She grabbed for his hands. “I’m good.” She meant it. “It’s just a lot all at once.”
He stood up, still holding her hands, and leaned in close. “Do you want to spread it out a little?”
Anna nodded and pressed her lips to his softly, holding them there for a few moments before pulling away.
“I can certainly live with that,” James said, nuzzling his nose into her neck. She shivered with pleasure.
They rode back to the villa beneath the light of the Moon, and Anna held on to James tightly, her head leaning against his back. When they reached the beach in front of the house, James pulled the reins.
“Ho!” James said. The horse stopped, and he got off and then helped Anna down. “Are you okay to get in by yourself? I need to put her back in the stable, but I can tie her up and come back later.” He had one hand on his horse, and the other was gently rubbing Anna’s arm.
“I think I can make it back from here.” Anna laughed. James put his hand around her waist and pulled her to him one more time. “Goodnight,” she said, and began to climb the villa’s front steps without looking back.
When Anna reached her room, she found she was singing softly to herself. It was a song about spring blooming and people falling in love, a tune the Fool had taught her many years ago. She was surprised to find she remembered the words. She hugged herself, giddy from her night with James, and spun over to her satchel, lifting it with a grand sweep of her arm. She retrieved her stack of tapestry squares and did a few small pirouettes out onto the patio, still humming.
She lit a lantern and stretched out on the patio’s cushions, staring out at the ocean, listening to the waves gently roll in, kiss the shore, and roll out again. The Moon cast a pearly sheen on the black water. Anna tossed her tapestry pieces out in front of her and then closed her eyes tightly, letting her hand travel over them until she suddenly stopped and grabbed the tapestry beneath her outstretched fingers.
Anna opened her eyes and studied the image. It was two people drinking from the same golden goblet. A rainbow of butterflies burst from the cup, tangling in the girl’s flowing hair and landing on the boy’s shoulders. The rest of the scene had been cut off, but Anna remembered weaving this tapestry in the Tower, back when she’d dreamed of love but never thought she’d experience it. She held the piece to her chest and thought of James. A quiver of euphoria, warm and golden, snaked through her spine, causing the thin hairs on her arms and neck to stand up. She couldn’t wait to see him again.
* * *
The sun was rising, casting streaks of blue and pink through the sky. Anna was grateful to be sitting on her comfortable bed, knowing that, at any moment, she could run outside and greet the dawn. She ran her fingers over her lips, remembering her evening with James.
She quickly bathed and put on Lara’s swimsuit. She was going to surprise James by finally being ready for their lesson. This time he would not have to chase her down.
Anna wrapped her hair in a bun, threw on the green cover-up, and crept down the hall, looking for his room. She knew it was on the first floor somewhere. She made a few wrong guesses, opening doors and finding bodies splayed out on beds, lost in dreams and early morning slumber.
She came to the last door at the end of the hall and quietly opened it, her heart thumping with the anticipation of seeing James.
It took a moment for her to process what she found on the other side.
A slim, tanned leg stuck out of the covers, and piles of white-blond hair spread over the pillow.
Ivy.
On the other side of the bed, James slept soundly. Anna’s heart caught in her chest.
She started to back away, but she collided with a stool, and it fell over with a loud thump. James jumped up. “Anna?” His face broke into a smile, but it faltered when he noticed her horrified expression. “What’s wrong?” He glanced at the space next to him on the bed where Ivy was sleeping soundly. “Damn it, Ivy,” James mumbled, throwing the covers off him. “Anna, this isn’t—” But Anna was already running down the hall.
Shock and disappointment tore at her insides. “How could I be so stupid?” she berated herself, dashing out of the villa and down the stairs to the beach. Her lungs burned and her legs ached as she pushed herself to run as far as she could down the beach, finally stopping when she reached the swimming cove.
Out of breath, she stared at the sea, anger and embarrassment threatening to spill the tears that brimmed in her black eyes.
The water around her started to ripple, and the wind picked up, slowly at first. Anna squeezed her eyes shut against the hair whipping at her face. The ripples offshore gained momentum and turned into waves that surged up the beach and crashed onto the sand before being pulled back out to sea. A buzzing sound permeated the air.
“Anna! Get back!” James was calling to her from down the shore, but she could barely hear him. The waves were building up and cresting before cascading down and leaving a white tuft of foam at Anna’s feet. James cupped his hands and screamed, “Anna!”
Anna’s eyes flew open, and she saw with horror the rushing sea in front of her. James sprinted down the beach, grabbing Anna by the waist and pulling her away as a massive surge of seawater struck the sand.
The King was playing chess with Senator Bassett in his chambers, while outside, a light snow fell onto the grounds of the Keep. He pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes and inhaled deeply. Bassett had just bested him and taken his bishop.
“Someday I am going to beat you,” the King said.
“Of course you are, Sire.” Senator Bassett did not take his eyes off the board.
“I appreciate that you never let me win.” He struck his fist on the table and swept the pieces to the floor, eyeing Bassett.
