Tarot

by Marissa Kennerson

  “You are not all-powerful, and you cannot control people’s destinies. I am living proof of that, and so is the entire world I’ve created. Every single person who breathes in the land of Cups is evidence that free will exists—” Anna gasped as the King brought the blade back to her throat.

  “Are you finished?” he asked, grabbing both of her wrists with his other hand and twisting them tight behind her back.

  “No!” James screamed.

  “He’ll be the first one to go, after you,” the King whispered in her ear, nodding to James.

  “I’m the first of many,” Anna announced, despite the blade at her throat. “I may have failed, but more will come after me. You’ll spend your whole life hunting us down.”

  “Enough!” roared the King. In one swoop, he pulled the blade violently across Anna’s throat, bright red blood following its path. Her eyes widened, and she slumped in his arms. The King threw her onto the sand in front of him and turned away from the crowd. He didn’t want anyone to see the pain in his face.

  At first, Anna felt nothing. She heard nothing. She saw James running toward her, his mouth torn open in what must have been screams, but she couldn’t hear. Then, one by one, her senses turned back on, and the pain came, molten and suffocating. She grabbed at her throat, gagging and gasping for air that wouldn’t come.

  Her vision was spotty. She saw shadows approaching from all sides, dark and out of focus. Out of the jungle, down from the mountains, out of the water, and up the beach. At last.

  Her army had arrived.

  She let the pain take her, subsume her, until she was burned to nothing but ash.

  “Seize them all!” the King yelled to his Guard. They stood with their mouths agape, staring at the phantom figures. “What is wrong with you? Why don’t you follow my command?” The King pulled his blade once more, but the Empress put a hand on his shoulder, and he found he could not move. “What are you?” he whispered.

  “We are the Major Arcana, Hierophant King, and we are here to protect this land,” the Empress said in a voice like a song. “There is no place for tyranny in this world, John.”

  The King startled upon hearing his given name.

  “There are many paths,” crooned the Lovers as they surrounded the King. He swatted at them as if they were gnats. “We are here to serve as guides.”

  The people of Cups watched in awe as the Sun, the Moon, and the Star surrounded Anna, raising her body and wrapping it in a blanket of luminescent starlight. The gash at her neck closed. The Moon pursed his full lips and blew new life into her crumpled body.

  Anna’s long black lashes started to quiver, and she slowly opened her lids, revealing not black, but eyes the color of amethysts.

  James flew toward her, and the Arcana stepped aside for him.

  “Can I touch her?” he asked. They nodded. He took her in his arms as tenderly as he could manage. “Thank you,” he said. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and he covered Anna’s face in kisses as she blinked up at him. “You did it.” He kissed her more. “You did it, Anna.”

  Judgment stepped up. His face was cherubic, and his curls bounced yellow around his plump face. Angel wings sprouted resplendent and gossamer from his back, but his horn blared ominous, and when he approached, the King flinched.

  “You have been so blind, John. You let your pain and fear run away with you all these years, and now you must pay the price for your misdeeds.”

  The King was speechless. Judgment waved his arm in a sweeping gesture, and the King and his great army were shackled, their weapons dropping to their feet. The King’s faced drained of all color. He had lost in every way.

  Anna looked on with wonder as the Arcana worked their magic. Judgment waved his arms once again, and the innocent rose up from the sands of Cups. The wounded were healed, the dead risen. Anna watched, joy blooming in her chest, as Topper rubbed his eyes, disoriented but very much alive.

  The Wheel of Fortune, a being more sphinx than man, complete with an elaborate headdress, tossed a giant wheel with eight spokes into the sky over the sea with such force that the ground began to shake. He snapped his giant fingers and sealed the people of Cups in a silver bubble of protective light. While all around them the winds picked up into a tempest and sand blew violently into the eyes of the King and his soldiers, the people of Cups were untouched.

  The wheel itself spliced the sea into two parts. A giant corridor now ran through the sea between two massive waves suspended in midair. At the end of the path through the sea sat a vast, gaping black hole, spinning on the horizon. A great wind blew the Hierophant King and his army down the wave-lined path and into the vast hole. When every last soldier was sucked into the blackness, the sea knitted back together and the hole slammed shut with a deafening crack. The Wheel of Fortune held up his hand and the wheel flew back to him. He smiled with satisfaction as he closed his mighty hand over the large disc.

  A silence descended upon Cups, the silver bubble dissolved, and the sea twinkled, calm and bright blue once more.

  “You came,” Anna cried, her cheeks flushing with joy as she spotted the Fool, the Magician, and the Hermit standing among the Major Arcana. She sprinted up to them. “Are you real?” she asked.

  “We are as real as anything here, dear Anna.” The Fool threw his arms around her, his bruises now faded, his cuts now healed. Bembo, following close at his heels, let out an excited bark. Anna scooped him up, her heart bursting with joy as the little dog licked her cheek. The Hermit and the Magician smiled at her and then swept her up in a tight embrace.

