Poker Kingdom I. The smile of the Harlequin

By Veronica Cervilla

Do you like Epic Fantasy? "Poker Kingdom" will take you through a magical journey where nothing is what it seems
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Forget about games. There was a time when Poker was a kingdom, chosen by the Gods to shelter the four elements. The protection of each Element was assigned to a Guardian from each of the Domains of the kingdom: Hearts, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds. The continuous conflicts arisen from the attempts to take over the Elements sunk the kingdom into the strictest government under the Council supervision and the Guardians identity was forced to be kept a secret. Poker remained in a masked peace for a long time until an incident in the Confines, a place for criminals and other who dared to break the rules, will threaten the balance of the universe and the future of the kingdom. Atenea, the warrior leader of the army of Spades, will be the one in charge to prevent the chaos from spreading along the Domains as she is forced to face her own past demons and question her loyalty to the kingdom and its rules. But she won't be alone in her quest...

˃˃˃ And you? Will you follow the rules or will you break them?
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• Language: English
• Publisher: Veronica Cervilla
• Release date: Dec 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370169764

Veronica Cervilla

Veronica Cervilla (1987) was born in southern Spain and has lived in different countries (U.K, USA, Peru, France,...) that have inspired her work. She's a fantasy and horror author who loves to challenge genre rules. After a major in Film Studies, she continued in the screenwriting field and has been a part of different film projects. Currently, she's the director of Spanish literary Magazine "Tartarus", nominated for an Ignotus Award. She's also bilingual in Spanish and English. Verónica Cervilla (1987) nació en el sur de España y ha vivido en diferentes países (Reino Unido, EE.UU, Perú, Francia,...) que han inspirado su trabajo. Es autora en el género de fantasía y terror y le encanta desafiar los roles de género. Tras estudiar Cinematografía, se especializó en guión y ha participado en diferentes proyectos cinematográficos. En la actualidad es la directora de la revista literaria "Tártarus", nominada a los Premios Ignotus. Además, es biluingüe de español e inglés.

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Ackowledgements

Idiscovered the kingdom of Poker by a wonderful coincidence be- tween imagination and reality. However, to make it something tangible has required help from other people.

I would like to start by thanking those who collaborated in the ma- king of this book: Judith Ruiz, for giving it visibility and support me as a writer; to my beta readers Belen Viera, Raquel Campos, Alex Jimenez, Ann Hernandez, Montse Robledo y Susana Escarabajal, for their immensenly useful feedback.; Covi Sanchez, for the text editing; and Wendy Clements for proofreading the English version of the story. Poker Kingdom has a little bit of everyone of you.

Secondly, I want to thank my mother for her support since I used to write short stories in my journal; my brother, because our complicity and common interest on fantasy worlds, dragons and medieval times have served as inspiration for this story; and my friends, for not only allowing me to live in my imaginary worlds but for encouraging me to share them with the world, too. I owe you the inspiration of every single story that comes our of my head.

Finally, I want to thank you who are about to immerse yourself in this story, because with every word you make its characters come to life.

Welcome to Poker Kingdom!

V. Cervilla

Chapter I

You’ll find no greater honesty than in a crowd of drunks. Odin had only entered the shack because he needed the liquor to warm his insides. None of those present were pleasing to him, but he had learned how to behave among criminals since he was little. The darkness of the tavern meant he couldn’t see any faces clearly and that was a good sign. It meant they couldn’t make his out either. His mind was like a missile moving a mile a minute, always chasing after an idea and plotting something. Being alert had been a habit for as long as he could remember and his ability to adapt to any situation was one of his most valuable assets.

Amidst the cries from thieves and intoxicated criminals, he could make out a murmured conversation.  He knew that a group of men whispering inside a tavern in the Confines was an unequivocal sign of danger. Led by his curiosity, he took a sip from his cup and stealthily approached the table where they were seated. He pulled the hood of his brown cloak over his head so as not to raise suspicion.

It’s impossible to get into the Earth Tower. We’d be killed before we set foot in the place, a gawky man said repeatedly to the other three, who were listening attentively.

First, we would have to get to the island, the most muscular one added. 

We can’t get there without going through the Domains, and then there are the warriors.

I’ll take care of them, said the giant again, tightly gripping the hilt of his knife.

There were two more short men at the table who never spoke a word but nodded and signed at each other. Odin was leaning on the wall, listening carefully from the shadows to every statement and tying up all the plan’s loose ends in his head.

Excuse me, gentlemen ... if I can call you that, he interrupted suddenly without leaving his place. Anyone who was listening to you would say that you are planning an attack on the Queen of Hearts. The four men turned their beady eyes towards him.

Are you lost? You have two seconds to turn around and be on your way, the giant warned, still toying with his knife.

Lost? He smiled. It’s interesting listening to a bunch of amateur thieves plotting how to enter the most highly protected Domain in the whole kingdom, he replied arrogantly and moving closer.

The soft light radiating from the lamp on the table illuminated Odin’s long face, allowing his identity to be revealed. The bold move seemed to catch them all off guard. All, except the gawky man.

Harlequin, he said surprised. I thought you were in hiding somewhere.