Bassett, immune to the small tantrum, looked directly at the King. “I know. And that is why you never do,” he said, his crooked smiled revealing a row of yellow teeth. “Sire, may I broach something with you? Something delicate?”
“When you’ve just beaten me again? Coming at me from both sides, are you?”
Bassett waved a hand over the board. “It’s important. Or, at least, it could be.”
The King gestured for Bassett to go on.
“I keep thinking about the girl’s escape. She must have gotten word of the execution.” Bassett put a finger to his lips. “It’s quite a coincidence that she decided to run away only minutes before she was to be put to death.”
“I broke my promise to free her. I imagine the disappointment pushed her over the edge. You don’t see it the same way?” The King began to twist his pentacle ring, his attention fully on Senator Bassett now.
“I’ve been combing over the details of the night before,” Bassett said. He leaned in toward the King. “The Fool was here.”
“No,” the King stated. He cleared his throat and pushed himself back from the table, standing up. He didn’t like where this was going.
“But he offered to bring that creature up to play with you.”
The King gave him a warning look. “I see where you are going with this, but it is not his nature,” he batted back. He twisted the giant silver ring on his index finger, feeling the heat of anger stir in his chest.
An awkward silence fell over the room, and the King looked out the window at the snow, falling harder now, blanketing the grounds of the Keep in soft white.
Senator Bassett got up. It felt disrespectful to sit while the King stood. “But is it his nature to blindly protect the person he loves most?” the Senator ventured.
It was like a key opening a lock. Something clicked inside the King, and the Senator stood by, watching, a smug look of satisfaction spreading across his face.
James peered out at the thrashing sea. Anna wiped her tears and stared at him, wide-eyed.
“Is it supposed to do that?”
“I don’t know,�
� James answered honestly. “We’ve never had waves crash this close to shore before.”
They watched the sea slowly calm again until the last of the waves were ironed out and the water was once again a flat expanse of blue. Anna’s heartbeat slowed. James took her in his arms, and she fell into his embrace, too spent to resist.
“That wasn’t what it looked like,” James said, seeming to forget the storm that had just stopped as quickly as it had begun. “Ivy and I have had a complicated relationship for a long time. She used to sleep over.” He hesitated.
Anna broke away from James’s grasp. “It’s fine,” she said. “I’m too innocent for you.”
James furrowed his brow. “That’s not fair. And it’s not true.”
“I just found you in bed with a naked girl who hates me,” Anna retorted. “How do you think that looks?”
Anna stood with her arms wrapped around herself while James mulled over her question. She wanted to walk away, make a dramatic exit, but she was rooted to the spot, awaiting James’s explanation.
“We’re not together anymore. But I think it’s hard for her. I know it’s hard for her. She didn’t want it to end.”
Anna wondered if they’d ended things because of her, and James seemed to read her mind.
“It’s been over for a while now, but when you came—that settled it for me. And it’s probably why she came into my bed last night. A last grasp at what we used to be.” James sighed. “Ivy’s confident and she knows what she wants, and maybe I could’ve been clearer about what I want and don’t want from her.” He ran a hand through his hair. “But nothing happened. I swear. I didn’t even know she was there until you came in this morning.”
Anna looked at him closely. “I’m not sure if I should believe you.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Anna, but I also don’t understand why you’re so upset. It’s scaring me a little.” James shuffled his feet in the sand. “We just met.” He grabbed Anna’s hands and squeezed.
Anna ripped them away, the color in her face deepening, anger searing through her. She wished she’d walked away before, in the silence before James spoke the embarrassing truth.
“I’m sorry I don’t have as much experience as you.” Anna gestured at James. “I was so isolated, you have no idea. So if I’m too intense for you—”
“You’re not, Anna. I shouldn’t have said that.” James put his head in his hands and took a deep breath. “Will you forgive me? I guess I would be pretty upset if I walked in on you this morning and someone was in your bed.”
Silence again. Anna had no idea how she was supposed to respond to James’s vacillating excuses.
“I’ll have to think about it. And in the meantime, you should think about getting a lock for your door.” Anna sat down on the sand and crossed her arms over her knees. She squinted out at the water, now bright and green as if nothing had happened. “A big one.”
* * *
Later that morning, after a breakfast that she barely touched, Anna went to work at the stables, her assigned task for the day. She was surprised to find Daniel there when she arrived. Her first instinct when she saw him was to tell him about the waves that had almost crushed her at the cove just a few hours before. But the power and speed with which the storm came and went had unsettled her, and the idea of broaching the topic with the king of Cups was daunting. She was sure James would tell him anyway.
“Why do you do this job?” Anna asked Daniel, distracting herself from thoughts of her strange morning. “You could have other people take care of the animals.” She couldn’t imagine the Hierophant King caring for his own horse.
Daniel glanced up from the glossy brown steed he was grooming. “I like their energy. If you’re patient enough to bond with an animal, it lasts for life. And the way they communicate is fascinating.” He gently patted the horse. “They say so much with their eyes and their movements.”
Anna was brushing a big white mare with long lashes and dark, serene eyes. The horse’s ears twitched and her tail swished as Anna dragged the brush across her back.
