Tarot

by Marissa Kennerson

  “I really wish I could take your hand right now.” The Fool and Drake sat on a thick wool blanket, watching the Magician from their perch on a small hill overlooking a shallow valley of snow-covered grass. The three of them had ridden out earlier that day, under the watchful eye of Barda, until they found a large, flat expanse of land where the Magician could practice her magic.

  “You know that’s not possible.” Drake cast his eyes toward Barda, who stood at the top of the field, arms crossed, eyes glued to the Magician. The air was wet and cold, and a layer of fog hung thick over the horizon.

  “Of course,” said the Fool.

  “It makes me nervous when you speak like this outside of our chambers. We could be put to death. We would be put to death,” Drake pressed. He sat up a little straighter and moved farther away from the Fool.

  “I understand,” the Fool said. “It was just a wish.”

  Drake turned to face him. “You’re my everything,” he said in a tight whisper. “You do know that.”

  “I do,” the Fool said. “I’d like everyone else to know it too.” He reached into the picnic basket they’d brought and grabbed an apple. “In a perfect world.” He stared down at the fruit, not the least bit hungry. “And you should have worn a hat. Your head is going to freeze.” The Fool glanced at Drake’s shaved blond head, closely cropped to mimic the King’s signature style.

  Drake admired the King. All he had ever wanted was to be a knight in the King’s Guard. Growing closer to the Fool complicated these ambitions and had broken Drake’s focus.

  He wished he could grab the Fool, hold and reassure him, but he couldn’t change the laws of the kingdom. He loved the Fool with all his heart, but sometimes he wished he would just accept the way things were.

  The Fool took a hard bite into the apple and turned his attention back to the Magician, who was swirling her wand around as Bembo chased the blue light crackling from its tip.

  “He thinks it’s a game of fetch,” Drake called to the Magician, trying to lighten the mood.

  “I’m going to turn him into a cat for my first trick!” the Magician yelled back.

  “Don’t you dare,” the Fool warned.

  “Why don’t you make him a little friend to play with?” asked Drake.

  The Magician nodded. She pointed her wand at a snow-dusted boulder and muttered an incantation.

  A silver wolf emerged, taking the rock’s place.

  “Stars!” the Fool said, jumping up and sliding down the icy hill in his attempt to reach Bembo.

  “Oh my!” The Magician grabbed the little dog and waved her wand at the magnificent wolf, who transformed into a boulder once more.

  “That was not funny!” the Fool yelped, wrenching Bembo from the Magician’s arms.

  “That’s not what I meant to do. I’m a little clumsy right now,” the Magician apologized.

  “Well, I’d rather not be eaten while you’re figuring it out,” Barda grumbled.

  Unbeknownst to all of them, the King was watching from the wood. He hadn’t set out to spy; he was on his morning ride and had happened upon the Magician’s practice. When he saw the silver wolf, he remembered a night long ago, a night he had tried to bury deep in his memory.

  * * *

  The King had awoken in his chambers and the Queen was not there. She was a restless creature, often wandering the castle, but the King was not a stupid man and this absence was not merely restlessness.

  He put on a robe and went to find her.

  In those days, he was not so heavily guarded, so he roamed the castle halls by himself, searching for her. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, the way it did when his intuition got ahead of his consciousness.

  The King rounded the corner to where an eerie blue light swirling with tiny stars spilled out of the doors to the great hall. He tiptoed through the entrance, feeling like a snooping child. It was a large, rectangular room, narrow and much longer than it was wide. And it was filled with giant beasts. Coarse-haired golden lions, black bears, and silver-haired wolves. Beasts conjured by magic.

  Snow fell in giant diamond-like flakes throughout the great hall, despite the warmth of the fire that roared on the stone hearth.

  Then the King saw them. They were sitting in front of the massive bay window overlooking the gardens. She sat on his lap, her hand in the air, trying to catch the snowflakes. Marco’s skin glowed white against his black shock of hair, and he gazed up at her, blue light reflected in his giant black eyes.

  He whispered into her ear, and she threw her head back in laughter.

  Perhaps they’re just having a bit of fun, the King lied to himself.

  But then Marco took the King’s beloved in his arms and kissed her passionately, and to the King’s horror, she kissed him back.

  The King felt stripped of his skin. Betrayed by his best friend and his wife. His hands clenched in fists of anger. Hurt and humiliation hit him so hard, he stumbled backward.

  * * *

  “Okay, we’ll call things out, and you conjure them!”

  The King unclenched his fists as Drake called out to the Magician.

  “Some wine to go with our picnic,” suggested the Fool, who had settled back down on the blanket. “I’m getting thirsty.” The Magician frowned, pointing her wand at the edge of the Fool’s blanket, where a cask of wine materialized.

  “Ha!” cried the Fool, delighted.

  The memory of Marco’s betrayal hung heavy in the King’s chest, squeezing his lungs. The King observed Barda, who did not take his eyes off the Magician.

  Good, he thought. Here was Marco’s sister, and the King was encouraging her to hone her magic. But what if she, like her brother before, betrayed him?

