” Pidge admitted wryly. “I’d say that Mr Skeeve here is good enough to give him a run for his money, though.”
“Gentlemen? Are we here to talk or to play cards?” the Geek interrupted, tapping the deck meaningfully.
“I’m out,” Pidge said, rising to his feet. “I know when I’m out-classed even if I have to go in the hole before I’ll admit it. My marker still good. Geek?”
“It’s good with me if nobody else objects.”