Page 44 of Bonded By Tea and Tarot

“If you were one of these cards, which would you be?” I ask all three of them while Hayden shuffles between rounds.

“Hmm, let’s see.” Aury glances at me, then each of the alphas. “Well, you’re obviously the witch. But I think the dragon might fit you, too.”

“Oh yeah?” I ask, surprised. “Why the dragon?” I snag the cards from Hayden and start picking one of each out of the deck, laying them face up in front of us.

“You’re confident and fierce,” Aury says with a shrug. “Independent. Feisty when you need to be.” He tosses a crooked grin at me. “It just fits.”

I gape at him. He thinks I’m fierce? I’m still blinking in surprise, trying to wrap my head around his interpretation of me when he continues.

“I think Hayden would be the Genie.”

“On account of…” Hayden says, voice droll.

“Your gorgeous brown skin and perfectly trimmed beard, of course,” Aury replies.

Hayden frowns, and Aury rolls his eyes.

“Obviously not. You’re a care-taker. You make things happen. You ensure people are comfortable and cared for, that they have what they need and want.”

Now Hayden and I are both staring at Aury.

“You’re a wizard,” I blurt. Mostly because it feels like he’s working some sort of magic, but also because I suspect he might actually be magic.

Aury tilts his head, a small smile on his face. “Maybe.”

“No, you are. You’re relaxed but confident, and you bring magic to the world.”

“Thank you, Moonbeam,” he murmurs.

“What about Jayce?” I say, and we all turn to look at the gruff alpha.

He shifts in his seat, then mutters, “I suppose I’m the troll.”

“The troll?” I wrinkle my nose. “Why the troll?”

Jayce shrugs, and Hayden narrows their eyes at him. Aury looks at me and I frown, then we both look back at the two alphas. I don’t like the way Jayce seems to shrink in on himself.

“Hmm, I think you’d be the gnome,” I say.

“Or the fairy,” Aury adds, and our eyes lock.

I grin. “A fairy gnome.”

Aury smiles back, mirth sparkling in his dark brown eyes. “Perfect.”

We turn back to Jayce to see him looking baffled. Like someone told him the grass is pink and he can’t believe he’s been wrong all this time.

“Neither of those make sense,” he finally says.

“Yeah-huh,” I reply, then I start ticking off on my fingers as I list each reason. “Gnomes are secret softies, kinda gruff but mushy on the inside. They’re caretakers, too, protecting the home and the things important to them. They love gifts, both giving and receiving, and they like being comfortable.”

Jayce glances down at his open flannel and worn jeans, then looks back up at us. Aury is nodding along with me, and he continues when I stop for breath. “You like leaving secret gifts. You’re pretty. You’re courageous and curious, but not opposed to games,” Aury gestures to the cards in front of us, “or mischief.” Aury winks and Jayce’s face flames red again. “Also, your eyes sparkle.”

Jayce mouths the words ‘my eyes’ but no sound comes from his lips. I grin, feeling especially pleased with myself and Aury, and we both look between Jayce and Hayden.

“You two are quite the pair, aren’t you?” Hayden murmurs, that knowing half-smile quirking their lips again.

I beam at them, then turn to Aury and nod. “Yep.”