Chapter One: The Midnight Menu

As Zhiwei stared, the chocolate on the cookie softened. A stranger's breath brushed her ear. Don't choose me. The voice was gentle and exhausted, as though it had crossed centuries. Gold leaf curled atop the brownie, forming tiny words: I can buy everything you want. The cinnamon roll said nothing. Red seeped through its icing, carrying the faint metallic scent of blood. Stress, low blood sugar, an elaborate prank—reason offered explanations. Instinct offered something better: whenever an opponent rushed her choice, she first looked for what they hoped she would miss. “Are those all the rules?” “All of them.” “The price?” “Free.”