I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, picking up the deck again, my hands tingling as I handled the cards. I fanned the deck, then started to shuffle them, taking slow, deep breaths as I did.<\/p>\n
\u201cGot your questions ready?\u201d I asked Phelan softly.<\/p>\n
He shifted, letting go of me and watching my hands, the tarot deck. \u201cD\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/em>, Marin. I never quite realized how strong your affinity for that deck is.\u201d<\/p>\n I managed a thin, faint smile. \u201cI\u2019ve been seeing things since I was a little kid, Phelan,\u201d I said softly. \u201cFiguring out how to read a tarot deck was pretty much par for the course.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not that.\u201d He squeezed my shoulder gently. \u201cIt\u2019s not that at all. Not everyone develops quite the connection that you clearly have with that deck\u2014regardless of where their talents lie.\u201d<\/p>\n A shiver crept down my spine, my hands going still. I stared at him, taking in his creased brow, the slight downturn to his lips.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re worried.\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded. \u201cAbout a lot of things, le\u00e1nnan<\/em>. This is maybe a little less concerning than some other things since it doesn\u2019t seem to do you any harm, so to speak.\u201d<\/p>\n The laugh that escaped me was bitter and I shook my head. \u201cNo. Not really, anyway.\u201d I took a slow, deep breath. \u201cAll right. I think I\u2019m ready for you to ask the questions.\u201d<\/p>\n The shrill of one of the lookout\u2019s whistles echoed through the halls. Phelan shot to his feet and I dumped the cards to the side, wrapped in the cloth that usually shrouded the box.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat now?\u201d Phelan muttered a curse under his breath in his native tongue, heading for the door.<\/p>\n \u201cThink it might have anything to do with the questions you wanted answered?\u201d I asked him as I shoved my feet into my boots and grabbed my bow.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope not,\u201d he said with a shudder. \u201cD\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/em>, I sure as hell hope not. Don\u2019t wait for me. I need to get my staff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFour minutes by the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded and we parted ways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, picking up the deck again, my hands tingling as I handled the cards. I fanned the deck, then started to shuffle them, taking slow, deep breaths as I did. \u201cGot your … Continue reading