Theo shrugged. "The storms may be bad, but I can't be the only one who prefers this place to 'home.' Or to Halo."
Theo'd managed to improve his hand with the ace, but ... not as much as he would like Two pair, eights and kings, ace kicker. Not abysmal, but not very good either. He could cut his losses, of course, and fold now, but he was never one to play it safe. Alternately, he could bluff ...
He glanced across the other players, reading the marks he'd put on the backs of their cards -- just simple tears and scuffs. Many of them weren't visible, thanks to the way that the others held their cards, but he could tell that Milo had the ace of spades and the kid had the two of hearts.
Leaning back a little, Theo replied, "Well, I've nowhere else to go. Can't go back, Halo's too cold, and the Hollowed Grounds are just kind of sad."
He tossed three beads into the pot. Not exactly a big bet ... Theo pretended he was trying to avoid smiling to himself, as if he had a great hand but was trying to hide it so the others wouldn't fold.
can't say good morning without lying twice
