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And as the card flipped over, the doubt in my heart shriveled. “Three of Swords.”

Nash’s hand hovered over the card shakily before she withdrew it. Tess’ eyes widened, and even Blade sat at attention. “No fucking way…”

Shaking her head, Nash reached for the booklet, scanning desperately for some other way to read this. “Removal, absence, delay, division, rupture, dispersion… all that the design signifies naturally.”

The card taunted me from the center of the table, making the brand on the back of my skull burn. I was tired of its cryptic guidance.

Tess bit her lip as she glared down at the card, “It’s in the obstacle position though, right?”

“True. Maybe this has more to do with an emotional obstacle you’re facing…” Nash’s eyes darted unsubtly to me, forcing a scowl to my face. “It’s once again a card that deals with pain, though while the last card is more external, this one is more intimate. A closer glance at the depth of the pain, how gravely it’s felt.”

Nash walked the tightrope carefully, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the obstacle here was likely the prophecy itself. The one thing that stopped all of us from moving on from Heirs, from trusting one another.

“The solution…” Nash took a deep breath, her lightning-soaked finger dragging against the paper as she turned it over. “The Chariot.”

A major arcana card: one of the most powerful in the deck.

Nash let out a sigh of relief as the card settled on the table, a stark contrast to the doom and gloom visuals on the previous two pulls. “Okay, I think I see it now. The Chariot deals with triumph and revenge. You see how the figure presides confidently from his perch, staff held firmly in his hand with the two sphinxes at his feet?

“It’s a huge contrast to the panicked defensiveness of the Nine of Wands. In this reading, the fact that you’re moving from a reversed position of chaos to an upright, powerful stance emphasizes this.

“The outcome here is that you’re able to take the reins of the chariot and reinstate balance — the black and white sphinxes sitting in harmony reflect that. There’s still an element of revenge, of battle readiness, but it’s no longer you against the wands…”

Revenge. But not against each other.

Adrenaline coursed through my body along with the newfound understanding. My chest burned as my mind raced to catch up. If the cards were to be believed, the original prophecy wasn’t wrong. It was just a misinterpretation: a story without its final chapter.

And now, it’s time to write its final pages.

37

TESS

The plastic tray clattered against the formica table as I slid into the booth.

Bennie’s Burgers was a classic Valemont burger joint, and it was busy all day, every day.

“Here you go, sweetie.” I placed Chrissy’s paper tray of chicken nuggets in front of her.

“What do you say?” Lola raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

With a big smile, Chrissy shoved a nugget into her mouth. “Tank you, auntie Thess.”

“Of course, baby.” I giggled as I watched crumbs tumble down her purple, sequined shirt.

Chrissy was sweet, she’d be heading to pre-k next year. And I’d loved getting to spend so much time with her after I left Feverpoint. Her lisp was by far my favorite thing.

Lola and I chowed down on our burgers, each moaning as we bit into the juicy meal. Bennie’s was the best burger I’d ever had and it was even better that they had mostly outdoor seating.

It’d be hard to eat here in a couple months when winter fell over Valemont like a curse. But for now, we ate at a picnic table just under the blue neon sign that would light up the whole parking lot when the sun set later that evening.

Families, the elderly, and young people strolled through the lot. Kids ran around the building, taking turns on the small playground around the side of the single story, blue and white building.

But my eyes caught on a young man who stood at the center of the parking lot and stared up to the sky. His body swayed slightly as he zoned out.

My brows furrowed as I watched him.

Out of nowhere, he snapped to. Inhaling a deep breath, his face turned sour as he marched to the order counter.