The Inheritance Games, #3
The Final Gambit
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Contents
CHAPTER 78
Overview
Avery finally meets Vincent Blake at Legacy Ranch and tries to trade public pressure, the royal chess set, and the lawful return of Will Blake's remains for Grayson and Toby's release. Blake proves he still has leverage by revealing that Eve contacted Mellie and uncovered the truth about Sheffield Grayson's death and John Oren's cover-up.
Forced to adapt, Avery challenges Blake to settle the Sheffield secret through chess, wagering a future favor against Blake's silence. Blake twists the terms by making Eve and Toby the players, showing that Toby is not only a hostage but another pressure point in Blake's game.
Summary
Eve leads Avery around the back of Legacy Ranch instead of into the house, where Avery sees Vincent Blake shoot a bird from the sky and send a bloodhound after it. Blake presents himself as calm, powerful, and unthreatened. Avery immediately asks where Grayson and Toby are, and Blake answers only that they are enjoying his hospitality.
Avery offers Blake the royal chess set from the vault and returns the seal she used to enter his land. Avery explains that Blake will receive his son Will's remains once the official investigation is complete, and she expresses sympathy. Blake rejects the language of loss, while Avery presses him on Will's exploitation of Mallory Laughlin and Will's hatred of Tobias Hawthorne.
Blake frames the conflict with Tobias as a matter of consequences and refuses to meaningfully address what Will did to Mallory. Avery tries to use public exposure as leverage, reminding Blake that the world knows she is at Legacy Ranch and that she can give another interview if Grayson and Toby do not leave with her.
Blake counters with unexpected leverage: Eve has brought him information about Sheffield Grayson. Eve explains that she inferred Sheffield was missing after someone tried to have Avery killed, suspected Sheffield had motive, and then called her half sister Mellie. Mellie, guilt-ridden over killing Sheffield, gave Eve enough information for Blake to know that John Oren covered up Sheffield's death.
Avery realizes her plan has been disrupted. She had hoped reporting Will Blake's remains would weaken Blake's power over her, but Blake has found a new pressure point. Thinking quickly, Avery challenges Blake to a chess game: if Avery wins, Blake must forget about Sheffield Grayson and make sure Eve and Mellie do the same; if Avery loses, Avery will owe Blake a future favor once she controls the Hawthorne fortune.
Blake accepts the idea of a game but refuses to play Avery himself. Instead, Blake orders that Eve will play Avery, along with Toby. Avery understands that Blake has used her as leverage against Toby as well, and Blake commands Eve to fetch her father.
Who Appears
- Avery Kylie GrambsConfronts Blake, offers terms, and improvises a chess wager after her leverage fails.
- Vincent BlakeControls the meeting, reveals new blackmail, and forces Eve and Toby into Avery's wager.
- EveGuides Avery to Blake and reveals she used Mellie's guilt to uncover Sheffield's death.
- TobyBlake's captive grandson; summoned to participate in the chess game against Avery.
- Grayson HawthorneStill held by Blake; his father's death becomes Blake's new leverage over Avery.
- MellieEve's half sister, guilt-ridden over killing Sheffield and manipulated into giving information.
- John OrenAvery's security chief, identified by Blake as the person who covered up Sheffield's death.
- Sheffield GraysonGrayson's dead father; the truth of his killing becomes Blake's replacement leverage.
- Will BlakeBlake's dead son, discussed for exploiting Mallory and acting against Tobias Hawthorne.