Eustace shrugged. “Divination is more art than science.”
Cordelia pointed to another with two bent lines facing off. Whereas the first two Eustace had explained were close together, this one had landed far from those and stood alone. “What’s this one?”
She bent low to examine it. “It represents time and cycles—the polarity and dance of nature, give and take, push and pull. It can meanchangeorcompletion.”
“Why is it way over here?” Cordelia asked. “The first two are right next to each other.”
Eustace bit her bottom lip. “I couldn’t say.”
Cordelia moved her finger to one with an arrow carved into it.
“Battle,” Eustace answered automatically. “Orjustice.The fight for what’s fair.”
“And this?” Cordelia asked about the final tooth, its sideways symbol open on one side.
“Fate,” Eustace told her. “Andsecrets.Something deeper than what’s on the surface.”
Cordelia closed her eyes, letting the runes spin behind them. It was clear they were trying to get a message across. Butwhat?
“These first two, if taken together, plus the third one, could mean the end of a friendship,” Eustace supplied, as if reading her sister’s mind. “An instinct about someone that proves to be true.”
Cordelia opened her eyes and stared at her sister. “You’re good at this,” she said. Reconsidering the last two, she added, “Maybe these indicate a showdown with the person, something about them that will be revealed.”
Eustace nodded. “Makes sense. But why tell us this now? And who are they talking about?”
Cordelia sucked in, violently aware. “Gordon,” she whispered. “That’s exactly what happened today.” She filled Eustace in on finding his notebook and the argument that ensued.
“Perhaps,” Eustace conceded, reserving a bit of doubt.
“Perhaps?” Cordelia gave her sister a hard stare. “He’s not what he seems. You always tell me my picker is broken, and then that notebook just falls into my lap and lo and behold, he’s a creep!”
Eustace narrowed her eyes. “I thought you took the notebook from its hiding place after snooping through his kitchen.”
“Semantics,” she responded acerbically.
“Why would they go to all the trouble to tell us this after it’s already happened?” Eustace put to her.
She shrugged. “Confirmation. They’re letting us know I was right to send him away.”
But Eustace didn’t look convinced. “What if they’re talking about someone who will be at the party?”
“You don’t think he’ll show up, do you?” Cordelia asked, half-hopeful and half-disgusted at herself. “After I expressly forbid him to?”
Eustace sighed. “I don’t know. This just feels like it could be a warning rather than a confirmation. Maybe we should cancel, especially since you just fired the bodyguard.”
Cordelia dragged a hand down her face. “And say what?Just kidding? Practical joke?Everyone in Bellwick will hate us even more than they already do. This is our chance to figure out who’s behind those threats. Gordon or no Gordon.”
Eustace started to scoop up the teeth and return them to the bag. After a minute, her face twisted with confusion. Her lips started moving as she mumbled to herself.
“What is it?” Cordelia asked her.
“There are only twenty-two runes here in total,” she said, looking up.
“How many should there be?” Cordelia asked.
“Twenty-four,” Eustace replied, putting the last few in the bag.
Suddenly, Cordelia’s memory in the crypt came into blistering focus, and then another followed of their first day arriving at the estate. “Wait here!”
