Magic Mansion by Jordan Price (best fiction books to read .txt) 📕

“It was a very close race. Let’s take a look at how each team did. Math Wizard Bev, you struggled through the circuit. If you had been able to complete your last run, you would have netted your team a total of four points. However, the clock ran out on you, and your final score was three.”

Bev nodded grimly. Monty wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know.

“Jia Lee, the luck of the draw was not on your side. The first peg you selected was green. And so you decided to take matters into your own hands…or, should I say, teeth. What was your strategy?”

“I could see the color of the peg once I pulled it out, Monty. And I wasn’t going to settle for another green.”

“Jia, with your unconventional methods, despite the poor start, you ended up scoring six points for the Red Team.”

Jia crossed her arms and nodded.

“Ricardo the Magnificent, you seemed right at home running that course. And you also didn’t end up with a single green peg. Your first run netted you a two-point white, your second run a coveted brown, and your third run another white. Your final tally is seven points.”

In John’s peripheral vision, Ricardo nodded. John didn’t dare turn to look and gauge his expression. Who knew how an on-camera “look” of any sort could be construed?

“Sue, you took quite a spill there.” Monty’s voice softened. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Monty. I’m tougher than I look.”

“Indeed. You picked yourself up and brought home one white peg and two browns, scoring a total of eight points for your team. Well done.”

Gold Team clapped. Kevin shook his head, fuming.

“Kevin Kazan, you were the only magician to bring four pegs back for your team. An impressive effort. Unfortunately, two of those pegs…were green. Your final score…is six.”

Kevin stared fixedly at the scoreboard and didn’t move a muscle. Neither Jia nor John commended him on his four complete runs. Jia, because she loathed him. John, because he was busy wondering how he’d gotten so carried away with the game that he’d given in to the temptation of pulling three brown pegs. Not one other contestant had drawn three pegs of the same color. Not one.

“And, of course, our big winner tonight with nine points is…Professor Topaz, our oldest remaining contestant at sixty-three years of age. Not only were you incredibly lucky with three brown pegs, Professor, but you sailed through that circuit faster than any other contestant. Our producers tell me you were an accomplished surfer in your day.”

As John admonished himself not only for choosing all three-point pegs, but for drawing the envy of every other player by also beating them in time, every handheld turned to him. And he realized he was expected to give a response. “Yes,” he said, searching for banter, and failing. “I was.”

There was a long silence, and Iain made a “keep going” motion.

John said, “I’ve always been fond of the ocean.”

When Monty saw John had nothing more to add, he said, “Well, you’ve certainly kept yourself in great shape and given all the younger players a run for their money. You, Professor Topaz, have proven yourself a force to be reckoned with.” Meant as a compliment, no doubt, but the other players didn’t need him to keep fanning the flames of malice. “That’s nine points to the Red Team, thanks to you.” Would he ever stop hammering it home? “That means Red Team has won their very first challenge. Well done, Professor. Well done, Red Team.”

John did his best to appear satisfied when, in fact, all he wanted to do was groan. He inclined his head gravely.

The final score read:

TIGER TRAINER CHALLENGE

RED TEAM - 21 points

Professor Topaz: 3 − 3 − 3 (Total 9)

Kevin Kazan: 2 − 1 − 2 − 1 (Total 6)

Jia Lee: 1 − 2 − 3 (Total 6)

GOLD TEAM - 18 points

Sue Wozniak: 2 − 3 − 3 (Total 8)

Ricardo the Magnificent: 2 − 3 − 2 (Total 7)

Math Wizard: 1 − 2 (Total 3)

“Red Team, please step forward.” John, Jia and Kevin separated themselves from the Gold Team. John put his hand on Jia’s shoulder—not so much as a show of support, but because his knees were shaking with more than the fatigue of running the challenge. Jia reached up and placed her hand over the back of his. Kevin crossed his huge arms. “As the victors in the Tiger Trainer Challenge, the Red Team has won the opportunity to make an important strategic decision. This choice will affect the course of the rest of the competition, so use it wisely.”

Jia squeezed John’s fingers. John tried to steady himself with a slow breath.

“Jia…Professor…Kevin…you may continue this challenge as the Red Team…or you may dissolve the teams entirely, and proceed as individual competitors. Consider your decision carefully, because once the team colors come off, there’s no going back.”

The end of Red Team would mean John would be free to ally with whomever he chose.

The end of Red Team would mean he could take Kevin out.

But the end of Red Team would also mean there’d be nowhere to hide. John would need to play hard to stay in the game. Even though that meant drawing the caustic envy of the other players, and worse, all the other players’ supporters, onto himself. If he did that, though, he’d be deflecting the spite from Ricardo’s True magic. So that was what he needed to do.

Before John could decide whether he would need to use reverse psychology on Kevin to make him dissolve the team, Kevin took two steps forward and said, “Monty, it’s time to see what everyone here got. I say bring it. I ain’t scared of y’all. Y’all want a piece of me? Come and get it. Fuck Gold Team. Fuck Red Team. ’Cos I’m gonna win dis thing. Me. Kevin Kazan.”

The set went deathly quiet, except for the sound of the wind rustling the palms. Iain lowered his phone, and said, “That’s fine.