Page 121 of Deck of Scarlets

I guess she also failed, considering the lack of information she gave me. Dean Poverly’s lecture on genes and bloodline filtered through my mind, but that didn’t explain Grams’ reasoning.

Why would she lie? The answer was hidden somewhere beneath the altered truth, and I wondered…

“Where are her things?”

“Remi, please don’t let your grandmother’s actions ruin your future.”

I recoiled. “She may have had faults, but you lied to me.”

“I had my reasons.”

“And now I have mine. Where are her things?”

My mother’s eyes darted from my face to the kitchen doorway.

“Goddammit, Mother. Where are her things?”

She sighed a shaky breath. “Remi.” Her eyes looked behind me as if waiting for someone to rescue her.

“Mom, don’t make me tear up the entire place to find it.”

She held up her hands in defense. “Okay, okay. Come with me.”

I couldn’t wrap my head around her bizarre behavior. Why was she so reluctant to give me her mother’s things? Was she scared of me? Of how easily I destroyed her beautiful countertop? I might have enticed some fear.

Not wasting another second, I followed my mother as she exited the kitchen and climbed to the second floor, stopping just before her master bedroom. Her shoulders slumped slightly forward in defeat, realizing now that she couldn’t go back and save her daughter. I didn’t need saving; I had already accepted my fate. It took a while, but I did, and now I had only one mission. To save the world.

Over her shoulder, she gave me one last look before unlocking the door. “Whatever you find, keep it to yourself.” She stepped aside to let me pass and said, “Inside the walk-in closet, underneath the rack of my heels, you’ll see a brass handle. Lift that, and you’ll find everything you need.”

I nodded once and left her standing in the hallway, her eyes boring into my back. An invisible hand reached for me, but I continued, never looking back.

Flicking the closet light on, I found rows and rows of expensive designer clothes, ranging from Gucci to Prada and Burberry hanging on velvet hangers. My mother’s closet was her shopping plaza, color-coordinated and organized by pant length and shirt style. One-of-a-kind Birkin bags were displayed neatly on top shelves, matching the color scheme below, and a center island boasted exotic perfumes in weirdly shaped bottles. On any other day, I would have browsed or tried things on, but my days of carefree activities were numbered. Now, I hid in the shadows to hunt demons.

Heading toward the back, I found the stationary shoe racks and rows of five-inch heels in various colors and patterns. I dragged some heavy frames aside, finding the brass handle as she said underneath. Carved in an intricate piece, I tugged, hearing a clicking sound as it opened. Deep inside, an expansive box covered in dust sat in the center. I expected more but had a sneaky suspicion my mother had discarded the rest.

Picking it up and blowing the dust off, I cut through the heavily taped top with my dagger. In an off-white envelope, my name had been written in an elegant script. My heart tightened, realizing my grandmother had meant to leave me her belongings.

Careful not to ruin the letter inside, I took my finger and gently tore through the fold.

My breath caught in my throat as the first few words hit me.

Dear sweet Remi,

I bet you’re wondering right now how this could be true. How could a kind and powerful man let us live in a world with such evil? I wondered about that myself for a very long time. But we can’t blame those trying to mend the world’s wrongs. All we can do is take one day at a time and guide the lost ones home. We hope to make a difference, no matter how small, hoping that’ll be enough to correct past mistakes.

But you, my sweet Remi, can make that difference.

Somewhere along the way, a path had been chosen just for you. Your purity has been blessed at birth because of the power you naturally possess.

That is why only you, Remi, can know what I’ve hidden.

Because she who wields, the rest shall follow.

All my love,

Grams.

At the bottom of the note were latitude and longitude coordinates marking a place on the map that Grams ensured only I would see.

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