The Magical Tarot Deck

by Marieke Lexmond

Bridget glances outside, ‘Ceri removed the magic collar that was blocking her power in exchange for my freedom.’

  ‘Thank the Goddess for that.’ says Maeve heartfelt.

  ‘Thank you for trying to persuade the others not to give up the Dagger. Now it’s clear, more than ever, that Lucy is beyond dangerous.’ Bridget squeezes Maeve’s hand.

  ‘It’s still safe, right?’ Wes’ and Maeve’s quick glance tell Bridget things are not right.

  ‘Diane received the Dagger in a vision from one of the Fates…’

  ‘That can’t be true. Did you check?’

  ‘We tried, but the card didn’t work when you were…in your half state.’

  ‘Let’s check now!’ Bridget jumps up. Wes moves the painting and reveals the card. They all look at each other and step into the now-familiar embrace. The card bulges and stretches, and the three reappear in their entangled state. For the first time, no scared or embarrassed feelings. They untangle.

  ‘You’re going to be okay?’ asks Bridget of Wes, who will be left in the room.

  ‘Of course.’ How he wished he could follow the girls.

  Bridget and Maeve clasp hands and think about the well, Maeve’s flowing hair, her card is underwater, and yet not underwater, an extraordinary hybrid reality that Seamus chose for this card. Bridget wonders what Seamus had seen in Maeve that she has missed? Like the Strength card fits Bridget, this card must tell something about Maeve’s essence. He was incredibly insightful, her grandfather, an exceptional man. She pushes these thoughts aside and instead focuses on looking around to see if the Dagger is here. How on earth had the Fate got her hands on it? Maeve is already upside-down hanging into the well. A shimmer of light is playing on her legs, and for a moment, Bridget could swear Maeve had a fish tail and the sun was hitting her scales. Bridget shakes her head and when she looks again, Maeve resurfaces triumphantly with the Dagger in her hand, once again standing upright.

  ‘It’s still here!’ Relief is evident in her voice. The power of the Dagger sings to her. Maeve would love to take it with her and keep it close—it’s so hard to resist its call.

  ‘If this is the Dagger? What’s up with the other one?’

  Maeve tries to think back to the pull of the other dagger, while she lets her left-hand hover above the real one. ‘It’s the same, and yet it’s not.’ She wouldn’t have known the difference if she wasn’t sure she’s holding the real Dagger now.

  ‘What do you mean?’ demands Bridget.

  ‘It looks exactly the same, and they both emanate a tremendous amount of power. As we’re sure this is the real one, the other must be an exceptionally good fake. But why? Why did the Maiden bothered to get involved?’

  ‘The stakes must be much higher than we anticipated if the Fates are involved.’ Bridget confirms what they’re both thinking.

  The girls can feel the Wheel turning.

  ‘Time to go back.’ says Bridget and starts to think about Wes so they can return to their extra card.

  Maeve reluctantly moves toward the well.

  FAIRY

  Ceri stepped back into her home in Fairy, and immediately, her stomach started to play up. This whole situation with her father has a direct effect on her physical well-being. What can she do? The Land is part of her, and this house is the heart to connect with it. There’s no escape, she needs to find a way to cope with everything. One thing at a time. Freed Bridget—check. Next—her children, they must think she has left them again.

  ‘Mistress,’ Alvina seems surprised to see her. ‘I didn’t expect you back yet.’

  Ceri turns around, and her fairy servant is behind her. ‘Just passing through. Everything okay?’

  ‘Yes, my Lady.’ An awkward silence follows, and Ceri desperately thinks of something to say. A total blank, she has always been able to make small talk so easily. Things are changing. When she looks around for a hint of something, a plan pops into her mind.

  ‘Alvina, I want to redecorate. Change the house, make it my own. The memory of my father is…is…anyway, I don’t want to be reminded of him all the time. How would I go about that here?’

  ‘Redecorating is one of my favorites!’ chirps Sparkle in her ear, delighted by her idea. ‘Can I do it?’ Sparkle is too eager, and Ceri senses there will be a catch.

  ‘I’d rather do it myself.’

