Page 2 of Scythe & Sparrow
With a tip of his head, he slides the bill into his pocket and walks away, heading for the nearest refreshments stand, where one of his equally shady friends is standing. I glare after him until finally I close my eyes, trying to clear him from my thoughts, refocusing my energy as I resume shuffling my cards. I reach for my selenite crystal to cleanse the deck and sever the connection between us, but my thoughts keep wandering to Lucy. The image of the purple halo around her eye returns, no matter how hard I try to push it away. The deadened look in her eyes haunts me. I’ve seen that look so many times before. In the women who have come to draw the Ace of Cups. In my mother. In the mirror.
I take a deep breath. I draw my first card with a question in my mind.
Lucy didn’t ask for help. But she needs it. What should I do?
I turn over the first card and open my eyes.
The Tower. Upheaval. Sudden change.
I tilt my head and draw another.
Two of Wands. There are opportunities if you’re willing to venture beyond your castle walls. The land beyond might be rocky, but it’s vibrant. Take a risk. Try something new. A meaningful life is built from choices.
“Hmm. I think I see where this is going, and that wasn’t what I was asking.”
Knight of Cups. The arrival of romantic love.
“Stop it.My question was about smashing that dickhead’s skull in. Not falling in love or some bullshit. Tell me about my actual question.”
I shuffle the cards again. I keep my question in mind and draw the first card.
The Tower.
“Fucksakes, Gransie. Give it a rest.” A deep breath floods my lungs as I fidget with the edge of the card and look out at the fairgrounds beyond the door of my tent. I should really be getting out of here. Leave this exchange behind. Get myself changed and ready for my upcoming performance in the big top. Zooming through the Globe of Death on a motorcycle with two other performers doesn’t leave any room for error, and I need to be focused. But Lucy’s husband is still in my line of sight. And then Bazyli walks by. I’ll take that as the sign I was looking for.
“Baz,” I bark out, stopping the teenager in his tracks. His gangly limbs are tanned and marred with grease. “Come here.”
Sparks virtually shoot from his eyes. His lips stretch around a gap-toothed smile. “Gonna cost ya.”
“I haven’t even told you what I want yet.”
“Still gonna cost ya.”
I roll my eyes and Baz grins as he saunters into my tent with all the cockiness of a typical fifteen-year-old. I nod toward the fairgrounds. He follows my gaze. “The guy out there with the plaid shirt next to the grease joint.”
“The guy with the head that looks like an egg?”
“Yeah. I need his details. Just the driver’s license. And twenty bucks if he’s got cash in his wallet.”
Baz’s attention latches to my hands as I shuffle the Tower card back into my deck. “I’m not a thief. I’m amagician,” he says, and with a flutter of his hands, a flower appears on his palm. “The only thing I steal is hearts.”
I roll my eyes and Baz grins as he gives me the flower. “I know you’re not a thief. But Egghead over there is. He just stole twentybucks from me and I want you to give it back to his wife over there. The one with the blond hair and blue top.” I nod toward Lucy in the distance as she makes her way alone toward a concession stand. “She’ll have three kids with her in the tent during the show. I want you to get the money back to her and the license to me.”
Baz faces me, his eyes narrowing. “Whatever you’re up to, I could help, you know.”
“You are helping. By getting me that license.”
“I’ll do it for free if you let me help.”
“No dice, kiddo. Your mom will string me up by the throat from the trapeze. Just get me that license. I’ll buy you a Venom comic.”
Baz shrugs. He twists the toe of his shoe into the trampled grass, trying to keep his attention away from me. “I have most of them.”
“Not from the Dark Origins series.” Baz’s eyes snap to mine. I try to repress a smile at the longing he can’t hide. “I know you’re missing the last two. I’ll get them for you.”
“Okay … but I also get to borrow your inflatable pool.”
I scrunch my nose and tilt my head. “Sure … I guess …”
