Page 78 of Fallen Court

“My leaves told me to expect someone a few weeks ago,” she explained.

“They predict the future?” What else did she see in that cup?

“Not exactly. Vibes, remember? Plus, the future is a nebulous thing. There are hundreds of paths we can take, and the future shifts with every decision we make. I just knew you were a stranger, and thank the goddess, because for a minute I thought my auntie from Hong Kong was going to make good on her threat to visit,” she admitted, propping her elbow on the table. “You’ve been showing up in my readings ever since, so I figured it was decisions you were making putting you on my path, because things have been quiet around here.”

“So, this doesn’t tell me what’s going to happen?” I pointed to the cup, not quite relieved.

“Nope. You make a decision, and the future changes. The decision becomes the past, which is a lot easier for most of us to navigate because we can see behind us. I mean really, there’s no such thing as the future. Maybe that will make it less scary for you.”

“It certainly makes me feel more confused.”

She snorted. “Fair enough. But you’re going to have to make a decision if you want me to help you, Cate.”

I sucked in a deep breath, the air burning in my lungs as I held it. Lach hadn’t renewed his objection to me seeking help with the ring, but he had reminded me that no one else needed to know its origins. That made playing show-and-tell with a stranger a little more difficult.

“This ring was my mother’s.” I held out my hand. “I recently discovered I can’t take it off. It’s not stuck,” I added quickly. “It fits like it always has, but when I try to remove it…something shocks me. Something…magical.”

Well, that didn’t sound absurd at all.

Her brows lifted. “May I?”

I nodded, bracing for a shock as her fingers brushed the stone.

Nothing.

“I didn’t feel anything.”

“I’m not trying to remove it.” Willow’s lips curved as she continued to inspect it, lifting my hand in half a dozen angles to see it from every side. “Spells are delicate things. Intentions are always a crucial ingredient.” She released my hand and stared me down. “Quick question—do you want to remove it?”

“I…don’t…know.”

“Um-hmmm.” Something about the way she said it suggested she didn’t even need it confirmed—just exactly how much could she tell already? She drummed the tabletop lightly. “And why is that?”

“Remember those answers that I fear?” I couldn’t tell her more without revealing too much.

“Is there someone who could help you decide?” I opened my mouth to suggest Lach, but she raised a finger. “Not the dark one who walks beside you. That’s not his job.”

“What is his job?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“I think you already know that.” She smiled at me. “Someone gave you this ring.”

“My mother. It passed to me when she died.”

But Willow shook her head. “It wasn’t a gift, then. It’s more like someone allowed you to wear it.” She raised her brow. “Does that make sense to you?”

My throat swelled painfully. “The woman who took me in. Gran.”

“Yes.” She snapped her fingers with a flourish. “She’s the one who can help you make peace with the ring.”

“She’s gone, too.” Willow’s words dashed any hope I felt. So much for finding answers.

But she waved off this information like it was no big deal. “No one is ever truly gone. We can work with that. We just needed to know the right person to ask.”

Between the tea and the roller coaster of a conversation, my head was beginning to swim. I started to stand, reaching for my purse to pay her. “Thank you for the help.” I took out my wallet. “What do I owe you?”

“Leaving would be another decision.” She cocked her head. “A bad one.”

Frustration picked at my fraying nerves. “Well, I can’t ask a dead woman about my magic ring.”