“You wouldn’t be much of a seer if you didn’t,” I blurt, then want to kick myself all over again. “Sorry,” I mumble. “For saying that. And, um, for the apples.”
“Oh, I know you are, dear.” She gestures at the folding chair across the table from her. “Have a seat, why don’t you?”
Resigned, I sink into the chair. We sit in uncomfortable silence for a moment, until I force myself to make conversation. “So, how’d you…become the seer?”
If she notices my sarcasm, she doesn’t react. “I’m happy to use my talents to benefit the library. We borrow all the books for our little club, you know. Plus, I get to stay out of the sun in here. Keeps my skin youthful.” She pats one unwrinkled cheek, then picks up a stack of cards from the table and begins shuffling them. “You’ll just have to decide if my gifts are worthy.”
I suppress a snarky comment. “Got it. So, hit me. What do the cards have in store?”
“Cross my palm with silver first,” she says, extending her hand. “Or plastic, whatever works. Readings are $10.”
While she runs my credit card, my stomach growls. How long does it take to have one’s fortune read? As a reward for enduring this, I promise myself all the fair treats I want. The greasier, the better.
Hot Yoga Grandma—sorry, Ella—hands my card back to me. It smells faintly of lavender. “Thanks for your donation,” she says. “Now, think about a question that you want this reading to address. Be as clear as you can, since that will help to guide us.”
Several questions pop into my mind instantly, like they were just waiting to be asked:How can I save Donovan? What the heck was that weird symbol? What does the creepy ‘oceans of blood’ premonition mean, and how is it connected to Donovan’s death?I try to narrow them down, then realize that it’s a pointless endeavor, since none of this actually means anything.
She shuffles the deck again, has me cut it, and then starts laying the cards face-down on the table in some kind of pattern. “Remember, Rune, these are simply a tool to help guide you. It’s up to you to interpret their meaning.”
Great. Then why are you here?I almost say, but manage to keep to myself just in time.
“The first card represents your past.” She flips one over, revealing an alarming image of a tall building struck by lightning. “The Tower signifies a sudden upheaval or change. Does that have any meaning to you?”
“It could,” I say, keeping my face as expressionless as possible. That’s the thing about psychic readings, horoscopes, and all that jazz. The statements are so general, people read into them whatever they want to hear. Real premonitions, on the other hand, are vivid and terrifying. I ought to know.
She turns over another card. “This one, the Two of Cups, represents your present. It signifies a deep connection or partnership, possibly romantic in nature.”
“Hashtag first date magic,” I mutter.
“What was that?”
“Nothing. Please continue.” God, this is a waste of my time. I could be eating the world’s sloppiest burger right now, fresh off the grill. I could be petting a llama. I could be?—
“Hmmm. Normally, I would read the card that represents your future now. But I think…” Reaching for another card, she turns it over. “Ah yes, the Ten of Swords. This card represents betrayal and the end of a difficult situation.” She closes her eyes, leaning back in her chair. The candleflame flickers, even though there’s no wind in the tent. “I see…a monster?”
I sit up straight, my heart pounding so fast, I think I might throw up. “What?”
“He’s faceless, but very powerful.” Her fingers clutch the card, nearly bending it in half. “And then I see…ah, yes, you, Rune! I feel heat. A lot of it. Victory. But then…fear. So much fear. A sense of being trapped. And then death, but not for you. For you, freedom.”
Bile rises in my throat as her eyes flutter open, the expression in them unfocused. “It was never your fault, you know,” she says, her voice gentle as she sets the battered card down on the table. “Now, you can let it go.”
I have a new question, now. Namelywhat the actual fuck.No one, other than Charlotte, knew what I called the monster. Even if Ella knew I set him on fire years ago, there’s no way she could know he died last night. I lean forward, hands knotted on the table, stomach churning. “Go on.”
“The next card is the Five of Cups. It represents loss and grief, but also the possibility of healing. I see…a blood tide. It’s rising, taking you out with it.” Her hand is on mine again, pressing so hard, she’s cutting off my circulation. “You must swim against the current, Rune, do you understand? Swimhard.Or you will drown, and along with you, everyone you love.”
“You…you…” I struggle to find the words. “Are you just making this stuff up?” Or is it possible I’ve found someone else, finally, someone like me, with a talent beyond the ordinary? Is it possible we could somehow be…related? We look nothing like each other, but?—
“I can only tell you what the cards show me. Now, the third card. This one represents your future.”
She turns it over, revealing a skeleton riding a white horse, black flag in hand. “The Death card,” she says, pausing. “This card often signifies transformation or the end of a cycle, but it can also indicate a literal death.”
Donovan.I suck in a breath, inhaling a lungful of incense, laced with undertones of popcorn, cotton candy, and the crispy batter of funnel cakes fried in oil. Intellectually, I know that outside that beaded curtain, the festivities are still going on, just as they were. Still, the sounds of laughter and music seem distant, as if we’re in a separate world.
“I see darkness surrounding someone you work with,” she says, her voice low and steady. “This person was involved in the deaths of your family. There’s a connection between them and your past, but the details are unclear.”
“The deaths of my…are you serious? Do youknowsomething about my family?” I clench my hands, my nails digging into my palms. “If you’re joking, this isn’t funny.”
“I would never joke about something like this.” She sounds offended. “Be cautious around this person and trust your instincts. There’s more to the story than you realize.”