  ‘Of course, but if you want some suggestions…’ Sparkle whispers some ancient fairy, and sparkles start raining from the ceiling.

  Ceri laughs out loud. ‘Thanks. I get the idea.’

  ‘I can guide you through it; you have to connect to the house. But I’ll have something ready for you when you return. What are your favorite colors?’ Alvina inquires.

  That’s a hard question. ‘I like all colors, the brighter, the better.’

  ‘I’ll get started straight away.’

  Ceri doesn’t ask; she doesn’t want to look like a complete idiot. She’ll have to talk to Sparkle about it. First, her children though. ‘I’ll probably bring my children with me. Can you prepare a room for them?’

  ‘It will be my pleasure.’ Alvina bows, and then Ceri opens a portal back to the Madigan home.

  ‘Sparkle, can you tell me at what age fairies start to get their powers?’

  NEW ORLEANS

  Maeve and Bridget find Tara in the still room. This tranquil place is at the back of the house, it has large glass windows, and bunches of herbs hang from the ceiling. One wall is full of pots that contain dried herbs, some very rare. The fragrance of the herbs is overwhelming and gives the place an exotic feel. Tara and Seamus had traveled the world to collect rare herbal species for healing. Their collection is famous in the witch community. It takes a lot of time and dedication to keep it up to date. It’s also Tara’s happy place, where she can center herself, get grounded, and do some healing work. That’s where her passion lies. After Seamus’ death, she decided to retire, but the local people still seek her out for some cures. And an occasional love spell. She’s always up for meddling in people’s lives, what else is there to do for an old witch.

  Not today, however. Today, she’s here to catch up with a couple of weeks of neglect and to focus her thought on the next steps. It had felt surprisingly refreshing to include everybody in the discussion about what to do for Bridget. Has she misjudged her children? Has she gone about it the wrong way all along? Her hands follow a familiar pattern, checking whether the herbs are dry. If they are, she takes the bunch down from the ceiling and finds an appropriate pot, and then she checks what’s left. Molded? She throws it out; otherwise, she dunks it in a bowl, adds the newly dried, and then the older dried leaves go back on top. Nothing is wasted. You never know when you might need it.

  The routine puts her at ease and gives her mental focus. Engrossed? Or far away in her own thoughts, sifting through the possibilities of Lucy’s next moves, their next moves, their options, she doesn’t notice her granddaughters entering the room.

  Maeve and Bridget observe her for a moment. Their Gran looks better, more like the rock she once was.

  ‘Gran.’ Bridget’s voice startles her out of her train of thought.

  ‘Girls? Are you okay, Bridget?’

  The look on their faces promises more complications. Maeve scans the room and quickly casts a privacy spell.

  ‘The dagger that Diane got is not the real Dagger.’ Bridget states, never one to sugar coat anything.

  ‘How do you know? You haven’t even seen it.’

  ‘We still have the real one.’

  Tara waits, but Bridget is not volunteering where that is.

  ‘Can I see it?’ tries Tara.

  ‘In the light of what has happened, I think we should keep it the way it is. Only Maeve and I know the location.’

  Tara mulls this over, she can’t deny that it is probably for the best. However, she hates to be the one in the dark. As she had singled out Bridget as her successor, maybe she should trust her with this.

  ‘Why did the Fates give Dia
ne a dagger that looks and feels just like the original one?’

  ‘That is THE question, isn’t it? For now, we think we should use the opportunity?’ says Maeve.

  ‘What do you girls suggest we do next?’ Tara wants to know.

  Ceri finds the Madigan home suspiciously quiet when she gets back. There’s no one in the kitchen. It’s simply too quiet for the number of people staying in the house. In the hallway, she breathes in and lets her heightened senses scan the house. Two people, one upstairs in Seamus’ atelier—that must be Wes. And someone in the library. Emily! Delighted and scared at the same time, she walks two doors down to the library. What is she going to say to her daughter? For a moment, she hesitates before opening the door. Emily looks up, and the smile she gives her mother washes away all her fears. Quickly, Ceri closes the distance and hugs her daughter tight.

  ‘I’ve missed you!’

  ‘I knew you would be back!’ says Emily with confidence.

