Tarot

by Marissa Kennerson

  “I don’t know,” the Magician answered. The image of the bridge was still before them, but Anna was gone. Then the bridge itself evaporated, leaving only an image of the woods and its towering pines.

  “Can’t you do it again so we can see where she went? Stir the water more?” Senator Terrin suggested from behind the King.

  The Hermit, who had inched closer, noticed the Magician was growing pale again. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on her brow, and the color was quickly draining from her cheeks.

  “It doesn’t work that way. The magic has its limits, and I am not practiced enough to push them.”

  The room was silent, taking their cue from the King. The Magician slumped into a chair, feeling like she’d betrayed Anna. The King placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “You’ve done well.” He looked at his advisors. “Call back the Guard. I believe she’s crossed over into another place. The bridge, the way she just disappeared . . .”

  “You mean she’s dead?” the Fool blurted out.

  “I can’t say for sure, but I don’t believe that bridge is of this world,” said the King. “We’re going to have to use other, stronger means to find her.” He eyed the Magician, then turned back to Barda. “Get the soldiers ready. When we figure out where she went and how to get there, we’re going to go in with the full strength of my army.”

  The King stared down the Magician. “In the meantime, you are to practice your magic,” he commanded. The Magician’s heart fluttered as the King gave his orders. “Hone your craft and do it as fast as possible, because I have a feeling that each minute that passes, Anna is doing the same. She will be a formidable opponent.”

  The Magician stood up and began to gather her things.

  “Wait,” Barda said, barring her way with his arm. “You’ll be supervised while practicing. We’ll start tomorrow at dawn.”

  The Magician looked to the King. “Sire, surely you will not bind me with such restrictions in these circumstances.”

  “I’m afraid he’s right,” the King said as he started to leave the room. “Barda’s in charge. But don’t worry,” he called back to them. “You’re in good hands.”

  The Magician squeezed her fists at her sides and clenched her teeth. It took everything she had not to show her anger. The senators were leaving, but Barda stood guard over the table, elbows crossed, a smirk on his face.

  “I’ve never trusted your kind,” he said.

  “How dare you,” she answered back. “I could say the same about you.” She felt a hand on her elbow and whipped her head around.

  “Let’s go,” the Hermit said gently.

  She gave her tools one last longing look and then nodded, letting the Hermit lead her out of the room. The Fool followed close on their heels.

  The three of them walked the large stone halls in silence until they reached the Magician’s chambers.

  “She’s all right,” the Fool said. He collapsed onto the Magician’s bench. “I’m so relieved!”

  “And your spell did not give away her whereabouts,” said the Hermit.

  The Magician unclasped her belt and placed it on the table next to the Fool, his eyes level with the green eyes of the serpent. The Fool slid down the bench a bit to avoid its beady emerald stare.

  “That was yesterday,” the Magician said. “I was able to cast the spell so it showed Anna twenty-four hours ago. Just to give her some more time in case she was still in the wood.”

  “But she’s not in the wood!” said the Fool. “Or she wasn’t. That bridge was huge and dripping with green moss—like something out of a fairy tale. We would have noticed it before.”

  “I wasn’t lying when I said that I don’t know where Anna is.” The Magician sat down across from the Fool. “I believe the King is right. She’s crossed over to another world.” She paused. “I just hope it’s a friendly one.”

  Anna struggled to climb up the mountain alongside the others. She slipped on the rocks while everyone else scaled them with the ease of the monkeys watching from the trees. But when she got to the top, out of breath, her palms hot and nearly blistered from the effort, she saw that the trek was worth it.

  The small mountain flattened out into a perfect plateau with a panoramic view of Cups. The water sparkled hot pink and orange, reflecting the colors of the setting sun. Henry, Morgan, and Daisy stood in front of a small cottage, handing out coconut shells filled with cool tea. The whole of Cups was there, which seemed to Anna to be about a hundred people. Most milled about, drinking and talking.

  Anna caught her breath and thanked them for the tea. She found herself scanning the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of James.

