Page 6 of Royal Surrogate 2

“Keep holding your question in your mind,” she tells me. “And while you do, I want you to pick three cards.”

I stare at the spread of face-down cards in front of me. I know this is all completely random, but I still take some care in selecting my three cards.

“Very good,” the woman says, pushing my three selected cards into the middle of the table and clearing the others away. She reaches for one of the cards, then pauses, looking at me with large gray eyes.

“Are you familiar with oracle decks?” she asks me.

“Like tarot?”

“Similar, but while most tarot decks contain the same seventy-eight cards, each oracle deck is different. But the idea is the same—every card contains symbolic images that can be used to guide us through our lives. Some even believe they can give us glimpses of the future.”

“Ah,” I say, beginning to enjoy this, even though I still don’t believe it.

“This first card will reveal something about your past.” The woman flips over the card.

It shows a beautifully painted image of a small bird on a bed of grass, looking up at a gray sky above.

“The Lost Fledgling,” she says. “This tells me you were likely pushed out of the nest too soon. Sometimes this means you lost your parents when you were young. Otherwise, it could signify that you were forced to grow up too quickly or very suddenly, or that you were forced to carry too much responsibility at a young age.”

There’s a pang inside me as I stare down at the sad face of the little bird. Of course there’s no way this woman could have known about my parents’ accident, or the current state of my father’s health, but it stings just the same. I don’t want to think of myself as that lost baby bird, but I can already feel the tears welling in my eyes.

“What’s the next one?” I ask, forcing the tears away. This is just some silly fortune telling, and I shouldn’t let myself get upset over random cards.

The woman gives me a curious look, then flips the next card. “This one reveals your present.”

This card shows a much more cheerful scene—a knight in golden armor with a crown on his head and a ruby-hilted sword in his hand.

“Well, look at this,” the woman says, sounding pleased. “The King Protector. This is a good card.”

Even though I know it’s absurd, relief rushes through me. “What does it mean?”

“Often when the King Protector shows up, it means that a helpful or protective figure has entered your life. This person has the means or strength to help you with your current challenges, and many times you may find that they’re strong, wealthy, or even royalty.”

Too on the nose, I think, eying the woman suspiciously. She must have seen me coming from a mile away.

But that doesn’t explain the fact that I drew this card from her deck.

I feel a little prickle on the back of my neck. I know it’s ridiculous, but this is getting a little too real. I’m almost afraid to see what the next card holds.

But the woman is already reaching for it, and she flips it over before I can stop her. “This reveals your future.”

And my stomach drops. This card shows a tiny rabbit hopping across a field of snow—but just beyond its sight, lying in wait beneath a snowbank, is a snarling wolf.

The woman’s eyes widen, and I don’t even need to hear her explanation to go completely cold.

“The Hidden Threat,” she says somberly. “You’re facing danger you can’t yet see.”

CHAPTER 6

Caspar

Renae nearly jumps out of her skin when I rest my hand on her shoulder.

The old woman across the table taps on the card in front of her. “But because the card is upside down, you see, it means there will be a protector.” She looks up at me through her lashes, nodding. “Perhaps Lord Caspar himself?”

“Of course,” I say, though I have no idea what she’s talking about.

Renae gives a nervous laugh before standing. “Thank you. This was…fun.”

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