  Ceri pulls back and studies her daughter for a minute; she looks much the same as when she disappeared. That’s good. Her first impulse is to reassure Emily that all will be well, but will it? That’s a promise she can’t make. Not wanting to follow in her own mother’s footsteps, she decides there and then that she needs to be straightforward with her daughter.

  ‘Listen, sweetheart, I would like to say that all will be okay. The truth, however, is that I don’t know. I’ve learned things about myself that I didn’t know, and they have changed everything. Why don’t you sit down?’ Gently, she moves Emily to one of the big chairs in the room. This room is made for studying, with its wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, full of magical books. It’s a treasure trove for practitioners of magic. Over the years, generations of Madigans have added books to the collection. With a sideways glance, Ceri sees that Emily was reading Emerging Powers of a Young Witch by Gwendolen Hardy. Actually, a pretty good book, if she remembers well—helpful.

  ‘Are you really a fairy?’ Emily tries to hide her excitement.

  ‘Yes. Half fairy, and it’s not as you have read in your books. I’m trying to figure out what it is and what it means. Especially for you and Liam. Part fairy is complicated as we don’t know what will manifest. It might be totally different for you than for Liam. I don’t even know what I’m capable of.’ Now she’s talking to Emily, she realizes that she doesn’t know anything really. It’s time for some long conversations with Sparkle. She had insisted that he stay out of this conversation, and he promised. Not a peep is coming from him. He’s there, though, better not forget.

  ‘Can we go there?’ Eagerness is not only showing through Emily’s words but also is hard for her to stay seated, she’s ready to go now.

  ‘I will take you there very soon. First, I need to talk to your Dad about it.’

  ‘He will say no.’

  ‘I don’t think we have much choice in this. You are who you are. Now we know, it’s best to get to know Fairy. It’s a pretty crazy place.’ smiles Ceri. ‘Where is he anyway? And where is Liam?’

  ‘They’re out running some errands.’

  ‘And where are all the others?’

  UTAH

  Luna and Tom have passed Salt Lake City. They’re on a remote road winding between the hills. A rocky landscape with an occasional tree. It’s not a particularly friendly environment. Luna can imagine that it resonates with Lucy. Nobody will venture here unless they live here. A private area, perfect for a magical home. The buildup of the flow of the ley lines increases with every couple of miles. This must be the right place. What are they going to do when they find it? Its remoteness makes it harder for her and Tom to blend in. There’s a significant risk of being detected.

  ‘Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out when we’ll get there.’ smiles Tom.

  Her thoughts must be visible.

  ‘Bridget is safe. That’s the most important thing. I presume our new mission is to get the Tarot Deck back.’

  ‘Yes, she can cause so much mayhem with that. Look at what happened to little Lisa. We can’t let that happen again.’

  ‘Do you have a plan?’

  ‘Not really.’ Luna is uncomfortable, ‘I’m worried now that Lucy has her powers back, it’s perilous for just the two of us.’

  Tom shrugs. That’s one of the things she loves about this man. He doesn’t scare easily and takes it one step at the time. He’s like a rock. Or more like a grounding tool. He might not have magical skills, but his solid presence is magic in itself.

  ‘Let’s park over there.’ She points toward a spot on the side of the road; it has a view over the salt plains. ‘I can get a feel of the land and we can touch base with home.’

  Not that far away, Lucy is ready for another round of cards. The candles in her workroom cast a gentle light. Invigorated, she can’t wait to test the Madigans again. She had promised no torture, so it’s back to a good old-fashioned question, and maybe this time, she should try some sort of tarot spread. While she ponders her question, she shuffles the cards. They have a surprisingly comfortable texture and handle very easily. Her fingers brush the edges and sense a complex spell, the cards are enchanted on multiple levels. Intrigued, her mind touches the cards and try to figure out how Seamus had done it. Layer upon layer, it’s like an onion. If she wants to get to the bottom of it, it will take a while. The thought of getting entangled in the mystery is comforting, but not what the priority at present. Now that she has her powers back, there’s no reason she can’t get the Dagger back in her possession. Enough with it. Let’s put on the pressure.

