Raveena still chuckled as she turned around, though her smile faded as she
zeroed in on Walter, who’d somehow gotten his left hind leg stuck in the neck
of his hoodie. “Oh, stars. I’m not sure there’s enough magic in the whole
world.”
“Granted, I’ve never been part of a tarot reading, and I’ve only
known you all a couple of days, but—” I knelt to help Walter untangle himself
from… well, from himself. “The bond I saw between Connor and Walter seemed as
strong as between Mischief and me. I’d say that’s pretty powerful magic.”
“Agreed.” Janee nodded at me, then looked toward Raveena. “Not to mention
we have one of the most renowned oracles alive today.”
“A descendant of one of the most renowned—”
Janee waved Raveena off that time. “Your skill is why you’re here
in la Chrysalide des Prometteuses, so don’t be modest. And let’s get this show
on the road.”
One more reason I wondered about the Matriarch having me live in la
Chrysalide des Prometteuses. I wasn’t from a prestigious and wealthy family
like Connor, nor descended from magical powerhouses like Raveena, or have skill
with any particular powers like Janee and Remy. In addition to simply having me
in a place where I could easily be spied on and watched over, I figured she
wanted me to realize I would never measure up to the magical elite.
“Okay, let’s do this.” Raveena clapped her hands. “Let’s go the path of
least resistance and let Walter’s location right now be the heart of our triad
circle. Griffin and I will face him with the cards. Janee, you and Tabitha
settle in behind him on my right. And Maeve, you and Mischief sit behind Walter
on my left.”
Walter remained sprawled happily, having returned to licking the moth in
the rug design, blinking his watery eyes as he watched us settle in.
Connor’s life possibly hung in the balance—perhaps held captive somewhere,
terrified or in pain. Or maybe killed at the same time as Charlie and his body
hidden, waiting for our discovery. However this went, this consequential moment
called for solemn contemplation.
That said, excitement built in me like a twelve-year-old going to Disney
World.
Despite not having the most productive time with my now hidden grimoire
during the afternoon, my heart thrilled as I settled in on crisscrossed legs
behind Walter. As three candles floated across the room at Janee’s direction
and settled in the space between each of us, it didn’t get much more witchy
than this.
Mischief practically trembled in anticipation as she crawled into my lap.
Apparently my familiar didn’t fall far from the apple tree.
Certainly able to read the feelings over my face, Janee grinned and shot
me a wink as she and Tabitha settled in a similar position on Walter’s other
side.
Raveena held her tarot deck at heart level as she sat tall and straight.
Though just as short as me and rather round and soft, she mirrored an old-world
goddess as Griffin flew from his perch above the balcony’s French doors and
alighted on top of Raveena’s head.
“Ready, my sisters?” She looked first to Janee, who nodded, then to me.
I didn’t even try to keep the smile from my lips as I nodded back.
“Candles.” Again, she looked to Janee first. A heartbeat later, the candle
between Janee and me sparked to life. Raveena pivoted to me in expectation.
Lots. Of times. Mischief
sent her encouraging reminder at the exact moment I had a flash of panic.
Right. Perhaps I hadn’t pulled off any world-shattering spells in the
grimoire, but I’d got fire and candle lighting down quicker than I’d ever
managed with a BIC lighter.
I focused on the candle between Raveena and me, and almost before
envisioning it igniting, the flame burst to life, just as steadily as Janee’s.
This had to be so much better than Disney World!
Another moment, and the candle between Raveena and Janee ignited as well,
the light warming Raveena’s brown skin to a glowing bronze.
“Now, sisters. Walter.” Raveena leaned forward, somehow majestically with
not a solitary wobble from Griffin, releasing the deck with her right hand to
gently touch under Walter’s chin. “Keep Connor in your minds, in your hearts.
Picture the care in his blue eyes. Hear the laughter in his voice. Taste the
delicate creations of his hands. Feel his devotion to those he loves, his
friends, his familiar. Draw him near, keep him with us.”
Walter sat straighter, snuffling his flat little nose, and appeared to
attempt looking regal himself.
Pulling her hand back, Raveena shuffled the cards once, twice, and then a
third time.
“Connor Cormier, wherever you are, be with us, be with Walter as he draws
your cards.” Raveena placed the stack to the far right of Walter, close to
Janee and Tabitha, then swiped across toward me and Mischief—the embossed gold
crows over the back of dark purple cards repeating as they spread out in front
of him.
Walter snorted again, twisting his head this way and that as he studied
the glittering cards.
Raveena pulled back, sat straight and tall once more, Griffin staring down
from his lofty height on top of her head, looking like he might be considering
devouring the chubby little pug.