  The Empress approached Anna, her feet floating just above the sand. She took Anna’s hands in her own. At her touch, Anna’s chest was filled with warmth. She took in her flowing gown, gauzy white and embroidered with red roses, her crown made of twinkling stars. Her skin was a deep brown, and her hair escaped her crown in glorious long, tight curls. “Dear girl, you’ve created this world from all you know, but now it will take on a life of its own.”

  “I’m not sure I understand,” Anna said, blinking up at the ethereal creature before her.

  “This land was limited to your own experience and your glorious imagination. But now that it has been birthed, it will grow in its own way. Within it, there will be people and places you’ve never dreamed of.”

  “It sounds magnificent,” Anna answered.

  The Empress leaned in and kissed Anna’s cheek. “Goodbye for now, dear Anna.”

  The Major Arcana were fading as they began to walk into the water, up the mountainside, and down the beach. There was so much Anna wanted to ask them, but they were slipping away, one by one.

  Anna grabbed her aunt’s hand before she, too, headed away down the beach.

  “Will I see you again?” she pleaded.

  “We will watch over you, my dear,” the Magician said.

  “We will always come when needed,” the Hermit said.

  The Fool took Bembo from her arms and gently pressed his hand to Anna’s cheek before turning away with the others.

  James walked toward her, pushing his hair out of his battle-worn face. He put his arm around Anna’s waist. Topper approached from her other side and leaned into her shoulder. Even Dragon bounded up and licked her hand, followed closely by a beaming Daniel.

  “I have so many questions,” Anna said.

  “I’m sure they will answer if you ask,” Topper said. “You did create them, after all.”

  Anna studied Topper’s face, thinking of his travels. With the Hierophant gone from her world, Anna, too, was finally and truly free to explore.

  Silk flags, each decorated with an emerald-eyed serpent, graced every turret of the kingdom, welcoming visitors from near and far. The filth had been removed from the gutters, and the peasants found their homes stocked with food and baskets of dry firewood.

  The Hierophant King sat in a dungeon cell.
He wished daily that death would come early. After living in such padded luxury, the confines of the cell made him claustrophobic, not to mention incensed. Accommodations suited for rats, which he believed might be sharing his cell, judging from the ugly scratching sounds that kept him awake at night. The King’s only comfort was the Senator, who shared the next cell over. They talked through the hours until the King grew tired of his ramblings.

  The Magician, the new ruler, sat in a window high above the Keep. She smiled upon seeing the faint beginnings of a perfect crescent Moon as the sun began to set.

  “How wonderful that you’ve come back,” she whispered. She looked out over the kingdom, happy with her decision not to rebuild the Tower out of respect for her beloved niece. Moss glowed bright green over the pile of rubble that used to be the young girl’s prison. Vines twisted and grew at a rapid rate, as if the soil were enchanted. Buried deep beneath the ground, in a small locked chest, was a small piece of tapestry.

  * * *

  It was one of those perfect days. The sun was shining, and the sea twinkled like a jewel. A warm, salty breeze blew off the ocean. The people of Cups had made inroads repairing their land, and their collective mood grew lighter with each passing day.

  Anna and James ducked under the water like dolphins, laughing and feeling instantly refreshed. They held hands, floating on their backs, each thankful for the quiet, the peace. Anna dove under suddenly and popped up next to him, her black hair slicked back, her eyes, now bright purple, gleaming in the sun.

  James flipped over and treaded water, looking her in the eye. “I’m so happy it’s all over,” he said.

  “Me too.” Anna smiled, swimming closer to kiss him.

  He kissed her back.

  “Race you to shore!” She broke into a breaststroke and glided back toward the sand. He shook his head, smiling, and took off after her.

  Topper was sitting on the beach when they got out of the water.

  “I’m going to go get a drink. Top, do you want anything?” James asked.

  “No, I’m okay.” Topper saluted James and he tore off toward the villa. Anna sat down next to Topper and hugged her knees to her chest.

  “You look thoughtful,” she said.

  He tilted his head toward her. “I am,” he finally said, turning away and looking back out to sea. “Do you ever think about going back to the Hierophant’s Kingdom? I mean, now that the King is imprisoned.”

  “Sometimes,” Anna said. “Only for a chance to see my friends. But I spent so much of my life there, and I can’t stop thinking about what the Major Arcana said—there are many paths.”

  Topper inhaled deeply, leaned in close, and quietly said, “I know you’ve made your choice, Anna. And I won’t interfere with that.” He turned and tilted his head in the direction James had gone. “But I just want you to know, I’d follow any path you were on. If you wanted me to.” His breath was warm on her wet skin. He pulled away, and sadness was clear on his features.

  She drew in a quick breath, her heart racing.

