Chapter Five
Sage
“When is your client due in today?” Danika leans back against the doorjamb of the storage room, a delicate paintbrush in one hand and a small rock in the other.
“Ten minutes. It’s one of our favorites too, which means coffee, cake, and cackles.” I chuckle at my own lame joke, but it’s true. Whenever this client comes for a reading, we’re guaranteed a fun few hours because she always hangs around for a coffee afterward while browsing for her own supplies.
“I wondered why you put those cakes from this morning aside. I’ll head off and grab dinner when you’re all done because I know for a fact that you haven’t eaten yet today and you’re on the night shift tonight.
” Raising her eyebrows at me, she gives me that knowing look.
The one that says she sees straight through me.
When I got home yesterday, I told her about Professor Creepy stepping up his stalking a notch.
It was weird that he just turned up at the archery club, and it was even weirder that he was waiting outside the shop in his car afterward.
The whole thing made me lose my appetite.
I had been so looking forward to my fajita, but I just couldn’t finish it with my gut churning in anticipation. Anticipation of what? I have no idea.
Even my spirit guide is jittery. For most people, having a strong intuition about something or coming to some kind of realization is the most they’ll feel from their spirit guide.
But for people like me, who open themselves up to spiritual beliefs, we get thoughts and feelings.
I can’t quite put my finger on the mixed ones coming through right now, and that doesn’t bode well for today’s reading, but hopefully I can pull it together.
“Yeah yeah, I’ll eat. I did already have a few bites of one of the cakes you made today, though, if that counts.” I grin and slide past her into the storage room.
My tarot card decks are all lined up on the shelves beneath the stairs to our apartment, each in their own clear case so they don’t get dusty when they’re not in use.
The cases need to be transparent because, for me, if they’re out of sight, they’re out of mind.
I tried wooden boxes once and ended up wasting a lot of time searching for the right deck for each client.
The cards I use depend on how I’m feeling that day, and today, I’m feeling my Sun and Moon deck.
“It doesn’t count, but I’ll give you a pass as long as you eat dinner…
and maybe help me tidy the apartment before Desdemon arrives tomorrow.
” Her grin is an attempt at cute, but Danika couldn’t be cute if she tried.
Her vibrant red hair paired with her ridiculously long legs say nothing but sex bomb.
My best friend is a head turner for sure.
“The only way that apartment could be any cleaner than it is, would be if we removed everything.” Laughing, I take my tarot deck and stand in front of her.
I have to bend my neck to look up at her, but she never makes me feel small.
“I know it’s been a few years since you last saw him, and I get that you’re nervous, but there is literally nothing else you can do to prepare.
You’ve got this, babe.” I’m not reassuring her, I’m reminding her, because she knows.
She’s a badass and she totally has this situation under control.
Inhaling deeply, she nods. “Yeah, I do.”
Standing perfectly still, my ankle gives out and I grab Danika for support before I fall.
If I were anyone else, my tendency to collapse at any random moment would be cause for concern.
Unfortunately, this is an everyday occurrence and we’re both immune to it.
As I straighten myself up, with Danika’s help and, of course, her light chuckle, I notice one of the tarot cards has fallen out of the box.
Damnit, I’m going to have to grab a fresh deck for the reading now because this one might be tainted.
I pick it up and take a look because maybe it’s meant for me. It’s not usually a coincidence that a single card falls from a deck, and while the universe may be against me by withholding orgasms, I still believe there’s a reason for everything.
The Knight of Swords. An image of a beautiful white horse, its rider holding a sword high to the sky.
This is the most aggressive of all knights.
His appearance announces challenges, arguments, and physical threats.
However, that doesn’t always mean it’s a bad thing.
The Knight of Swords is about actions and intellect, if he is on your side, you pretty much have nothing to fear.
The sound of windchimes tells us that we have a customer and I immediately know who it is without even seeing her. I put the card back with its deck and choose a fresh set, one that has already been cleansed and isn’t tainted by my own aura like the first one clearly was.
