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LXII - Shadows on the Board

Author: Andy Whitte
last update Last Updated: 2024-07-04 20:06:24
The night draped Khalid’s estate in a silent veil, but I knew the calm was only an illusion. Every word of his proposal kept echoing in my mind, mixing with Maddox’s warning and the anonymous message. *Not all the players on this board are who they claim to be.*

I couldn’t sleep.

The weight of uncertainty, the feeling of being watched, the ever-present danger in every conversation… it all built up in my chest like a knot impossible to untangle.

I got out of bed and approached the window. The desert breeze lightly moved the curtains, and in the distance, beyond the meticulously maintained gardens, the darkness of the desert stretched like an endless abyss. Something told me I wasn’t the only one awake tonight.

The buzzing of my device broke the silence.

**Maddox.**

*"I need you to get out of there."*

My heart pounded.

*"What are you saying?"* I responded immediately.

*"It’s not safe. Leave now."*

I frowned. Maddox wasn’t the type of man to react impulsively
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