Page 21 of To No End

Aster smiled at me with an odd satisfaction. “That’s more like it.”

I was too terrified to ask if I was headed straight for death’s door. I intentionally worded it the way I did to go easy on myself, though I had a feeling Aster wasn’t keen on taking it easy on anyone.

“Please grip the side of the bowl with both hands and dip only your fingertips into the water.” She pointed encouragingly at the object between us. “Do not remove them until I tell you to. You may look at the water, but do not try and interpret what you see, that is my job.”

I did exactly as she requested and submerged my fingertips slowly into the warm water. Aster reached into the pocket of her tattered apron and withdrew a vial of black liquid. Opening it, she then poured the entire thing into the bowl. I watched as the liquid swirled like oil, remaining separate from the water but still within it. Then she performed the same placement of her fingertips in the bowl across from mine and waited.

When I finally stopped staring at the black liquid dancing around our fingers, I looked up to see that her eyes had both gone milky white and I could no longer see her pupils. I gasped audibly, but quickly remembered not to pull my hands from the water, even though her appearance was frightening.

She was such a tiny, frail thing, but it was clear she possessed strong magic and I wasn’t going to underestimate her. I kept my fingertips firmly planted on the side of the bowl and turned my attention back to the water, trying to make out whatever image or message it might show me.

I squinted my eyes and strained to understand what I was seeing. In some ways, it seemed like the black liquid showed both calm tides and then rough seas.

The fuzzy images constantly changed and shifted. She told me not to try and interpret them, but it was beautiful and I was transfixed.

Then Aster spoke, her voice no longer deep and raspy but this time melodic, almost like someone else was speaking through her. My breath hung on every poetic word that left her crinkled lips.

The ink is dry on pages past

but shines anew on skin.

Behold! When cursed die are cast

A conflict builds within.

Which path is safe?

Which door is locked?

How strong is faith

When arrows nocked?

Let loose, they’ll pierce the golden mask

that hides beneath the surface.

The sands of fate within your grasp

Reveal a darker purpose.

When Aster’s voice went silent, I watched as her eyes returned to normal. She looked at me like prey, cocking her head with a sly smile spreading across her face.

“You may remove your fingers from the water.”

I pulled myself away from the trancelike state, and when I looked down, the black liquid was no more, the water crystal clear again. I didn’t know how much time had passed, but I felt like I had been staring into that bowl for an eternity.

Her puzzling words echoed in my mind over and over. It was one giant riddle. Anger swelled in my chest. Is this what I was paying for, nonsensical rhymes? I wanted answers!

She could tell I was on the verge of unleashing my displeasure.

“Your fate is entangled with Gaia Wood enchantments.”

My eyes narrowed with annoyance.

She continued, “This vision is unclear. It ensnares my tongue to speak to you in riddles and rhymes because it doesn’t want to be revealed and can only be understood when it comes to pass. Your fate doesn’t want to be known.”

My hands clenched in tight fists. “But I want to know! Idemandto know.” This outburst had been building in me for days. After all the hours of placating my family and pretending to be fine, I wanted to know what my future held.

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