  “Hey!” Terra bounded up behind her.

  “Hi, Terra.” Anna smiled, happy to have found a friend in the crowd.

  Rebecca, Luke, and Simon followed behind Terra. “Want to sit together?” Rebecca asked.

  “Sure,” Anna said.

  The beat of a drum filled the air. They quickly seated themselves cross-legged on the ground while people around them also sat, creating several neat rows in front of the cottage. Daniel and Lara emerged from the small bungalow, and the crowd whooped as they smiled down at them. Lara wiggled her hips and spun around, clapping her hands. The people of Cups loved it, whistling and shouting even louder.

  “All right, everyone.” Daniel held his palms facedown in front of him to signal it was time for quiet. “We’ve got a lot to discuss today, so let’s start with some exciting news. We’ve received word from Topper.” The crowd went silent. “And he’s arrived safely in the nearby land of Pentacles!” A cheer erupted.

  Anna shifted her position and cast her eyes to the ground.

  “Yes, he’s a brave soul, that one,” Daniel said. “If you’d like to read the letter he sent to us, come visit me after the meeting.” He smiled at the crowd. “Before we get to official business, we’d like to take a moment to welcome Anna. Anna, can you come up here? Where is she?” Daniel shielded his eyes and scanned the group. Anna’s eyes widened, and she ducked her head.

  “It’s okay. It’ll be quick.” Terra squeezed Anna’s shoulder and stood up beside her. She rummaged through a cotton bag slung across her chest and pulled out a small wreath made of tiny white flowers. She gently placed it on Anna’s head.

  “Thank you,” Anna said, surprised. “It’s beautiful.”

  Terra smiled at her and motioned for Anna to stand up. She gave Anna a small hug before gently pushing her forward. Anna tiptoed her way through the rows of people, toward the front, where Daniel and Lara stood waiting.

  “Here she is,” Daniel said, gesturing to Anna. The group clapped, and Anna smiled awkwardly at them. “We’re so happy to have you here, Anna.”

  “I’m so happy to be here.” She was overwhelmed by her emotions, missing her friends from home but knowing that she really meant what she said. Anna felt more at home in this enchanting land than she had all of her years in the Tower. These people welcomed her into their community without question, and Anna had already met so many confident, unique, and kind young people—the types of people Anna had always dreamed of having as friends.

  “For any of you who don’t know, Anna came from Pentacles, where Topper is visiting now.” Anna stared out at the small sea of trusting faces, and that was when she spotted James. He was standing at the edge of the crowd against the trunk of a palm. He nodded at her, and she nodded back. “If you haven’t met her, please do introduce yourselves,” Daniel continued.

  “We have discovered that Anna is a very talented seamstress,” Lara added. She turned to Anna. “On behalf of the people of Cups, we’d like to ask you to be our new seamstress and dressmaker.”

  “As you all know, we trade off jobs, but if someone is especially gifted in a specific area, we like to give them the opportunity to share their gifts with all of us.” Daniel pointed at Henry. �
�Like our favorite cook.”

  “And then that person can share their talents with others,” Lara continued. She slipped her hand into Anna’s and squeezed it tightly.

  “We think this role is a good fit for you, Anna. But only if you agree,” Daniel added.

  “If you’ll have me, I’ll do it.” Anna turned to the people seated, squeezing Lara’s hand back and then letting it drop. She took a small step forward. “Just let me know what you need. You’ve all been so welcoming.” Anna’s voice caught, and her chest swelled with emotions she couldn’t express. They were giving her an official role in their family. She brushed her sudden tears away and smiled.

  “Thank you,” she went on. “Really. I can’t say how much I appreciate all you’ve done for me.” Anna found James in the crowd, his eyes twinkling as he met her gaze, the light from the setting sun sending waves of gold through his chestnut hair.

  Daniel tapped Anna’s arm and nodded in the direction of the crowd. Then Terra raised her arm and patted the place beside her while the crowd parted to let Anna return to her seat. Upturned faces, tan, young, and full of energy, smiled at her as she passed. Anna sat back on the ground and hugged her knees under her dress. A soft breeze blew off the sea, rocking the palm trees as the last rays of sun warmed her back.

