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“She saw something in the cards,” Heart says with a shrug. “She seemed really upset.”
I sit up, my eyes widening. “She seemed upset?”
Hilda is one of the calmest people I know. I’ve never seen her do anything other than speak with a cool and collected tone. If she saw something in the cards that bothered her, then it must be bad.
Heart nods and presses his fingers against the tent flap, tilting his head like an animal while something dark lurks in his gaze. “Yes. Have you ever thought about how easy it would be to strangle someone with a circus tent?”
I blink. Perhaps now isn’t the time to ask what he means by that. I glance at Diamond. “I should go see what she saw.”
Diamond tilts his head. “You don’t have to wait for my permission, Ember. You’re free here.”
I didn’t realize I was doing just that, waiting to make sure he was okay with it. We’d been busy, after all, so I assumed . . . but that’s the old Ember talking. The new Ember doesn’t have an abusive husband who controls her. The new Ember doesn’t need to ask for permission or apologize for things she can’t control.
“Of course,” I murmur. Before I think better of it, I press another chaste kiss to Diamond’s lips, making his eyes widen in surprise, then I stand and head for the tent flap.
“One for me, Queen?” Heart teases with a grin and a wiggle of his eyebrows. It’s a dare. He doesn’t think I’ll do it.
New Ember isn’t afraid. New Ember doesn’t care what people think of her.
I lean toward him and press the same chaste kiss to his lips, shocking him into silence. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Heart so surprised before. His expression almost makes him look innocent, but the wicked smile that pulls at his lips right after shatters that illusion.
“Well played, Queen,” he purrs as if it’s a game. “I’ll remember there are no rules in this game we play.”
That sounds dangerous, but instead of dwelling on it, I wink at him and say, “I’ll be back later,” before leaving.
I rush toward Hilda’s tent, expecting her to be chaotically yelling about something she saw in the cards. Instead, I find her sitting on the floor in the middle, her fingers sunk into the plush rug beneath her as if she needs to ground herself. Her pale white eyes are closed, but as I step inside, they open and something flashes in her gaze that I can’t place. It’s difficult to read Hilda’s emotions on a good day, let alone when she consciously hides them.
“Heart says you saw something in the cards,” I begin, going over to take a seat in front of her. I cross my legs and wait, knowing she’ll tell me in her own time.
She hums a tune I don’t recognize under her breath, but it sounds old and foreign. It feels like deserts and palm trees, an oasis in the middle of the sand. Every part of her vibrates with energy, and I watch as the cards come down from the table one by one, fluttering until they land face up between us.
“Your kindness will be your downfall, Ember,” she says, her voice echoing. It’s as if more than one person speaks through her, and the sound sends chills up my arms. “Happiness is not guaranteed, and the cirque must be protected at all costs. They must be protected.”
“Who?” I ask, leaning closer, but she doesn’t answer.
The cards catch on fire so suddenly, I jerk back, my eyes wide at the sight. The flames turn blue and then green as the cards shrivel and burn.
“He’s coming.” Hilda moans as her eyes roll into the back of her head. “He’s coming.”
“Who’s coming?” I ask, afraid. “Hilda, who’s coming?”
She blinks, and the flames suddenly go out. This time, when she meets my eyes, there’s only the kindness I see every day. She looks confused about why she’s sitting before me.
“I . . . What are we doing on the floor?” she asks.
“You said he was coming,” I repeat. “Hilda, who did you mean?”
She frowns. “I’m not sure I know what you mean, Ember.” Her eyes catch on the burned remnants of the cards, now unrecognizable after the flames. “What happened to my cards?”
I have no answers for her. I have none for myself. “You told me to come in and said that my kindness will be my downfall. You saw it in the cards. Then you said he’s coming.”
Her eyes widen, and she studies the cards again. “Which cards were they?”
I blink. Had I even looked at them? I was too distraught over what happened. Pressing my hand to my head, I try to remember but I’m not sure. I’m still learning, so I don’t know how to read the cards yet. Foolish. I should have looked.
“I . . . I don’t know,” I admit. “I don’t know.”
Hilda stands. “I’ll search for answers. For now, go rest.” She shoos me away, and I stand, my eyes on the remnants of the cards. Somehow, as I look at them, the ashes seem to form the word “nightmare,” but as I look closer, the wind from the tent flaps scatters them until they form nothing at all.
