matches, and a worn deck of cards bound with a rubber
band.
Madame reached for the matches and lit the candle. “Lily,
would you turn off the light? The switch is beside the door.” She smiled at Joe
conspiratorially. “I work best in the dark. As I imagine you do, too.”
When the overhead lamp flickered off, the glow from
the candle cast the old woman’s face into relief, lending her a look of ageless
wisdom. “I would like you to shuffle the deck for me, please.”
Joe glanced at Lily, feeling a frown settle between
his eyes, but she only nodded her encouragement and motioned him toward the
chair.
As the old woman lit the candle and set it to her
left, Joe removed the rubber band and carefully shuffled the age-softened
cards. The design on the backs of the cards was of some celestial body. The
faces were unlike any deck of cards he’d ever played poker with. He knew he was
about to have his fortune read.
He sighed, resigning himself to the fact he would have
to humor the woman in hopes she’d let him ask his questions in good time. When
he’d finished, he handed her the deck.
“This won’ take long,” she said, humor crinkling the
corners of her eyes.
Joe felt heat creep across his cheeks and gave her his
attention while she laid three cards facedown on the table.
“Let’s see what the cards can tell me about you, boy.
Dis is called the ‘Holy Trinity’—only three cards,” she assured him with a
wink. Her gnarled fingers turned over the first card. A grin creased her face
and she looked from Joe to Lily, a wicked gleam in her eyes.
Joe looked down at the card and saw the figure of a
man, wearing a robe of fiery colors and holding a beautiful golden wand.
“The King of Wands,” she said, tapping the card. “This
card tells me you’re a man of passion. Handsome, conscientious, noble, and
strong…” she looked up at him with a coquettish tilt of her head, “…and a good
lover.” She laughed at Lily’s telltale blush.
Her hand hovered over the next card. She flipped it
over and gave a small gasp. When she looked up, all humor was wiped from her
face. Joe squirmed beneath her look of pity. “The Ten of Swords,” she
whispered.
This card depicted a body covered in blood. Ten swords
pierced the torso. Despite his cynicism of the whole ritual, a chill crept up
Joe’s spine.
The old woman closed her eyes for a long moment. “Misfortune,
ruin, loss, failure, desolation beyond tears. You have suffered.” She was still
so long, Joe thought she might have nodded off, then she sighed. “Ah…” When her
eyes opened her gaze held warmth. “But all is not lost. The evil is nearly
over.”
Joe heard the distant sound of a bell tinkling and the
curtain stirred. The candlelight wavered, nearly extinguishing, then fluttered
and burned brighter. Madame turned the last card. “The Blessed Virgin sends a
message.” She raised her gaze to him.
The third card drew a gasp from Lily and sent a chill
through Joe. It depicted the classic symbol of death—a tall, gaunt figure, his
face hidden within the folds of a cowl. He held a scythe. A white rose in full
blossom graced the corner. The macabre card was surprisingly beautiful.
The old woman patted Joe’s hand. “Death is not the
horrible card you think,” she said. “Isn’t death merely the stepping through
from one life to the next? Dis could be a foretellin’ of the end of pain and a
reminder of your mortality. I think a great and good change is comin’ to you.
With courage, evil may be overcome.”
Joe blew out a breath and glanced back at Lily. She
smiled thinly.
“Now, Miss Lily. I would read your cards.” Madame
Leveque slid the deck across the table toward her.
Joe slid from the chair and held it out for Lily. Lily
sat and carefully shuffled the deck, before handing it back to the old woman.
Joe placed his hands on Lily’s shoulders and he felt some of her tension ease.
Again, Madame drew three cards. As soon as the first
was
band.
Madame reached for the matches and lit the candle. “Lily,
would you turn off the light? The switch is beside the door.” She smiled at Joe
conspiratorially. “I work best in the dark. As I imagine you do, too.”
When the overhead lamp flickered off, the glow from
the candle cast the old woman’s face into relief, lending her a look of ageless
wisdom. “I would like you to shuffle the deck for me, please.”
Joe glanced at Lily, feeling a frown settle between
his eyes, but she only nodded her encouragement and motioned him toward the
chair.
As the old woman lit the candle and set it to her
left, Joe removed the rubber band and carefully shuffled the age-softened
cards. The design on the backs of the cards was of some celestial body. The
faces were unlike any deck of cards he’d ever played poker with. He knew he was
about to have his fortune read.
He sighed, resigning himself to the fact he would have
to humor the woman in hopes she’d let him ask his questions in good time. When
he’d finished, he handed her the deck.
“This won’ take long,” she said, humor crinkling the
corners of her eyes.
Joe felt heat creep across his cheeks and gave her his
attention while she laid three cards facedown on the table.
“Let’s see what the cards can tell me about you, boy.
Dis is called the ‘Holy Trinity’—only three cards,” she assured him with a
wink. Her gnarled fingers turned over the first card. A grin creased her face
and she looked from Joe to Lily, a wicked gleam in her eyes.
Joe looked down at the card and saw the figure of a
man, wearing a robe of fiery colors and holding a beautiful golden wand.
“The King of Wands,” she said, tapping the card. “This
card tells me you’re a man of passion. Handsome, conscientious, noble, and
strong…” she looked up at him with a coquettish tilt of her head, “…and a good
lover.” She laughed at Lily’s telltale blush.
Her hand hovered over the next card. She flipped it
over and gave a small gasp. When she looked up, all humor was wiped from her
face. Joe squirmed beneath her look of pity. “The Ten of Swords,” she
whispered.
This card depicted a body covered in blood. Ten swords
pierced the torso. Despite his cynicism of the whole ritual, a chill crept up
Joe’s spine.
The old woman closed her eyes for a long moment. “Misfortune,
ruin, loss, failure, desolation beyond tears. You have suffered.” She was still
so long, Joe thought she might have nodded off, then she sighed. “Ah…” When her
eyes opened her gaze held warmth. “But all is not lost. The evil is nearly
over.”
Joe heard the distant sound of a bell tinkling and the
curtain stirred. The candlelight wavered, nearly extinguishing, then fluttered
and burned brighter. Madame turned the last card. “The Blessed Virgin sends a
message.” She raised her gaze to him.
The third card drew a gasp from Lily and sent a chill
through Joe. It depicted the classic symbol of death—a tall, gaunt figure, his
face hidden within the folds of a cowl. He held a scythe. A white rose in full
blossom graced the corner. The macabre card was surprisingly beautiful.
The old woman patted Joe’s hand. “Death is not the
horrible card you think,” she said. “Isn’t death merely the stepping through
from one life to the next? Dis could be a foretellin’ of the end of pain and a
reminder of your mortality. I think a great and good change is comin’ to you.
With courage, evil may be overcome.”
Joe blew out a breath and glanced back at Lily. She
smiled thinly.
“Now, Miss Lily. I would read your cards.” Madame
Leveque slid the deck across the table toward her.
Joe slid from the chair and held it out for Lily. Lily
sat and carefully shuffled the deck, before handing it back to the old woman.
Joe placed his hands on Lily’s shoulders and he felt some of her tension ease.
Again, Madame drew three cards. As soon as the first
was
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