Chapter 21 #2
“Hello,” Airess greeted awkwardly, sitting in front of Mara. The strong fragrance of perfume and the burning herbs on the table blasted Airess’ nose. Airess stifled a cough and blinked her Sight forward, delighted to see such clean, pure energy the color of the sky enveloping the old woman.
“Ah, two threads weave together. One crimson. One emerald. What an interesting pair,” Mara muttered, eyes darting between the two before she brought out a deck of cards.
Airess’ brows creased at the cryptic words, and she began to question what exactly she was walking into.
Mara’s thick stack of bracelets and rings clinked together as she began to shuffle the cards with ease, diverting her attention to Airess.
“Alright. You can choose the cards or fortune, but you can’t have both! That would cost extra.”
Airess glanced at Taryn, who currently leaned against the wooden post, a hand over his mouth to cover his laughter. She bit back her own grin, his playfulness awakening something deeper within her, a heat that spread from her heart, down to her toes.
When Airess realized she was staring at Taryn, she faced Mara and cleared her throat with a timid smile. “I’ll go with the fortune, please.”
Mara nodded. “Very well. We’ll start with the palm reading first. Your hand, miss.”
The old lady grabbed her hand, her grip surprisingly strong for her age. She flipped Airess’ hand over to examine her palm, running a sharp fingernail down the center.
“Ah, this is certainly interesting,” Mara noted. “In the beginning, I see a golden chain–a cage. There’s struggle and resentment. Not so happy in this area of your life, I see.”
Airess stilled, not particularly enjoying this being verbalized in front of Taryn.
“As we move down–oh! This line represents change, a new era of your life. This is where your growth begins and you find out your true self. But then…” Mara trailed off, frowning. A slight breeze picked up, bringing in a cold chill and rustling the tent fabric around them.
Airess sat up, her heart beginning to thrum. “What is it?”
“I see struggle and pain. I see anger–and power!” Mara chuckled, enthralled, before her smile faded away slowly.
Mara’s eyes darkened. “Then… nothing. I cannot read beyond this point.”
Silence fell between them. Airess shivered. What did she mean, nothing? That certainly was… disheartening. Not at all what she expected to hear.
The woman decorated her face with a smile once more and waved her hand, dismissing the words. “Oh well! Our Fate changes with each choice we make. Who knows what that could mean! Now, time for the fortune. Give me your other hand.”
Airess obeyed, lifting her other hand from her lap and placing it in Mara’s steel grip. Mara closed her eyes and nodded, as if she were listening to something. Softly, she began to whisper beneath her breath, muttering incoherent words. Then–
The fyre from the candles flared, the heat from the flames licking Airess’ face.
Mara’s eyes shot open, head tilting to the sky.
The fortune teller’s blue irises had turned a milky gray, sending shivers down Airess’ spine.
Her heartbeat quickened as the fortune teller spoke–as if the words weren’t her own.
“A stolen Death
A touch of Fyre
An earth rebirthed
To be made from desire
A soul of Mind
Brings forth the Storm
Is when the dawn of a new age
Shalt be born.”
Mara inhaled a sharp breath and fell back in her seat, eyes still closed.
Her grip on Airess’ hands slackened. She began whispering rapidly again, her tone dipping and rising, speaking in a foreign language Airess had never heard before.
At once, her head dropped. Mara brought a wrinkled hand to her forehead and pinched the bridge of her nose.
“What did you just say?” Taryn asked, suddenly interested, his brows raised. Recognition flashed in his eyes as he took a step forward and leaned over the table, mouth hung open.
“Ma’am, are you all right?” Airess asked softly.
When Mara opened her eyes, they were back to their original blue.
“Yes, I–I’m sorry,” the fortune teller said, yanking her hand away, looking between Airess and Taryn. “The – the shop is now closed for the day. You both need to leave.”
“Do you need any help–” Taryn started, before Mara stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the stone beneath them, cutting him off. Taryn backed off as Mara shooed him away. She grabbed her coin jar and looked directly at Airess.
“Be weary. The Vulture preys on the owl.”
It was the last thing she said before she scurried off, as if she was scared of them.
Unsure of what just happened, Airess rose to her feet and watched the woman hobble away.
“What the hell was that?” Taryn demanded, talking with his hands. His face was twisted with confusion, mouth parted open before he closed it again. “What does that mean, The Vulture preys on the owl?”
Airess bristled at the thought. Mara had said many things, most of which didn't make sense, but Airess knew better than to brush it off. She was surprised, however, how invested Taryn had suddenly become.
“You seem quite interested for someone so skeptical,” Airess teased, but when his eyes flashed with an emotion she couldn’t name, she pivoted her body towards him.
“What is it?” Airess asked.
He stared after Mara as she melted into the crowd of the bustling street, clearly grappling with something she had said. Airess grabbed Taryn’s wrist softly. His head swiveled to hers, their gazes meeting. There was an urgency she wasn’t able to decipher in his eyes.
“Taryn, what’s wrong?”
He glanced at her hand, and his expression softened. She watched his face closely as it shifted– first soft, then hardening–-until he wore his usual sarcastic grin.
“It was probably just another part of her theatrics. Don’t let it bother you.” He said matter-of-factly, brushing off her concern.
“I suppose,” Airess commented, wanting to say more, but the growl from her stomach pulled her from her thoughts. She brought a hand to her abdomen. Taryn glanced at her hand, not missing the movement.
“Are you hungry?”
She nodded sheepishly, remembering he could hear far better than she could. Hungry was an understatement. She was starving.
Taryn smirked. “I know just the place.”
He led her down the street towards the food vendors, guiding them forward with his hand in hers.
It was a subtle action, but his touch ignited something within her, heating her entire body.
She craned her neck to look at the side of his face as they trekked forward, and couldn’t shake the feeling that Taryn was hiding something.
And he had lied about it.