“Walter?” Raveena waited until he blinked up at her. “Pick a card.”
For a moment, Walter only stared back, then, with a heavy sigh full of
exhaustion, he lay back down, stretched out, and began licking the card
directly in front of him, as he had the moth on the carpet.
Raveena hesitated, sharing a glance with Janee, then me.
Though she didn’t say it, she no doubt wondered the same thing I did. Had
Walter really chosen a card or just happened to lick the closest thing to him?
Whatever the case, she plucked up the card and turned it over.
“Connor’s past.”
Janee and I leaned closer, trying to get a better view. Even Mischief
jutted her head out slightly.
The card revealed the tall white stone tower thrusting up from a
wheat-filled meadow. Scores of black crows circled it like a ribbon rising from
the wheat to the very top pinnacle.
“The tower.” Raveena cringed. “Can represent sudden upheaval and change.”
Janee stroked Tabitha’s tail as she murmured, “Like whatever he
experienced at the Vampire Café.”
“Possibly.” Despite her noncommittal answer, Raveena clearly agreed, since
she refocused on Walter. “Pick again, sweet boy. For your daddy, for your
witch.”
Walter rolled over, the hood of his green sweater scattering some of the
cards.
Raveena reached for the one that slid closest to her, then yanked her hand
back when Walter twisted back onto his belly, stood, and trotted over the cards
to the very last one closest to Janee. A trail of drool fell on it as he looked
over at Raveena.
Couldn’t get much clearer than that.
“Connor’s present.” Raveena had to stretch to reach, but she plucked the
card from the floor. She turned it over for all to see.
This card had a solitary crow, its wings stretched upward forming a V. In
the center of the card, as if resting on its feathery stand, a moon shone full,
silver, and bright.
“The moon.” Raveena breathed out the obvious, but wonder entered her tone.
“Full of illusion, secrets, things hidden in the dark.”
“Illusion?” Janee sounded hopeful. “Like maybe he’s not really gone or
missing, we just think he is?”
“Maybe. Or…” Raveena shook her head, stopping herself and refocusing on
Walter. “One last time. Pick one final card for your Connor.”
Walter merely blinked at her, yawned.
Griffin opened and shut his beak in that eerily hollow clack, sending
chills through my veins.
Walter snorted, hacked, then sighed.
“Think of Connor, buddy.” Janee started to reach out to pet him but pulled
her hand back when Raveena violently shook her head.
Tabitha chittered encouragingly, though I couldn’t tell if to her mama or
Walter.
Remembering how Raveena challenged us as we’d started, I sank my fingers
deep into Mischief’s fur, tried to picture the exact shade of Connor’s blue
eyes, and couldn’t.
Instead, the sweet pungent flavor of butterscotch coated my tongue,
followed by the earthy nuttiness of the pecans. As the crunch and flavor of
Connor’s scones filled my mouth, Walter stood once more, gave a whole-body
shake, the hood of his sweater flapping over half his face.
He chuffed in irritation, then sneezed. Once on the inside of his hood.
Once more on his feet. Then a third and final sneeze over the cards. One flew
from the deck, straight at Raveena.
Griffin lurched down and snatched the card in his beak before it hit
Raveena between the eyes.
“Thank you, love.” Raveena reached up and took the card gingerly from
Griffin, who went back to his stoic position, though his beetle-black eyes
seemed to glare at Walter, who simply sat licking his nose clean.
“Connor’s future.” Raveena brought the card down, turned it over, and
gasped.
Just like the other cards, I didn’t need to be told the name of this one.
A crow perched almost identically to how Griffin now shimmered over the card.
Only, instead of a beautiful witch under his talons, a gray and cracked skull
stared at us through empty sockets.
“Death,” Janee whispered, horror nearly stealing her voice.
“Death?” I looked from Janee to Walter to Raveena. “Does that mean…?”
Raveena shook her head, not even enough to disturb Griffin. “Not
necessarily. It often indicates good things. Transitions, endings, rebirth.
But…”
Yeah… picturing the pool of blood in front of the freezer door, Walter’s
little prints scattered about as he escaped, hard to believe any other meaning
than the literal.
Walter sneezed again, and all the candles went out.
I gasped, wrapped my arms tighter around Mischief.
Outside the balcony, the clouds must’ve parted as a beam of moonlight
flooded through the French doors and cascaded over Walter.
The snorting, sneezing little pug sat up straight, tilted his wrinkly
block head back, and howled.
My heart broke, thinking it a mournful lament for his witch.
Knows. Mischief spoke
excitedly in my mind. Almost panting. Walter knows. Where. Connor is.
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