Elias knew that some of the charged heat seeped in from the nearby ruins but most of it was generated by the players. There was a reason why the excitement of gambling was often described as a fever. Games of chance had always held a peculiar fascination for humans, and people who possessed even a minimal level of psychic talent were the most easily attracted. “You’d think people would understand that being psychic doesn’t mean that somehow the laws of probability have been repealed,” Hannah said. Elias watched a player roll a pair of red dice. “Having a little talent just gives people a false sense of confidence. Makes them think they can beat the house.” “In this town, the house always wins in the long run,” Hannah said. Elias smiled. “Sure. Because in addition to having the math on their side, the casinos double down on the odds by hiring dealers who have some talent and a lot of really good crystal engineers to program the slots.”
