The tiny white Mage raised its glowing staff and unleashed a pulse of light, obliterating Kaelus's obsidian Knight into a puff of magical smoke.
"Oh, look," Seraphina chirped happily, clapping her hands. "My wizard squished your horsey. Does that mean your Emperor is trapped?"
Kaelus stared at the board.
He looked at his Emperor.
The golden king-piece was cowering in the corner on H8, completely blocked in by its own remaining pawns, staring down the barrel of Seraphina's Rook and Queen.
It was a forced mate in two moves. There was no mathematical sequence of events that could save him.
The Archduke of the North, the man who had commanded the defense of the Glacial Abyss against a million demons, had just been checkmated in twenty-two moves by a child who couldn't reach the top shelf of the pantry.
Kaelus slowly sat back in his leather chair. He let out a long, shuddering, ragged breath. He looked at the ceiling of the carriage.
