pawns

"Rora, what's going on?" she asked, concern etched on her face as I watched her wave her hands in front of me. She was trying to rouse me from my thoughts, but my mind was still stuck on the king and our enigmatic conversation in the garden.

Soka's dark skin glistened in the dim light of the kitchen, her curves accentuated by the simple white dress she wore. Her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, but I detected a hint of sadness lurking beneath. "Where did you go?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

I shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Just lost in thought, that's all." But Soka wasn't buying it. She knew me too well. "Who is he?" she asked, her voice low and conspiratorial as she dried the wooden bowl with a towel.

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I tried to play dumb. "Who?"

Soka rolled her eyes, her thick braids swaying with the motion. "Don't give me that, Aurora. I know the look, and this is definitely it." She was ri