Chapter Sixteen #4
He shuffled the cards as he thought of his question. Perhaps this was the best way to begin explaining everything. He cut the deck into three stacks, rejoined them, and handed the deck to Trish.
“Do we succeed in stopping this virus and whoever set it loose?” he asked. The men who are after Mel.
Trish looked stricken, her eyes wide. Then she looked to Mel, who managed an encouraging smile. Trish seemed to take some comfort from her daughter’s expression. She held the deck in her hands for a moment, eyes closed, as he took a long drink of coffee.
Trish laid down a card.
“The Empress,” she said with a reverential tone, as if this particular card was expected.
She laid down another, across the first card. “The Ace of Wands Reversed.” That seemed to make Trish thoughtful. A small noise came from Mel, who had gone a little pale.
Then Trish laid another to the left of the first two. “The Hanged Man.” Again, a pregnant pause.
“Finally.” She laid down another card to the right of the first two. The barest hint of a smile touched her lips. “The Ace of Cups.”
Mel let out the breath she had been holding. She’d clearly picked up a lot about tarot over the years.
Trish began to explain the cards that had been drawn. “The first card, the Empress, represents fertility.”
Daniel stiffened. His surprise had to be showing on his face.
“She is the Great Mother, creating and nurturing life in all its forms. She can represent many things, but…” She touched the card and shut her eyes, frowning. “Both. She is both here. The Great Mother and, at a different level, fertility.
“The Ace of Wands Reversed represents impotence, sterility, ruin. In this position, crossing the Empress.” She touched the card.
“Again, it seems that both levels apply. At one level, it is sterility crossing—preventing—fertility.” She lifted her eyes to meet his.
“At another, it could be the ruin of Mother Earth.”
It was Trish’s turn to take a shaky breath. Mel was quiet, watching, her eyes a stormy gray as she stroked her pendant.
“The past card is one of the most fascinating cards in the deck. It is yet another card of the major arcana, like the Moon and the Empress. The major arcana signify that important changes are in motion, and those caught up in them need to decide if they will accept the sacrifice required.” She pointed.
“The Hanged Man represents that sacrifice. It reveals a willingness to give up control to something greater than themselves—the courage and strength to surrender.” She touched the card and closed her eyes.
“It can also represent the dreamer lost in his own dream. Waiting.”
There was a slight sound from the door. Trish looked up and acknowledged whoever was waiting outside with a smile. Her next customer, presumably.
“This last card represents the future. This is a good outcome.” Trish nodded.
“The Ace of Cups is a symbol of blessing and renewal. It can represent a new relationship, a birth or a marriage, creation, fertility. In this spread, with the Empress in the center and the threat of sterility represented here”—she pointed to the Ace of Wands—“it has to signify the return of fertility.”
Trish touched the Ace of Cups and closed her eyes, her face a study in concentration. “The return of abundance. A rebirth of the Great Mother.”
Trish opened her eyes and gestured to the spread. “Of course, there is more than one possible reading here,” she said. “More than one answer.” She smiled at Daniel. “You must be full of questions, and the cards have attempted to answer them all. I hope you received the answers you sought.”
Daniel took a deep breath. Mel had said her mother was accurate, but this seemed uncanny. He hoped beyond hope that she was right.
“Thank you, Madame Amelia. That was amazing.” He stood and gave a short bow. “And yes, I did get the answer I was looking for.” He reached for his wallet. “How much?”
“No, no, no.” Trish waved her hands. “This reading was for me, not you.”
He raised his eyebrows at her.
“I wanted to get to know this beekeeper whose card is the Moon,” she said smiling impishly, and Daniel could see where Mel had gotten her smile.
“Mom,” Mel protested.
“You must stay and have supper with us tonight,” she said.
A voice rose up from behind them. “Indeed. I wish to know this prince better, the one who ran off with my assistant.”
Cornelius Twist stood in the doorway, smiling broadly and holding out his hand.
Mel looked around to make sure no customers were in earshot. “Daniel, this is my father, Craig Noblett. Dad, this is Dr. Daniel Woodruff.”
As Daniel shook his hand, Mel’s father nodded and smiled. “I am very pleased to meet the brilliant scholar whose timely call saved my daughter’s life.”
“Dad,” Mel moaned. “You are not on stage now.”
As Mel stood next to her father, Daniel realized how short the man really was. He had such an imposing personality and presence that his height hadn’t been noticeable. Now he saw why Mel was petite.
Daniel cleared his throat and replied with a degree of drama.
“I am truly honored to meet the amazing Cornelius Twist.” Her father preened.
“And under any other circumstances, I would absolutely love to stay for supper. But I fear time is of the essence here, and there is no good way to do this, so I must apologize in advance. I need to get Mel away from the festival as soon as possible, for her safety and yours. Is there a place we can talk priv—”
There was a sudden cry of distress, and they all turned to Trish. She was staring at the cards on the table.
As she had tried to collect her deck, the Two of Swords had somehow slipped out and now lay across the Hanged Man in Daniel’s spread.