“But—”
“If we get caught, you can say you thought it was a science thing.” Mina waved at the tent. “All those stars and planets? It must have a telescope or something. They’ll believe you. Everyone does.”
“I just…I don’t think it’s safe.”
“Safe?” Mina snorted. “It’s a fortune-teller at a town fair. This whole thing is so safe I can barely stay awake. We don’t get carnival rides because they’re dangerous. We don’t get games because that’s gambling. I’m surprised they let the apples have caramel on them.”
When Ellie still hesitated, Mina whispered, “Look! Isn’t that Brit coming out of the fortune-teller’s tent? She’s the deacon’s daughter. If it’s okay for her…”
Ellie hesitated, but she knew there was no chance of winning this argument.
“Okay,” she whispered.
Mina grabbed her hand and ran for the tent.
Outsidethe fortune-teller’s tent, someone had posted at least a half dozen signs saying things like For Entertainment Only!There were more inside, including one on the fortune-telling table itself. At the table sat a blond woman swathed in bright-colored scarves with bangles all the way up her arms. When she spoke, her voice was smoker-rough and bored.
“I’m supposed to tell you this is for fun only,” she said.
“We saw the signs,” Ellie said.
The woman snorted. “Couldn’t miss them, huh? They won’t even let me use my regular tarot. Gave me these.” She waved at a deck of cards with cats on them. “Okay, kids. Let’s get this started. Ten bucks each. Who’s going first?”
Ellie squeaked as Mina pushed her forward, but at a look from her friend, she swallowed her protest and took a seat. The lady explained what she’d be doing, in that same bored monotone. Then she cut the cards and asked Ellie to take three. Ellie had no idea whether this was how proper tarot readings were done. Maybe the fair organizers had changed that as well, to distance themselves from witchcraft. All Ellie knew was that she had to pick three cards, and then the lady laid them down, one at a time, and explained what they meant.
If Ellie was being perfectly honest, it was a little disappointing. The first two cards came with vague messages that sounded like what grown-ups said all the time.
Everything happens for a reason.
Good things come to those who wait.
Is that what real fortune-telling was? Or had the organizers given this lady a bunch of church-sanctioned things to say?
It was only when the woman got to the last card that Ellie perked up. On it, two cats cuddled beneath a rainbow.
“The Lovers,” Mina said, reading the card. “Oooh.”
The lady’s voice changed, softening as she said, “Do you have a sweetheart, hon?”
Ellie shook her head, cheeks heating.
“Is there someone you like? A boy?”
“There is,” Mina said, ignoring Ellie’s glare.
“And is there a dance or something coming up?”
Mina nodded. “The spring fling at school.”
“Then expect an invitation.”
Mina grinned and nudged Ellie, whose cheeks scorched red hot. She slid from the seat and laid down the money as Mina took over. The first two cards were the same sort of thing Ellie had gotten.Platitudes, she thought they were called. Boring stuff. But as she’d figured out now, it was the third card that counted, and so she held her breath.
The lady gave a dramatic pause. Then she flipped it over. On the front, a cartoon cat was falling into a barrel of water, its eyes bugging, claws out.
“Death?” Mina said. “Does that say ‘Death’? I’m going to die?”
“No, that’s not—” the woman began.