  Topper started to get up, but Anna grabbed his hand.

  “Wait. When I was stuck in the Tower, I never dreamed life could be so complicated outside its walls,” she said.

  Topper lifted his chin toward the beach and the sea. “If you stay here, I don’t think it has to be that complicated.”

  “But you know I will not stay here. I have to go see the rest of this world I created.” She paused.

  “Of course you do.” Topper winked at her and nudged his bare shoulder gently against hers. “People like us. We can’t stay in one place for long.” His tone was lighter now.

  Anna sighed.

  James bounded back down the beach holding a coconut shell. He plopped down on her other side. “Here, Anna.”

  “Thank you, James.” As Anna reached for the drink, his fingers brushed hers softly and a wave of warmth ran up her arm.

  Anna looked out at the sea, the sun reflecting orange on its blue face. One day she was going to set off for another land; there was no doubt in her mind. But today was not that day. She leaned into James. There was still too much she needed to experience here. She’d only just stopped running.

  Acknowledgments

  First I want to thank Jessica Almon Galland for inviting me to the party. (Then and now.) Thanks for getting me on the playing field, dear lady.

  Endless thanks to Ben Schrank and Alex Sanchez at Razorbill. What a joy it was working together with you two on this book. I loved our talks so much, and your insight and smarts helped me take the book and my writing to the next level. Thank you for pushing me to “beat this.” Ben, you’re a philosopher king. Alex—you have such a line on all things current and a true talent for adding a little fairy dust to scenes to make them truly come to life.

  Thank you, Casey McIntyre and the entire team at Razorbill. I could not be more excited and proud to be a part of the Penguin Random House family.

  Thank you to Danielle Noel for the gorgeous cover.

  My deepest thanks to my agent, Taylor Haggerty, for always picking up the phone—even when you had just stepped off a plane. Thank you for all the good advice, the kindness, and being a “wonderful human.”

  Krista Gardner, thank you for my first tarot reading and for cleaning out and aligning my chakras. (That felt amazing!) Hats off to the Good Spirit in Vancouver for taking tarot and making it accessible and a little more user-friendly. Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore—your Shadowscape deck was my first deck and a lovely intro to tarot. Butterflies and tarot—yes please. I could not have written this book without Skye Alexander’s The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need. (Especially if you are writing a book called Tarot. Phew!) Same goes to Johannes Fiebig and Evelin Burger’s The Ultimate Guide to the Rider Waite Tarot. All mistakes are mine and mine alone.

  A giant thank-you to Maria Cavalieri and my Relentless Fitness family (Tom, Anya, Matt, Rosaria, Tina, Becca, Jonn, Steve, and Olga). I could not sit and write for the hours it takes to write a novel without our workout sessions. On that note, Claire Hartley—your yoga keeps me sane and my back working—you know what you do. I am forever grateful.

  Laurie Gigliotti and Tiffany Rhine. My first readers—the people I go to when I’m anxious or over the moon. You are amazing writers and editors and friends. Writing has lonely moments, and knowing you are an email away means everything. To my online writing group, the YA Story Sisters: muah!

  Rebecca Heller, Alicia Peterson, Morgan Bailey, ALL Neglias (Ashley, Dave, and Ross), Josh Tager, Amber Hartgens, Glen Wilson, and Clare Drysdale—I love you all so much it hurts. I feel like you are the ingredients for a magic friendship cake recipe—and I’m damn lucky to have it.

  My in-laws extraordinaire—Paul Kennerson and Kathleen Snyder. I cannot express how grateful I am for your love and constancy.

  Mom—thank you for being one of my best readers and sounding boards. A writer in your own right—thanks for all of the love.

  Dad—thank you for always being my biggest fan. I love you something awful.

  Herb and Deb—as stepparents go, you guys take the cake.

  My brothers: Rodger—my brother here on earth and on a spiritual plane. Brad—you inspire, marching to the beat of your own (tabla) drum on the other side of world. Elliott—yeah, well, I won big in the in-law game. Wendy—my sis—our chats are legendary. I can’t thank you enough for always being there for me and making me laugh my head off.

  Last but not least—my boys. My husband and son, my heroes. You changed everything. Your love makes me better every day, and oh how we laugh. Greg—the world’s best writer, editor, fashion director, and husband all in one. Shepard—you wow me. Thanks for letting me take over the kitchen table for months at a time, you two. This would never happen without you.

  About the Author

  Marissa Kennerson received her B.A. in English literature fr
om the University of California, Berkeley. Before earning her master's degree in psychology and art therapy, she worked for Wired and Glamour. She's the author of the YA cult-suspense novel, The Family, which she did not write from personal experience, since the only cult she's ever been in is the cult of YouTube makeup tutorials. She lives in California with her husband and son. Visit her at marissakennerson.net or follow her @MarissaAlexK.

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