  Out loud, she states her question, ‘What is the Madigans’ next move? What are they up to?’ Hopefully clear enough.

  The first card will tell her the current state of the situation, and with practiced hands, she draws the card. The High Priestess—Diane sits in a small forest against an ancient tree. Her back is ramrod straight, and she sits cross-legged. Her backs of her hands rest on her knees and are opened up toward the sky. Forest animals are watching her in anticipation.

  The card bulges and stretches, becoming three dimensional, and Diane takes shape. The panic in her eyes quickly fades as she realizes where she is. Her lifelong transitions into her visions make this one feel like peanuts.

  The second card represents the Madigan’s plan. When she turns this card over, it’s the Chariot; it shows Liam on a carriage trying to manage two strong-willed horses, one light and one dark. His card starts to come alive, and quickly she lays out the remaining cards.

  The third card represents advice for Lucy. This card shows Maeve with her waving hair by the well. Underwater, but not underwater. Her mermaid tail wrapped around the base of the structure.

  The last card is a possible outcome. This makes Lucy smile—Death. Jason, Freya’s husband, stands tall in a wasteland. In his hand, he has the scythe, his cloaked figure is brooding.

  NEW ORLEANS

  Tara, Bridget, and Maeve are walking through the garden toward the family tomb. They’ve called Gwen and are meeting her there. When Maeve suddenly shouts out, ‘Oh God, it’s happening.’ Tara and Bridget are powerless watching her dissolve. The last thing Maeve sees are her twins’ frightened eyes that seem to cry out, the Dagger!

  UTAH

  When Maeve is fully materialized, she does have two legs, but scales are still visible, like a shimmering legging. After having transitioned so often with Wes and Bridget, she doesn’t feel disoriented or freaked out at all. Next to her, Liam looks a bit confused and full of wonder. The young are always more flexible and find it exciting to experience magic. Who knows what his talents will be? Now that they know he’s part fairy, it will be interesting to see his development. Diane looks calm, but next to her, Jason is cursing out loud.

  ‘What the hell?! Where am I? If he wasn’t dead, I could kill him right now.’ Presumably talking about Seamus. ‘This is madness.’

  ‘Hello, family, I’m so happy to have you here.’ is Lucy’s far-from-sincere welcome. At least it snaps Jason out
of his rant. His mouth falls open when he registers Lucy standing close to them. It’s unnerving to see the resemblance to Tara when encountering her for the first time.

  ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aunt Lucy.’ replies Diane matching Lucy’s insincere tone, which surprises Maeve; Diane is usually so even. She’s not like any real person. Untouchable, ethereal, floating above everybody, or something. It’s hard to explain the things that Diane radiates.

  Perfect timing though of her Aunt to take the lead; it’s best not to draw any attention to herself.

  NEW ORLEANS

  Bridget follows Tara’s interaction with the ancestors while she sits on a still unused tomb. She desperately tries to distract her mind from what might be happening to Maeve right now. She has the Dagger; Lucy must be able to sense that. Maybe they made the wrong choice? This train of thought is not helpful, no use speculating. She must trust Maeve to get them through this, and they must move on with their plan. Normally, this would be an excellent way to distract herself, watching the talking skeletons by the light of the flickering torches. A scene from a horror movie comes to mind.

  ‘I’m sure.’ argues Tara with her grandmother. ‘It’s not the real dagger.’

  ‘It feels authentic.’ sounds her great-grandmother’s reply in her head.

  ‘Bridget has the real one.’ deflects Tara while she quickly grabs the dagger from her grandmother. Three of her ancestors had risen from their tombs, and the skeletons rattle while they make their way to Bridget.

  ‘How do you know.’ demands one, while another wants to know, ‘Where is it?’

  The questions follow each other so quickly, she hasn’t time to answer them. Ghosts are not very patient, at least not her ancestors.

  This is how Gwen finds them. Gwen freezes when she sees Bridget surrounded by her ancestors. Apparently, this is not how her family communicates with their relatives.

  ‘Gwen?’ Tara turns toward her; carefully, she touches her, which makes Gwen jump backward. ‘It’s okay.’ She tries with her soothing voice. ‘These are our ancestors I was telling you about.’