Lucy glared at Charles. “You can’t gamble a girl’s life for a stupid boat!”

“In Moonbright, you can gamble anything, lass. Trust me.” Charles folded his hands on the table, grinning at Walton like a sneak weasel. “So mate, what game are we playing? High-Bid? Liar’s dice?”

Walton rubbed his cigar on the edge of the table. “No, I be bored wit' cards 'n dices now. We be playin' me most fav'rit. Battle Fleet!”

The wolf shrugged. “That sounds better than High-Bid.”

“What is Battle Fleet?” Lucy asked.

“It is a guessing war game,” Charles whispered. “We call the other’s token position on their grid without looking. Whoever collects all the tokens from the opponent’s side, wins. The tokens represent ships, and the grid marks the token’s location.”

“Oh, just like battling a fleet inside a fog!”

“Except it is all about luck, lass”

Lucy still wanted to punch Charles’s face, hard enough to make his blood spill across the floor. If he loses, Lucy will be struck with Walton for the rest of her life, unless a player sends him drowning into the sea. What if the cat has perverted crewmates who would keep begging her to striptease on the deck? She heard many horrors about women being harassed by their all-male crewmates. Only the strong women could keep the crew’s dirty hands off their bums. Lucy can grow stronger, but Walton’s crew might be stronger than her. Her father once said if you weren’t sure, don’t risk it. Too bad her life now rested in the damn wolf’s hands.

The dealer placed two grid boards on the table and a tall board between them so the opponents couldn’t see their boards. Charles received five black tokens and one hundred red tokens. The board has one hundred ten x ten squares, labeled by letters and numbers. Lucy guessed the black tokens were the ships and the red tokens mark the attack. Although her life was in Charles’s hands, all she could do was watch.

“Any bids?” The dealer asked.

Walton held up his finger. “ Me ship, th' Iron Maiden.” He turned his finger toward Lucy. “Against that beautiful lass.”

The dealer shrugged and stepped back from the table. “All bids are now placed. You may begin.”

Lucy placed her hands on the wolf’s shoulders. “You better win this. For my sake!”

Charles rubbed her hand. “No worries, lass. I am a pro.”

“How many times did you win?”

“Ten times.” Charles grinned.

“Dona listen t' 'im, lass!” Walton shouted, placing his black tokens down behind the board. “I beat 'im in every game we played. Ye will be servin' me crew forever! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Butterflies swirled inside Lucy’s belly while her tail lowered between her legs.

“Oh shut it, Walton.” Charles placed his black tokens on the board, spreading them around the center separately. Their position appeared in a house shape, hopefully, hard enough for the fat cat to hit.

“A, 10!” Charles placed the red token on the upper corner square.

“Miss!” Walton replied. “E,10!”

Charles shook his head. “Miss.”

Walton stroked his fluffy beard. “How about C, 5.”

Charles frowned. “Hit.” He removed the black token off the grid and handed it to Walton.

The fat cat stared at the shiny black token and rubbed it between his fingers. “First blood, me lad. Are ye usin' yer galleon position?”

Charles narrowed his eyes. “What makes you think that?”

“A fellow once told me if th' first token be C, five. If that's th' case, yer opponent be most likely arranged his pieces in a galleon shape.”

“What if he is buffing?”

Walton chuckled. “I know th' galleon position pretty well. If I be wrong, yer chances are safe. Yer turn, matey.”

Charles took a deep breath and stared at his grid. "G, 5."

"Miss! D, 4."

Charles smirked. "You missed it too."

"Did I? E, 3!"

"Hit." Charles handed his black token to the cat.

Walton chuckled while hissing through his fangs."

Ye see, matey? I know th' galleon position. Maybe nah accurately, but I know how t' draw it out. Heeheehee! F, 3!"

Charles shook his head. "Miss."

Walton shook his claw up. "Nah next time."

Lucy massaged her temple. Charles lost three-two tokens, and he has caught none of Walton’s pieces. If Walton could track Charles’s other tokens by calling the spots close to them as Charles kept missing, the fat cat would win for sure. Somehow Charles needed to know the closet spots where Walton’s tokens were located. But how?

Lucy glanced around. All the spectators stood around the table like a wall, and the dealer was watching Charles and Walton closely to make sure they weren't peeking over the board.

Wait, a minute! If the dealer could see both the grids from his position, then Lucy could get near him to look at Walton’s side. Charles could win quickly if he knew where Walton’s tokens were exactly at.

She hated cheating, but she doesn't want to become Walton’s cabin girl on a dirty ship. Who knew how disrespectful his crew might be.

The only way to get a close look, Lucy would need to use her sheath skill. She would get kicked out if the dealer noticed she was spying on the cat. All she needed was one peek. And then her memory will catch the grid's image.

"Stall him," Lucy whispered behind Charles.

The wolf peeked at her. "What?"

"Stall him until I come back."

"Wha' are ye two whisperin' about?" Walton shouted, nearly making Lucy jumped off her feet.

"Okay." Charles grinned at the cat. "Oh, calm down. I'm still thinking."

Walton crossed his arms. "Hurry up then. Me throat be gettin' thirsty fer some rum."

Lucy held up her hand. "I need to use the ladies' room."

The otter dealer pointed his finger up. "On the second floor, but we do not allow bids to leave the table."

"Pleeeassssa! I need to go!"

"I am sorry, but-"

"Geez, let th' beauty go," Walton exclaimed. "I don't wants t' see a cur piss on th' floor nigh me."

The dealer nodded. "You have two minutes, or else your bidder forefits the game."

Lucy glanced at the stairs and smiled. "Thank you."