  The King turned his steed around. He’d seen enough. The Magician had a long way to go before she progressed from wolves and wine to entering another world. But she was his only hope.

  “Too fancy?” Anna stood before Lara with her arms spread wide. Lara let out a low whistle. “James will be speechless.”

  The light in Lara’s bathroom glowed a brilliant orange as the sun set over the ocean and illuminated Anna, who turned to face the mirror, studying her appearance. She raised a hand to her head, stroking the long, neat braid Lara had given her.

  “Thank you for doing my hair. It’s beautiful.”

  “Anytime, Anna. It was like plaiting silk.” Lara tugged lightly on the end of Anna’s braid. “Did you have fun today? I was over at South Farm for most of the afternoon—I hope Rebecca and Daisy took good care of you.”

  “I learned so much. They put me in charge of herbs, and I am proud to say I planted cilantro—which I didn’t even know existed—and basil.” Anna scrunched up her face, looking toward the ceiling and counting on her fingers. “Lemon balm and calendula as well. I can’t wait to see them bloom!”

  “And I can’t wait to smell them.” Lara closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. “Those are some of my favorites.”

  The light in the room was quickly disappearing as the sun became a thin line of pink on the horizon. Anna shivered with nervousness. “The sun is setting. I’m supposed to meet James down at the beach.” She set her shoulders and sighed.

  “Off with you then.” Lara shooed Anna toward the door to the patio stairs, smiling wistfully.

  New love, she thought as she watched the sun vanish into the sea.

  * * *

  “Wow.” James had combed his hair into submission and was wearing a light-blue shirt that Anna hadn’t seen before. He almost looked nervous.

  Anna bit her lip. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

  “We’re riding tonight,” he declared.

  “Only if I am riding with you.” Anna frowned. “I can’t hide it any longer. I am no horsewoman.”

  “Yet,” James corrected.

  “Yet,” she conceded
. His eternal optimism was infectious.

  James stuck his fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle that made Anna jump. Luke emerged from the shadow of the palms, leading James’s giant black horse by the reins. He handed them over to James.

  “Thanks, Luke.”

  Luke dipped his head. “Anna, you look positively ravishing tonight. You two have a good evening.”

  James gave a sly smile and Anna giggled. He had obviously put some thought into this night.

  Anna scrambled onto the horse behind James and delicately placed her arms around his waist.

  “You’re going to have to hold on a lot tighter than that, Anna,” Luke warned from the ground.

  She grasped James’s waist tighter and looked up at the night sky, where the sun had been replaced by a glowing half-moon. Anna thought of her father’s legend and imagined him seeing her off to dinner.

  James spun his head around and followed Anna’s gaze skyward. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it that bright. And it’s not even full.”

  When Anna and James reached their destination, they dismounted in front of a ramshackle fishing cottage painted powder blue, the eaves strung with small metal lanterns. It was the most charming house Anna had ever seen. Like the villa, the cottage faced the sea, but it was much smaller and flanked by shorter, fuller trees that led into the jungle. A hammock hung between two palms to the right of the dirt path they had ridden in on.

  “Do the wonders of this land never cease?” Anna marveled. She walked over to a small copse of trees with small fruits nestled among wide, yellow-green leaves. “What are these called?” She pointed to the fruits. “They look like little grapes.”

  “Sea grape trees. The birds love them,” James said, pulling off a small bunch and popping a grape into his mouth. He tossed one to Anna.

  She ate it immediately, and her face lit up, enjoying the burst of flavor as she crushed the grape between her teeth.

  James reached for her hand, and Anna paused. For a second she considered what her hand might feel like. Sticky from the grape? Clammy from nerves? She hoped James wouldn’t notice the heat rising to her face as she took his hand.

  He led her behind the cottage to a lush green garden blooming with colorful plants and flowers, illuminated by the flickering lanterns.

  “Did you plant all of this?” Anna asked. They were still holding hands as they walked through shorter pigeon plum trees and wild guava bushes decorated with fruit the color of red wine and small pink flowers with thick, waxy stems.

  “I did,” he answered. He rubbed his neck, and a lock of brown hair fell into his face. “This is my . . . escape. When I just need time to myself.”

  James dropped Anna’s hand and motioned in front of him. Anna moved forward, picking her way through purple orchids and shrubs of firebush, bright with the pinky orange of coral. She fingered the strange, bright fruit.

  James knelt beside her on the ground. “That’s the hummingbirds’ favorite,” he stated.

  Anna spun around. “What you’ve created here . . .” She paused, searching for the right words. “It’s magical.”

  James let out a sigh of relief and stood up straight. “Thank you, Anna.”

  They kept walking, and Anna discovered that tucked among the rows of colorful plants were wooden statues of animals she hadn’t seen in Cups—elephants, bears, tigers—creatures from all corners of the world that she’d read about in her favorite childhood books.

  “How did you make these?” Anna asked, tilting her head as she ran her hand over one of the statues.

  “Can you keep a secret?” James asked.

  Can I? Anna thought. All too well. She nodded.

