Chapter Sixteen: The Blind Man

The town was filthy, but the tavern was worse. The smell of cheap ale and unwashed bodies clung to the air, thick and suffocating.

I had little gold left, barely enough for a drink, but it was better than nothing. As I stepped inside, my eyes were drawn to a strange sight in the corner of the room.

A blind man sat at a small table, running a game.

Three cups. One gold coin.

He spun the cups around with careful precision, his fingers moving with an ease that made it seem effortless. People lined up, placing their bets, choosing wrong every time.

I stayed back. I watched.

One after another, they lost. Some cursed. Some shook their heads in disbelief. But all of them walked away poorer than before.

Soon, the crowd dispersed, leaving only him and me.

I walked up to the table, crossing my arms. "You're cheating, aren't you?"

The blind man smiled, his head tilting slightly. "Cheating? No, no. It's just that they don't expect the coin to be where it should be.

"They all expect me to cheat. They all expect me to be unfair. And so... they just lose."**

His voice was calm, almost amused. It made my blood boil.

I nearly punched him. Just to see if he'd flinch.

And he did.

"Not so blind, huh?"

He laughed, the sound light and unbothered. "Not everything is what it seems."

And that's when it hit me.

I didn't need to find a cure for the queen.

I just needed to pretend I had found one.

A strong illusion, mixed with the right potion, would be enough to fool the king.

My heart raced at the realization.

I turned back to the blind man, giving him a single nod. "Thanks."

He only grinned.

I took the last of my gold, paid for a room, and went upstairs to sleep.