Cover of The Grandest Game (The Grandest Game, #1)

The Grandest Game, #1

The Grandest Game

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes


Genre
Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Year
2024
Pages
351
Contents

CHAPTER 62: ROHAN

Overview

Rohan and Savannah cash in their earned hint, decode invisible ink, and unlock a larger game room that continues the chain of crown, chess, and truth-related clues. Their teamwork leads them from hidden blacklight writing on Ping-Pong balls to a compartment of new objects and the doorway marked FINALE, signaling the endgame is near.

At the same time, Rohan’s focus shifts from treating Savannah as a piece to recognizing her as a fellow player. With their partnership about to dissolve, he chooses negotiation over another wager and proposes a deal.

Summary

Rohan presses the hint button and demands the clue that he believes he and Savannah have earned through the previous Truth or Dare trial. Avery’s voice tells them to take any card from the A Needle In A Haystack deck except the false clue card and hold it to a torch. Heat reveals invisible writing on both Rohan’s and Savannah’s cards: Say cheese.

Savannah considers whether the clue points to a camera or a mouse, but Rohan says “Cheese” aloud. The audio passcode works, and a wall rotates open, expanding their triangular room into a larger game space with more shelves and a recessed Ping-Pong table. While searching the new area, Rohan keeps weighing his attraction to Savannah against his determination to win.

Rohan examines the Ping-Pong table and then a wall covered in hundreds of Ping-Pong balls. He discovers that some balls rotate, and Savannah joins him in turning every loose ball until each clicks into place. When nothing immediately happens, they turn to the shelves, where Savannah notices a wall filled entirely with chess sets, connecting it to earlier crown, scepter, king, queen, and empty-throne clues.

Rohan and Savannah search the chess sets for one missing a king or queen. Rohan finds a cheap set missing a king, and together they place the remaining pieces on the board. Savannah scratches the empty square and reveals the words USE ME. Rohan removes the square from the board, and Savannah discovers that it glows purple like a blacklight.

They use the blacklight on the rotated Ping-Pong balls, shielding them from torchlight, and reveal letters spelling Veritas. Rohan says the word aloud, triggering a compartment in the Ping-Pong-ball wall. Inside are four objects: a lint roller, a birthday card, a vial of glitter, and an old-fashioned silk fan. Removing them opens a larger hidden door, revealing the word FINALE carved into the floor.

As they face the last puzzle, Rohan realizes the current phase of the game is ending and that Savannah will soon become an opponent again. Because Savannah has already promised to destroy him, Rohan decides he must change tactics if he wants her as an asset. When Savannah warns him not to propose another wager, Rohan instead says there should be no more games and proposes that they make a deal.

Who Appears

  • Rohan
    Drives the puzzle solving, fights attraction to Savannah, and shifts from wagers to proposing a deal.
  • Savannah
    Works with Rohan to solve chess and blacklight clues while maintaining guarded control.
  • Avery
    Provides the official hint over the speakers, directing them to use heat on the cards.
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