  “First, dinner.” James pulled a mango from a nearby tree and peeled the skin with a wooden knife. He sliced it into pieces and offered them to Anna.

  The flesh was velvety soft, and her mouth watered at the sweet taste of the fruit.

  James motioned for her to follow him into the cottage, where he had laid out a small feast on a long wooden table just inside the door. There were skewers of grilled chicken, plantains—roasted and laid on their long deep-green leaves—a plate of leafy greens, bowls of coconut pudding, and two goblets of wine.

  “This is so beautiful,” Anna said breathlessly. “Thank you, James.”

  “You like it?” he asked, looking uncharacteristically sheepish. “I have to confess, I had a little help.”

  “It’s incredible,” Anna assured him. “My compliments to your team.” She reached for the goblet first, feeling bold. James followed suit, and they both took a sip. Anna had never had wine before, and at first she winced at the tangy taste it left on her tongue. But after another sip, she felt a pleasant warmth begin to spread down her throat and into her chest.

  They stood awkwardly and Anna scanned the rest of the room, waiting for James to break the silence.

  The whole cottage was one open space, the front walls made up entirely of windows that faced the sea. In the corner sat a small kitchen comprising a long, thin counter, a washbasin, and a woodstove. A neatly made bed was pushed into another corner, and a table with a few mismatched chairs sat in the center of the room. It was much cozier and more rustic than the sprawling bright white villa.

  James reached for a book from a shelf above the bed and held it a moment before offering it to Anna.

  Her eyes flashed with surprise when she saw that it was the book her three advisors had read to her over and over as a child. The pages were filled with animals said to walk the fabled lands that lay across the sea from the Hierophant’s Kingdom.

  It began with the battle between a great magician (who Anna now knew was her real father) and the Hierophant King. Their war had left a great crack in the land. Without magic, the fissure could not be repaired, and many animals were left stranded on the other side. After months of torrential rains, the crack filled with water and transformed into an angry rushing river. Some of the animals attempted to cross it, but none succeeded. From then on, those left roamed the land alone, never to be seen by a human in the King’s land again.

  The book was full of fantastical and wonderfully detailed illustrations that Anna had loved as a child. She wondered how such a book had come to be in James’s possession.

  Anna ran a hand over her favorite page. Large gray elephants with wrinkled skin and flapping ears tramped through a flat yellow field. “The pictures are lovely.” Anna passed the book back to James. “Where did it come from?” She scrutinized his face.

  “Topper lent it to me from his library.” James carefully placed it back on the shelf.

  “Library?” Anna perked up at the idea of browsing a room full of books.

  “I’ll take you there when he returns,” James said. “But for now that feast is calling, and it won’t stay warm forever.”

  James took a seat in the middle of the long table. Anna looked at the book for a moment longer before she turned to join him.

  * * *

  “I think you just snorted,” James teased. They had opened the front door, and a warm evening breeze blew in. Their plates and wine goblets were empty, and Anna found that everything James said sounded like the funniest thing she’d had ever heard.

  “I did not!” Anna insisted, though she had definitely let out a small snort in a fit of uncontrollable giggles just seconds before. She grabbed James’s arm across the table, feeling emboldened by the warmth of the wine, which had made its way down to her toes. “James, why don’t you have a tattoo?” Anna stared at the place on his forearm where she had spotted Daniel’s inked cup.

  “I do,” James said. He considered Anna through narrowed eyes. “Hidden from view.”

  Anna’s mouth opened. “It’s on your bottom, isn’t it?”

  “Ooh, close. Do you want to see?” James raised his eyebrows.

  Anna’s cheeks reddened. “No. I
mean, I’m sure you have a wonderful bottom, but—”

  “It really is wonderful, Anna,” James said with mock seriousness. They both erupted into giggles, and Anna snorted again. James sat up and pointed his finger at her, which only made them laugh harder.

  When they recovered, both wiping tears from their eyes, James stood and waved for Anna to follow. His face relaxed into a soft smile and his eyes locked on Anna. She made her way around the table, her heart racing. They faced each other, and James swept back a stray hair that had come undone from her braid. He ran the tips of his fingers down her cheek and smiled at her.

  Anna could barely breathe. She closed her eyes and felt his lips, soft and gentle, on hers. As James ran his hand lightly over her stomach where her top stopped, she drew in a sharp breath.

  He pulled her close to him, and Anna stumbled. He caught her and smiled. “Bed?” James nodded toward the corner. “More comfortable.”

  “Bed,” Anna said. She twirled across the room, the breeze lifting her skirt above her knees. James sat down, and Anna landed in his lap. He ran his fingers down her neck and over her collarbone while his other arm wrapped around her waist. Anna squeezed his shoulders in response. They stared at each other for a moment. He leaned in and kissed her, and she kissed him back, exploring the feel of his full lips. James ran his tongue lightly over hers and moved one hand down her body to stroke her calf. She thought he tasted like wine and coconut.

  Anna pulled away gently, shifting off him and onto the bed so that they were seated side by side but facing each other. She stood up.

  “Are you okay?” James looked up at her, surprise on his face.