It’s been a while since someone last called me that, Euchare, he replied, looking away.

We are looking for the treasure the Queen of Hearts keeps inside the Earth Tower.

You want to steal the Element? he laughed loudly. "You?

Enough! Who do you think you are? the muscular man shouted at Odin, grabbing him by the neck with his huge hand. The other two silent men looked a the intruder with angry eyes so as to support their fellow thief.

Let him go, Zeta. We don’t want to make a scene, Euchare demanded.

Odin smiled mockingly. Many stories have been told, but that is the only Element that has been located.

Oh, I can assure you that reality outdoes any story you have been told, old friend, Odin responded, narrowing his eyes. Knowing you, I’d think you already had a plan...

It might be that this encounter has turned into a happy coincidence. I want the four Elements. The determination of his words silenced the rest of the group.

You don’t know what you are saying, Harlequin. We don’t have enough information for such a risky mission. Besides, might I remind you that we would have to kill the Guardians and that the warriors outnumber us. It’s a suicide mission. Euchare paused. This doesn’t add up. Why? Only one Element would be enough to demand all the kingdom’s wealth in return. Why the four of them? Do you want to be king now?

Odin moved closer to the thieves until he was just a few inches away and said quietly. Help me get the four Elements and take the wealth of the four Domains, if you want.

Euchare stared at him with his piercing eyes, as he allowed his head to make a decision.

Think of your family, Euchare.

The cries from the outlaws that resonated around the sinister room and the drunken fights that broke out, carried on in blissful ignorance of a conversation that threatened to change the course of events. In a corner two men fought against each other and gravity, staggering every time they were hit by their opponent. A small crowd cheered as pitchers of liquor passed from hand to hand. Others slept so soundly on the filthy floor that they didn’t even move a muscle when someone poured wine over their heads.

We must get out of the Confines first. How are you planning on slipping past the warriors that patrol the borders? Euchar asked quietly.

Odin threw down a little black velvet bag. The criminal looked inside.

I’m listening.

A SHIVER RIPPLED ITS way under the sheets, and shuddered through Judith’s body in the middle of the warm night. A bad feeling hung in the air, making her heart beat faster. Her eyes flew open in fright and she looked around her in search of a sign. The king remained asleep beside her, undisturbed.

We are in danger, Judith whispered to herself.

She lay down with her long, bright red hair resting in a braid on her shoulder, and spent the whole night lying awake trying to ignore the premonitions that tormented her: premonitions which had been both a gift and a curse. We all have an internal voice that whispers to us from time to time in a language only we can decipher. Some people call it conscience, others intuition. Don’t do it; you can’t trust her; listen to me. In her case, the voices floated inside her head, becoming stronger as she continued to ignore them. It had been happening since she was a little girl. At the beginning she thought she had gone insane, but then she started to pay attention and realised they weren’t there to disturb her. Everything carried on as normal while they were showing her positive messages, but she suddenly began to receive warnings, as she called them, about negative events that were about to happen. They were never completely clear but rather like an alarm that went off inside her letting her know something was on its way.

She had made such a great effort to keep it all under control since taking her throne as the Queen of Hearts, that even the thought of something disturbing the established order brought a lump to her throat. Keep the balance. That had been the task assigned to her and to which she must dedicate herself until her last breath. Her attempt to rest was interrupted by Magnus.

You are still in bed? We have business to discuss, said the king harshly from the bedroom door.

Did something happen?

Do you need something to happen in order to sit on your throne? You have a kingdom to lead. Get up and start acting like a queen, he said, slamming the door after him.

Magnus was a tall and well-built man despite having been raised in Hearts, the Domain reserved for the contemplative life, which never seemed intimidating to Judith. Strength was only one of the many weapons that could be used to control someone. The queen gazed unseeing at the huge, wooden bedroom door as she thought about everything she had had to give up in order to protect the most important Element of the four. That duty had brought with it the obligation to accept her role as queen of Hearts; no questions asked, no option to consider why the gods had chosen her long before she was born, no way to turn down such a demanding mission. And with it also came the company of the king.

It was her duty to lead the kingdom alongside a king, just as the previous Guardians of the Earth Element had done before her. In her Domain, accepting any custom that came from the past was typical behaviour. The weight of the years of repetition was all the tradition needed to impose respect and remain forever. Despite the rage that invaded her body, the memory of the bad premonition pushed her out of bed. She rushed to the main hall where Magnus and her loyal protector Étienne awaited her impatiently.

I’m glad you finally decided to honour us with your presence, your Majesty, said Magnus sarcastically as he bowed.

I don’t have time for your childish attention seeking, Magnus. The kingdom is in danger.

What are you talking about?

I’ve heard them again. Something is about to happen, something that will change the world as we know it, Judith explained with her big, black eyes wide. Étienne, what’s happening outside the Tower in the Domains?

We haven’t received news of any incidents, your Majesty.

The fatherly tone of Étienne stood out above the constant tension between the monarchs, forced to get along for the sake of the kingdom and its inhabitants.

Ugh, those voices again. Magnus complained. They had been quiet for too long, I suppose.

"We must bring