“Your heart is made to crave conquest and conquering only,” she said. “Whether it be over a clan or a woman.” Ella set the knight down slowly, knowing his bishop had a straight diagonal line to it. Without a pawn to then take his bishop, it was a clean defeat, and he took the beautifully carved black horse to his growing circle of won pieces.

“There is no shame in losing to me,” he said, not sure how to respond to her comment. He’d always been praised for focusing on conquest. However, he’d never had a conversation with someone he had conquered before.

She moved her own bishop forward to a protected space and tipped her head. The gentle slope of her neck made his pulse thrum faster. One day he would slide his lips along it and make her shudder with passion.

“What happens if you lose some day?” she asked. “Will you shatter into a million pieces? Impale yourself on your sword for failing? Seek self-exile in shame?”

His brows lowered as he regarded her. “It is not something I contemplate, for if I fail to predict the actions of my opponent in battle, I will likely be dead.” He saw that his rook could move to a place that would easily take her bishop, but that would end the game and their conversation quickly. He slid his front pawn forward another space so she could take it.

Her slender fingers tugged and swirled a curl hanging against her cheek. “Did you predict that I would send a volley of arrows toward George Sinclair?” she asked without looking up.

The guilt that sat deep in his gut tightened. “No, and my father’s death lies upon my shoulders.”

“Because you did not predict my move to use all my archers to fire at one man?” She took his pawn.

He didn’t reply but slid his rook over to threaten her bishop.

She raised her face, her gaze finding his. “People are not chess pieces. They do not always follow rules of logical strategy.” She moved her bishop forward on the diagonal, exposing her queen.

“Often they do. They can become as predictable as a piece on a chessboard.” He moved a pawn between them instead of taking her queen, giving her a chance to escape.

“Sometimes they try new, risky ideas,” she said, sliding her queen all the way across the board to stop before his pawn.

He slid his rook up even with it. “Ye know I can take your queen there,” he said.

She shrugged. “Perhaps I am willing to make sacrifices as long as my king is safe,” she said and leaned forward, staring him directly in his eyes. The notes of blue in the gray of her irises fascinated him. “And maybe I think my opponent is purposely not acting aggressively so he can extend the game.” She leaned back with her palms braced on the bed.