The sound of the curtain being pulled back drew my attention. I looked over my shoulder and saw Savannah walking out of the niche with an older woman. The woman’s hand rested on Savannah’s forearm and Savannah’s palm curved over her fingers. Speaking softly to her, Savannah walked the woman out the door.
“You should have Savannah give you a reading,” Ava suggested. “She’s very good with the cards.”
I glanced at her. “She’s a witch?” That could explain her aura.
Ava shook her head. “Not exactly. She’s an empath, but with extra abilities.” She smiled. “I’ve never met another person like Savannah. She’s everything that’s gentle and good.”
I understood then what I saw in Savannah’s aura. She was a receptor for emotions. She appeared to experience every emotion at once because she received them all.
“Look, go sit down in the reading room and I’ll send her in when she comes back,” Ava directed.
Instead of refusing once again, my feet carried me toward the room. After I settled in one of the chairs, Ava pulled the curtains closed to separate me from the rest of the shop. As I waited, I wondered what I was doing. Divination of any kind wasn’t something I put stock in. Cards, numbers, palms, none of that could tell me what the future held. Destiny was a changeable entity, practically a living thing. To believe that it could be predicted struck me as ludicrous.
The longer I sat in the chair, the more uncomfortable I felt. Just as I was about to get to my feet and leave the room, the curtain swept back to reveal Savannah.
She froze for a moment when she saw me, her eyes wide. Recovering quickly, she stepped inside the niche and let the fabric fall behind her.
“Good afternoon,” she greeted me. “It’s nice to see you again, Rhys.”
While her expression appeared serene, that becoming flush I’d noticed yesterday returned to her cheeks and neck. I could also see the changes in her aura. She was embarrassed for some reason. She was also feeling attraction. I could only assume it was for me since I was the only other person in the room. I took satisfaction in that knowledge because it meant I wasn’t the only one who felt the pull between us.
Intrigued, I immediately decided to stay and see what else I could learn about Savannah Baker.
“Hi, Savannah,” I replied.
The pink in her cheeks darkened further. “What brings you to the shop today?”
“I came for coffee and Ava suggested I get a reading.”
Savannah sat on the chair across from me, perching as though she were a mere second from taking flight. “Do you often practice forms of divination?”
I cleared my throat. “No, I’ve never asked someone to tell my fortune before.”
She cocked her head, studying me. The flush faded from her face and her dark eyes sparkled. “Fortune telling?”
“Isn’t that what the cards are for? Telling me what the future holds?”
“Not exactly, Rhys,” she responded. “I do talk about the future with my clients, but there’s more to it than that.”
Her features had become more animated and bright. I wanted her to continue so I could keep that expression on her face. “Tell me more.” Savannah hesitated, as though she wasn’t sure of my sincerity. “I want to understand,” I insisted.
“What I do isn’t about telling the future or telling people what they should be doing. It’s about introspection and intention. Tarot isn’t some all-knowing set of cards. Each spread is meant to give you insight into your intention or question. The cards help you focus your energy and your thoughts in different directions or maybe help you find a different perspective.”
Her explanation was interesting and captured my attention because it wasn’t what I expected. “Will you show me?”
She smiled at me then, a wide, happy grin that lit up her face. “Of course. Let’s do a reading.” Savannah tilted her head and studied me. “I’ll keep it simple. Three cards.”
I watched as her nimble fingers shuffled the deck. She cut it several times then fanned the cards out in front of me. “Pick three cards. As you do so, think of your past, present, and future.”
I hesitated. “I thought that readers didn’t allow anyone to touch their cards? That is was bad luck or something.”
“There are some that do feel that way,” Savannah replied with a small smile. “I find that I prefer it, but I know others that don’t like the energy left behind from querents touching their deck.”
“Querents?”
Her smile widened. “The person seeking answers.”
I nodded and studied the cards in front of me. “Three together or separately?” I asked, unsure of what she wanted of me. My past stretched so far behind me that there were times I could barely remember.
