Under the Same Sky [BOYXBOY]

Chapter 70

Azrael placed a chess set in front of Samuel with a loud thump, causing him to look up from his work. He eyed the wooden board carefully as Azrael slid into the seat before him.

'What are you doing?' he asked warily as Azrael took out the pieces and began to arrange them on the board.

'We are going to play chess,' Azrael announced happily.

'Let me rephrase, why are we going to do that?'

Azrael shrugged. 'No reason, I was just in the mood for it. Besides, you would be surprised by the number of things you can learn about a person from the moves they make. I've found that a game of chess provides an interesting window into how your opponent's mind works.'

'That's all well and good,' Samuel replied. 'But there's just one little problem.'

Azrael looked up curiously. 'Oh? And what is that?'

'I'm not very good.'

'All the more reason this is necessary. I can't believe Jayden has neglected your education this badly. I ought to have a word with him.'

'Do we have to?' Samuel whined. 'I don't even think he would care.'

'Whether he cares or not isn't the issue here. It's about principle.'

'Why? It's not as if chess is that important.'

'On the contrary, chess is a very important game that can be useful in life. Life is just one big game after all, and if you want to win you cannot do without the skills chess provides.'

Samuel dropped his head into his hands with a groan. 'Can we just not?' he pleaded. 'I have enough of my plate with actual school without trying to learn about chess.'

Azrael made a derisive sort of noise at the back of his throat at the mention of school. 'Please, formal education is one of the most useless and time-wasting things mankind has come up with. It has always been a long-standing belief of mine that schools are where imagination and curiosity go to die.'

Samuel stared at him. 'That's a very gloomy outlook to have.'

'Doesn't make it less true,' Azrael responded. He gestured to the board. 'Go on, white has the first move.'

Samuel had no choice but to swallow his complaints and comply. After all, the sooner they got this over with, the better.

It turned out that the game was over far sooner than either of them expected. It didn't even last for two minutes. Within short order, Azrael had decimated his defences, captured all his pieces, and was holding his king hostage.

Samuel placed his head on the table tiredly. 'I told you. I wasn't joking, I really am terrible. I can't even beat Leo.'

Azrael frowned as he considered the half-empty board. 'I'm sure I wasn't playing at an advanced level. I was barely above beginners.'

Samuel groaned and covered his face. 'You don't need to rub it in.'

'What level would you say your friend Leonardo is at?'

Samuel felt a headache coming on. 'I don't know. Intermediate, maybe more.'

'And he's the least skilled in your friend group?'

Samuel nodded. 'Cam always beats him. Jayden is obviously the best, followed by Noel. Then there is Paul, then Cam, then Leo. I'm the worst.'

Azrael sat back and contemplated his words. He was quiet for so long that Samuel's eyes began to droop close. It had been a long day and the table felt cool beneath his head.