The surrounding air in the poorly lit room was thick with the pungent mixture of cigar smoke, ladies' perfume, and booze. Throughout the establishment, dice were rolled and chips clinked against each other, and boisterous laughter could be heard from the other tables below. The noise in the place was so loud that Carter struggled to concentrate on his hand of cards, feeling increasingly frustrated.
The first hour of the game had passed, and Carter was already half a bag shy of gold crowns. He let out an exasperated sigh, clearly frustrated. He fumbled with the cards. His usually impressive playing prowess was nowhere to be found.
While watching his opponents rake in his money, Carter felt his stomach tighten. He couldn't help but feel like something was off tonight. He took a deep breath and tried to shake off the negative thoughts, reminding himself that his luck could change at any moment.