Exiting the storage room, I can’t help the huge grin on my face.
“Hi, Beautiful.” Petal’s general aura shines with positivity, but she has some questions she needs answering, which is why she’s here today.
“Hey, Gorgeous.” Greeting each other this way has always been her thing and I’m here for it.
“Everest has the four youngest with him today, but Briggs wanted to come here with me.” She shrugs nonchalantly, but I know she’s loving the fact that her twelve-year-old son wants to spend time with her like this.
What he actually wants is a glimpse of Danika, and he knows he gets to hang out with her while I do his mom’s reading, but I’m not about to burst Petal’s bubble.
“That’s great. Time for a Jenga rematch, young Mr. Fox.” Danika wags her brows and claps her hands before reaching beneath the counter and pulling out a few games.
“Prepare to have your ass whoo…” He trails off and looks up at his mom, then clears his throat. “Sorry, Mom. Aunt River said ass was okay.”
I have to hold in a laugh.
“Well, Aunt River can have her behind whooped next time we see her then.” Rolling her eyes, Petal sighs and looks to me. “Ready?”
“Let’s go.” She follows me into the small alcove in the corner of the shop. There’s a round table with a crystal ball in the center—which is fucking useless, but it looks good—and there are two mis-matched wooden chairs on opposite sides.
Suddenly, my chest feels like it’s on fire and I have to pause as I’m about to sit, my face scrunched up from a phantom pain.
It’s not my pain, I know that much. There must be a spirit nearby that died from some kind of chest wound.
I mentally ask the spirit to back off a little, letting them know I’ll listen to what they have to say when I’ve finished my initial tarot reading.
Whoever it is, they’re a strong soul and I get the impression they’re either attached to Petal or Briggs.
The pain eases up and I can finally breathe properly as I take my seat. Petal’s big eyes are wide and her brows furrowed in concern.
“Is there a spirit somewhere? Your aura only ever flashes when there’s a spirit.” Always perceptive. Petal has a gift for reading auras, and she’s quick to notice when something is new or off.
“There is.” I nod. “But we’ll answer your questions with the tarot first. Okay?”
“Sure thing.” Her cute smile brightens her whole face as she sits opposite me, placing her palms on the table.
It’s my favorite thing in this small, curtained-off-from-the-world space. The mint-green and gold geode design beneath the clear glass sparkles when I light the three candles placed on top, surrounding the crystal ball—which I promptly remove and place on a floating shelf beside me.
“You know the drill, take the deck between your palms, close your eyes, and try to clear your mind of everything except today’s questions.
” I pass her the deck after removing it from the box and she handles them with such care.
This is why I can use my nice gold-edged cards with Petal, because she’s a fucking saint.
New clients and students from the college get the older, less sentimental and non-pretty packs.
I’ve had to replace far too many over the years.
This isn’t the way everyone would do this kind of reading, but it’s how Trina taught me and it works.
“Okay, now give them a light shuffle, keeping your questions in your mind, then place them in the center of the table.”
Nodding, her eyes still closed, Petal begins shuffling.
One card falls to the floor before she puts them down, but it’s not a mistake or a mis-shuffle.
When a card leaps from the deck, it is generally seen as a message from the universe or your spirit guide.
Just like the Knight Of Swords for me earlier.
She opens her eyes, bends down to pick up the card, and hands it to me with a grin.
“The Sun!” She knows what this card means, it’s not the first time she’s seen it in a reading.
“Amazing. I expected nothing less for you, if I’m honest. This card is a symbol of success, joy, and vitality. It radiates positivity and optimism and often indicates a period of abundance and good fortune. So more good things are coming your way.”
Using the Celtic Cross method, I begin laying out Petal’s cards.
The first one is for the present moment, where things stand right now, then position two shows potential obstacles or support.