“I also believe physical work keeps you grounded.” Daniel tucked a lock of shoulder-length hair behind his ear.
“But you and Lara have so much responsibility.”
Daniel nodded. “Everyone does. Responsibility should be shared.” Daniel tossed the brush into a nearby bucket. “Ready to ride?”
They saddled up two horses, and Daniel helped Anna climb onto hers.
“Let’s ride over to South Farm today and check on the new crops. We’ll take it slow until you feel more comfortable. She’s a gentle horse, you’ll be all right.”
Anna’s thighs trembled against the horse’s sides. She watched Daniel hop onto his horse with ease.
“We’ll take the path through the jungle over to the other side of the island.”
“Are there parts of Cups you haven’t completely explored?” Anna asked as they began walking the horses. She tried to steady herself on the saddle, but her body rocked forward and backward with every step.
“Topper and I have explored every inch.” Daniel steered his reins to the left and nodded at Anna for her to do the same. “Sit up straight and keep your thighs firm, Anna. You’re doing great.” He gave her a smile of encouragement.
“Did you want to go with him when he left for Pentacles?” Anna asked. If she kept talking she wouldn’t have to think about all the things that could go wrong being up this high on a large animal she didn’t know how to control.
“You’re full of questions,” Daniel said, not unkindly. “Let’s pick up the pace.” He pressed his legs into the horse’s sides, pushing down and forward with his hips. In response, the horse began to trot.
Anna hesitated, holding tight to the reins. Then she mimicked Daniel’s movements and, to her surprise, her horse broke into a light trot.
“Wanted? Maybe. But I needed to stay here and look after my people,” Daniel said, glancing back at her.
Neither spoke as they continued on. Daniel wasn’t much of a talker, and Anna was concentrating on riding. It seemed less complicated and potentially less life-threatening than swimming, but she still had to control her fear by breathing deeply and reminding herself that, if the King’s witless guards could ride a horse, then so could she. She found herself wondering about the idea of exploring, a possibility that was never offered to her until now. She thought that she, too, would like to see every inch of Cups and maybe beyond. Perhaps she had this in common with Topper.
Their horses slowed as they came to a spot in the forest where a tightly interlaced canopy of green obscured the bright blue sky. Anna’s horse kept pace with Daniel while her eyes wandered around the vast expanse of lush trees. She was barely aware of the huge creature beneath her, or the fear she had felt only moments before.
Anna was startled from her peaceful observation when an eerie whooping noise began to emanate from the trees. She pulled tight on the reins, reminded of the King’s Guard and their signaling horns. The horse skidded to a halt, and Anna whipped her head around, frightened.
“Howler monkeys,” Daniel called over his shoulder.
They let out another ominous call. Anna jumped. “Are you sure those are monkeys?”
“The sound is a bit unsettling if you’re not used to it, but they’re harmless.” Daniel smiled warmly.
“When I left Pentacles, I was chased,” Anna blurted. “They sound like the horns from the kingdom.”
Daniel rounded back to join her, casting his eyes upward. “Look there.” He pointed into a tree above them, and Anna saw a large, fluffy monkey the color of butter sitting on a high branch. He batted his eyes and swung his tail back and forth languidly.
“Oh, he’s cute,” Anna said, laughing as she looked up into the trees. The monkey responded by opening his mouth into a wide O and calling out. “There’s another one,” she said, her
eyes fluttering around the jungle. A furry black howler swung down from the treetops.
“See? They’re not so scary,” Daniel reassured her. He squeezed his legs again, directing his horse back down the trail. “The path gets wider up here, and it’s a great place to run the horses.”
Anna blanched.
Daniel snickered. “It’s a lot more comfortable than trotting.”
When the canopy of trees opened back up, the sun flooded the widened dirt road and the warmth offered them relief from the cool damp of the jungle.
“Hang on and hug with your thighs, Anna.” Just like James pushing Anna beyond her comfort level in the water, Daniel didn’t coddle her when it came to horseback riding. He dug in his heels and cracked the reins. The horse took off at a run. Anna paused for a moment, nervous about giving the wrong signal.
“Sorry,” she whispered in her horse’s ear. Anna pressed her heels into her sides, and the steed cantered after Daniel’s horse. Anna marveled at the freedom she felt—the two horses running in tandem while a steady breeze flowed through her hair and broke the relentless warmth of the sun.
Too quickly, they came upon South Farm, which was triple the size of West Farm. Daniel took her through the long aisles of green, pointing out plantains, large bushes of coffee with their bright red berries, and rows of sugarcane and cacao plants.
“This is where most of our food comes from,” Daniel explained. “We did a huge planting the other day.”
Anna’s eyes lit up. “Can it grow on its own?” she wondered, noticing that no one else was at the farm.
“We elect a few people to help out during the harvest and planting, but I manage it in the meantime. I can always pull some folks assigned to the villa garden or West Farm when I need extra hands. This is my personal project. I come by every few days to make sure the soil has enough moisture, and that the animals aren’t eating more than their fair share.” Daniel plucked a berry off a coffee bush and rolled it between his fingers.
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