Page 58 of Haunted Hearts

“What’s this one?” she asked, reaching for the last card.

Minerva’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from turning it over. “It doesn’t matter, my dear. The cards aren’t always right. I suggest we go join the others now. The apple bobbing is taking place and the costume parade around the bonfire will be starting. We should go.” Minerva started to scoop up the cards, but Lillith slapped her hand down over the uncovered card.

“Not yet,” said Lillith, sliding the card toward her. “I want you to finish my reading first.”

“I get the feeling we should stop,” protested Minerva, but Lillith didn’t heed the warning. She flipped the card over and immediately wished she had listened to Minerva after all. Her body froze. Lillith found herself staring at the death card – the last card she ever wanted to see, especially on a night like this.

“Am I g-going to die?” she whispered, suddenly feeling very frightened.

“The death card doesn’t always mean a physical death,” explained Minerva. “It could be death of a relationship, or a way of living, or –”

The door burst open and Blaze entered the room with Orvyn following on his heels. They stopped in their tracks when they saw the women. “Mother? Lilly? What’s going on here?” growled Blaze.

“Are those fortune-telling cards?” asked Orvyn with wide eyes.

“We were just leaving,” said Minerva, gathering up the cards and quickly blowing out the candle. She picked up some salt in her fingers and threw it at Lilly once more and then dropped some on the table as well before she snuffed out the incense.

“You really are witches, just like the rumors said.” Orvyn walked over to the table to get a better look at what was going on.

Blaze could have died on the spot. He had brought Orvyn to his solar to ask him about his secrecy with the villagers lately, but never expected to find his mother and Lillith here, doing this! The last thing he needed was Orvyn finding out for sure that his mother was a witch. Now, Orvyn would think Lillith was one too. This was not going to fare well for her at all. For none of them, actually.

“Nay, it’s not what you think,” Blaze told Orvyn, not exactly knowing how to explain this.

“I always wondered about those cards. Can I see them?” Orvyn stretched his neck.

“Nay! Now, go to the stable and check the horses and see to the apple bobbing,” Blaze told Orvyn with a finger pointing to the door.

“Yes, my lord, but I thought you wanted to speak to me about something.”

“Not now. We’ll talk later. It can wait.”

Orvyn seemed disappointed, but turned to leave.

“Wait, Orvyn,” said Blaze.

“Yes, my lord?” He turned back around.

“In a few days when the festivities are over, you and I will have a talk about what you just saw. But for now, for tonight, just please keep quiet about any ideas you have regarding anything you have seen here today.”

“Of course, my lord,” said Orvyn with a bow, leaving and closing the door behind him.

As soon as he was gone, Blaze exploded with anger.

“Mother! How could you? And Lillith? What is the matter with you two? Don’t you two realize what you’ve just done? Orvyn can’t keep his mouth shut. This is going to blow up in all our faces.” He paced the room and shook his head. “And just when I thought things might turn out all right. Now I’m doomed. Doomed! And it’s all your fault.” He glared at both the women.

“I’m sorry,” said Lillith, wiping a tear from her eye. “I was just curious, but now I wish that I had never come up here at all.”

“It was my fault,” interrupted Minerva. “I wanted to do a reading for her.”

“Whatever for?” growled Blaze.

“She did it for us, Blaze,” said Lillith, her voice quaking. “She wanted to find out if we’ll end up together.”

“What?” asked Blaze, wondering now if there was possibly a way to make this happen. “Well, what did you find out?”

Lillith bit her lip and looked like she was trying to keep from crying. She wound the end of her hair around her fingers, and got up from the table so quickly that she knocked into it, causing a card to fall to the floor. Blaze walked over and picked it up.

“The fool,” he said, handing the card to his mother.