The third one is just below the first two, and this is the foundation of the situation, the source of any issues she may have.
I continue to lay out the rest of the cards, interpreting the feel of each one to Petal and finishing with number ten, the outcome for where she’s headed. As expected, it’s all positive, and she has a great life ahead of her, one full of abundance.
“When the time comes, and you’ll know exactly when that is, the right choice will be easy. All the reasons for the obstacles leading up to that point will become clear.” I eye the layout of cards, feeling confident with everything we’ve spoken about over the last hour.
“It all makes perfect sense. I knew something big was coming, I could just feel it. Ev encouraged me to come for a reading, and I’m glad he did.
” The smile never leaves her face, like it’s permanently etched onto her lips.
I swear, if anyone makes this woman upset, they’ll have the universe to answer to.
“Okay, now this soul that’s hanging around.
I’ve felt him before but never this strong.
He’s showing me Briggs, then pointing to himself…
” I trail off and raise my head, allowing my eyes to unfocus and my fingers to move independently, as if I’m playing an invisible piano.
Images that a spirit wants me to see are not always easy to interpret.
“Okay, I’m not sure what he’s trying to say, but he’s showing me a river… ”
Petal’s eyes widen almost impossibly further and she gasps. Her hands fly up to her heart and tears begin to fill her eyes as the smile slowly creeps back onto her face.
“Wow.” The word is breathy, light, and the first drop of a tear rolls down her cheek.
“I knew I could feel him. All these years…” She sighs and drops her hands, looking straight at me.
“It’s our best friend. Kai Briggs. The river is for my sister-in-law…
River.” The light tinkle of her chuckle eases my tension.
Understanding washes over me and I feel a sense of relief that she knows. It’s not my relief, it’s the soul’s…Kai’s. It seems as though he’s been trying to get her attention for a long time, but he hasn’t been strong enough to push through those final barriers.
“He’s honored that you named your first son after him, but he’s laughing as he shows me a…ah, okay, Everest. He says he was like a fish out of water when…wait…”
A chill washes over me, my hairs all standing on end and goosebumps rising. The spirit, Kai, is mischievous, but something’s wrong. Images of him escaping I don’t know what keep flashing through my mind and I’m confused because he’s fighting against something. A pumpkin?
Within seconds of this happening, he’s gone. It’s the weirdest thing because never has a spirit disappeared like this in the middle of communicating. They usually get everything they want to say out first, kind of like splurging their unfinished business before they poof away.
“I’m so sorry, Petal. He’s not with us anymore.” I don’t want to tell her about the last images and feelings he gave me because they don’t feel like they’re meant for her.
“I guessed as much. I could smell him, then you stopped and his scent vanished. Do you know why?” Her doll-like eyes look so sad for the loss, but I can’t lie to make her feel better.
“No, Beautiful, I don’t.”
She inhales deeply, nodding to herself on the exhale. “Okay. I’m going to skip the cake today and head straight home, if that’s okay?”
“Whatever makes you happy. Danika has a box of items you pre ordered behind the counter, and I really look forward to seeing you next time.”
We both stand and she pulls me in for a hug. She gives the best hugs, putting her whole tiny self into it. She’s an inch or two shorter than me, making me feel almost giant-like in comparison to her smaller stature.
“Thank you.”
As I pull back the floor-length curtain separating us from the rest of the shop, the windchimes on the ceiling start moving but the door isn’t open and there’s no breeze. I pause, trying to figure out why it’s happening because I can’t feel any spirits…
The door opens within seconds of my wondering and the churning in my gut wars against everything in my chest. Strong feelings of mistrust and hatred flow through me as I make eye contact with a man I recognize but can’t place.
Somewhere in my subconscious, I do know this man, but I also have no idea who he is.
The world around me has gone silent, unmoving, as a man I’ve only ever seen in my dreams stares at me like he wants to eat me. No…devour me.
“Finally…Aiyana.”