At the top, she could look down at the entire lobby. Since the ledge was over the left corner, she could see Walton’s grid without being seen.

She squeezed through the spectators and raced up the stairs. On the second floor, she stood over the corner and gazed down.

Yes! Lucy and Charles and Walton’s table.

The cat's tokens were in a T position on his grid board.

B, 2.

B, 5.

B, 9.

E, 5.

I, 5.

Lucy memorized the coordinates and strolled down the stairs. Charles hasn't made a move yet, which was a good thing. He cannot let Walton keep his advantage.

When Lucy approached Charles's back, the cat knocked on the table. "Ahoy? Ahoy? Make a move, damnit!"

"I saw his tokens," Lucy whispered. "B, 2. B, 5. B,9. E,5. And I, 5."

Charles smirked and kissed Lucy’s hand. "You are my lucky charm."

Lucy’s cheeks blushed. That was nice of him, but Lucy was still too nervous about getting sold to Walton.

"Are yer ears open?" Walton shouted.

Charles turned toward his grid. "Yeah, yeah. I finally made my decision."

Walton laughed. "Did ye decide t' lose on purpose?"

Charles scratched the back of his neck. "Not lightly. B,2."

Walton stared at his grid and shrugged. "Lucky hit." He handed the token to the wolf and sat back down with his ladies. "G,3."

Charles grinned, sucking in his confidence. "Missed. B,5."

"Wha'?" Walton stared at his grid. "Meow! I still 'ave th' upper hand!" He gave Charles his second black token. "H,3."

Charles was now down to two black tokens. If the cat could take longer to find Charles’s other tokens, Charles would still have the chance.

Charles yawned while covering his mouth. "B,9."

The audience gasped.

Walton glared. "Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!”

We both have two tokens left." He slid the third black token to the wolf. "You expect me to be scared in my pants? We both 'ave two tokens left. Ye expect me t' be scared in me pants?"

"No." Charles flipped the black token. It landed near his black token pile. "I expect to win this game so I can take back what is rightfully mine."

Walton drummed the table while chuckling. "Ye know I already completed half yer ship. All I needed be draw th' other side t' win. Ye dunno where me other tokens are. Heeheehee!"

Charles clenched his hands as he rested his elbows on the table. "Do I know?"

Walton narrowed his eye, studying the wolf’s face. "Ye only got lucky hits. Luck doesn't stay wit' ye forever, scallywag."

"Oh, really." Charles held up his red token. "Make your guess."

Walton mumbled, drumming his fingers. "D,6."

Charles placed his red token down on to the square. "Miss."

He shot his glaring eyes at the cat, smelling like a devil. "E,5."

Everyone howled in amazement.

"Blow me down!" The cat tapped back, but he gripped on the table before he fell off his seat. He stared closely at his grid and glared at Charles. "How did ye know?"

"Perhaps I am full of luck tonight." Charles chuckled and wiggled his fingers to Walton. "Now hand it over."

Walton tightened his fists. It looked like he was ready to explode. His concubines covered their mouths, shocked at his terrifying behavior.

He soon grabbed his black token and tossed it.

Charles caught the token and placed it down. "Now that is a good sport."

Walton pointed his claw at Charles. "Somethin' fishy be sailin' around here."

Charles sniffed the air. “I don’t smell something fishy. But I do smell fragrance and tobacco in here.”

“Ye be th' one smellin' fishy here! Somehow ye knew me secret positions without lookin'!”

Charles raised an eyebrow. “What is your proof?”

Walton frowned. “I don't know, but somehow you know. Maybe your girly girl sneaked behind my back to look.”

Charles pointed his thumb at Lucy. “She only went to use the chamber pot.”

“Ye be lyin'! I can tell if ye keep makin' accurate guesses that ye shouldn't know-”

“Can we continue, please?”

The cat paused, tightening his left fist. “E,7!”

Charles picked up his black token and flung it to the cat. “Hit.”

Walton caught the token and laughed as he glared at Lucy. “Prepare t' serve me crew forever, lass! If ye don't keep them drunk, they will-”

“I,5!” Charles shouted.

Walton dropped his mouth. “WHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAT!?”

“I,5. Did you hear me?”

The fat cat shook his fits up, shouting like a baby throwing a tantrum temper. He screamed so loud, his cat ladies walked away to move away from him. He pointed his finger back at Charles. “Cheater!”

“I didn’t cheat.”

“Ye be a liar 'n a cheater!”

Charles pointed his two fingers at his glaring eyes. “Look at me. Do these eyes say I was cheating?”

Walton tugged the dealer’s sleeve. “Tell me ye saw 'im do somethin' suspicious!”

The otter dealer shook his head. “Sorry, I noticed nothing. Your challenger is the winner.”

The spectators applauded and one fox lady kissed Charles’s cheek. His face turned red, and he laughed with a laugh. “Thank you! Thank you!”

He rose over the table and held out his hand toward the cat. “Now will you kindly escort us to my ship? We got a long journey ahead of us.”

Walton bit his lip, still glaring at the wolf. Then he suddenly laughed and shook the wolf’s hand. “Sure, matey! I shall brin' ye t' yer ship. But can ye wait fer me at the Dusty Swan Tavern? I 'ave t' loot a leak afore leavin' this hostel.”

“Don’t take too long.”

“Say that t' me bladder. I couldn't stop drinkin' th' fine wine here.” Walton laughed as he left the table.

Lucy sighed. “That was close.”

“I said trust me.” Charles smiled.

Lucy pointed her claw at him. “Do that again, and you won’t have a mouth to smile with.”

Charles shrugged. “Fair enough.”