  “Gosh, Anna, you were awful,” Rebecca said.

  “Very awkward.” Luke winced.

  Anna’s face dropped.

  Rebecca giggled and patted her arm. “We’re joking with you! You were glorious, of course,” she said.

  “Exquisite.” Luke winked at Anna, and she laughed. Terra wrapped one arm around her and kissed her cheek while Simon gave her a thumbs-up and a smile.

  Anna beamed and turned her attention back to the front of the crowd, happiness threatening to overwhelm her again.

  Lara held a clipboard from which she called out jobs for the next moon cycle rotation. Kitchen duty, animal care, garden maintenance, fishing—every task that had to be done for Cups to run smoothly. As Lara shouted names, each person waved their hand in happy acceptance of their new role.

  When Lara was finished handing out jobs, Daniel stepped forward. “Are there any grievances before we end?” Someone handed Anna a small square of paper and a writing instrument. She noticed people were passing them down every row.

  “What is this for?” she asked Terra.

  “You’ll see in a minute.” She smiled, her violet eyes sparkling. “It’s my favorite part of these meetings.”

  “No grievances?” Daniel’s eyes swept over the crowd. Anna turned around, curious to see if anyone would respond, and she locked eyes with Ivy, who was staring daggers at her from a few rows back. Ivy rolled her eyes and turned away.

  Anna felt her joy begin to wither inside her, and she tried to remind herself that Ivy was just one out of a hundred people.

  “Write your wishes, the things you are grateful for, your deepest darkest secrets, and then fold them up tight.” Daniel clapped his hands together. “When you’re ready, tuck them into the mountain’s face.”

  Two wishes immediately came to Anna’s mind. That the Magician was well and safe back in the Hierophant’s Kingdom and that the King would never find her. This land of free will and choice went against everything the King believed in, and she hated to think of the acts of violence he would commit if he ever found it.

  Anna first chose to wish for the safety of her aunt, the only family she had left. She folded her square tightly as Daniel had instructed, and followed the others as they walked down the mountain face on the opposite side from where they’d climbed up. There were steep stairs cut into the rock, for which Anna said a silent thank-you. She had dreaded the thought of getting down the way they’d come, especially with the purple sky quickly fading to an inky black.

  The wall of rock sat opposite the lush jungle, and was so shaded with trees that Anna had no sense of the sea or the emerging stars. The air was cool and fragrant, and the canopy of green and the orange glow of lit torches made the site feel mystical, a quiet place of peaceful reflection.

  The people of Cups collectively wedged their pieces of paper in the side of the mountain—any space in the rock that they could find, and Anna marveled at how many slips of paper were already tucked away. It looked to Anna like years and years of wishes, gratitude, and secrets.

  Anna stood on her toes, wedging her wish in a high-up gap.

  “Was that a wish for another lesson?”

  Anna spun around. James stood behind her, his arms crossed.

  “What else would I possibly wish for?” Anna questioned. “Gulping seawater, burning muscles, hunger that can’t be satisfied.”

  “Hunger that can’t be satisfied?” James raised his eyebrows.

  Anna coughed, feeling the heat of a blush crawling up her neck.

  James cleared his throat. “I have something to ask you.” He stood up straighter and uncrossed his arms. “Would you have a meal with me? Just the two of us?”

  Anna brightened. “That sounds much more fun than swimming.” Something within her stirred, and Anna wondered if Lara was right about James’s interest in her.

  James wrinkled his nose in mock disappointment. “Then you might be devastated to hear that we have to skip our lesson tomorrow. I’m helping plant this season’s coffee crop.” James ran a hand through his hair and looked up at Anna. “So how about dinner instead?”

  Anna stiffened. “Yes,” she blurted, too stunned and, she admitted to herself, too utterly delighted to say more.

  * * *

  “I knew he liked you!” Lara squealed. She was poking around Anna’s new sewing room after dinner. “Can I try it?” Lara pointed at Anna’s loom.

  “Of course,” Anna said, eying her. “You really think he does?”

  “Almost certainly,” Lara confirmed. She took a seat in front of the loom. “Are you coming out for tonight’s ride? Or are you weaving something for your dinner outing with James tomorrow night?” She waggled her eyebrows.

  “Well, since I don’t know how to ride a horse, it’s probably weaving for me.” Anna picked up a nearby spool of thread and began to unwind it.

  Lara looked down at the loom and screwed up her face. “This looks very complicated. How does it work?” She ran her hands over the warp beam and lightly touched her fingers to the harness.

  “This longer piece here . . .” Anna walked over to Lara and pointed to a wooden part toward the center that ran the length of the loom. “See how it’s cylinder-shaped?”

  Lara nodded.

  “The warp ends are wound here for weaving,” Anna explained.

  “What is a warp?” Lara raised her eyebrows.

  Anna reached for a nearby piece of fabric and held it up to Lara. “If you look very closely, you can see the lines where the fabric interlocks.”

  Lara squinted. “Oh, I see it!”

  “When I weave, the yarn is interlaced in two different directions. The one that runs down the fabric is the warp.” Anna ran her finger down the length of the fabric. “And the one that runs across the width of the fabric is the weft.” Anna looked up at Lara. “Does that make sense?”

  Lara stood up. “I think it does, but the fact that you can do this”—Lara took the piece of fabric from Anna and scrunched it in her hand—“and actually make something . . .” She shook her head. “It makes riding a horse seem so easy.” Lara looked back down at the loom and let out a low whistle. “You just hop on it and tell it to go.”

  Anna laughed. “I’m sure it’s more complicated than that. Weaving just takes practice.”

  “If you say so,” Lara demurred. “I could stay up here with you tonight. We could do something besides riding a horse for the first time in the dark, which I’m guessing you’re probably not too keen on.”

  “Definitely not,” Anna agreed. “But I liked your idea of staying in
and making something new for tomorrow night. I found a metallic thread in the box of supplies Daniel gave me, and I’ve wanted to try it out.”

  “I love metallic colors.” Lara narrowed her eyes. “But I wouldn’t go too fancy,” she suggested.

  Anna scrunched her nose, realizing she had no idea what to wear for the occasion. “Am I hopeless?”

  “No,” Lara backpedaled. “You’re just new to the ways of courtship in Cups. If you haven’t noticed, we live and breathe the ocean, so the less restrictive the clothing, the better.” She knitted her eyebrows. “Then again, you just witnessed my complete lack of weaving skills, so what do I know?”

  “No, I think you’re right,” Anna decided. “What about a small top—something cropped—and a short, flowing skirt?”

  “Yes.” Lara glowed. “I’ll take one of those too, when you have the time.” Lara grinned mischievously.

  “My first official order as seamstress.” Anna beamed.

  “I’m going riding now, but don’t work too hard, my little hermit. I’m coming to get you early for the crop planting tomorrow.”

  As Lara walked through the door, Anna called to her. “Thank you so much for today, on the mountain.”

  Lara poked her head around the doorframe. “We’re glad you’re here. You’re like the missing puzzle piece we were waiting for.”

  * * *

  Anna stood up from her loom, stretching her fingers and bending her wrists up and down. Her new, and decidedly casual, outfit hung on a chair next to her.

  Anna focused on her most recent work—a woven version of the Fool in his best tunic, velvet and covered in moons and stars, holding his onyx staff with its crimson feather. She depicted him nearly walking off a cliff to show how he traveled through the world with such complete faith, but little Bembo was there at his feet to shepherd him to safety.

  The Fool had given her a bit of that faith. She didn’t even know she had it in her until she thought of all the risks she’d taken. Leaving the Tower. Running through the woods on her own while the King gave chase. Stepping into the water with James. Accepting the job as seamstress. Creating a new life in a new land, knowing that, should the King find her, it could all come to an end.