Chapter 9

Iawoke the next morning with my cheek in a puddle of drool and the sensation of someone stroking my hair. I whipped onto my back as Claude skittered across the bed.

"Bad revenant! What are you doing?"

Claude's fingers lowered in humiliation, prompting a wave of guilt.

"Don't look at me like that. You scared the shit out of me."

The hand flattened on the blanket.

I sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell."

Claude's fingers remained sprawled.

"And you're not a bad revenant. I didn't mean that either."

Peace restored. Claude scampered closer and I held up a finger. "That doesn't mean I want you touching me in my sleep. That's not cool."

Claude explained that he was only trying to comfort me because I was tossing and turning in my sleep.

"I appreciate your concern, but in the future, I need you to stay outside my bedroom unless I explicitly invite you to come in."

The revenant's fingers moved up and down in acknowledgement of my request.

I flipped back the covers and climbed to my feet. "I've been tossing and turning in my sleep since before I was old enough to speak. A reassuring pat on the head won't change anything."

You would think a goddess of nightmares didn't endure nightmares of her own. You would be wrong.

On my way to the bathroom, I noticed Ray hovering in the hallway just outside my bedroom door.

"Everything good, Ray?"

"I found something you might be interested in."

"Like an old coin buried in the yard?"

"No, like a ritual to summon the Givers."

"Come on in."

Ray crossed the threshold and glanced around the bedroom. "Would it kill you to put your clothes in the laundry basket instead of on the floor?"

"I was so tired last night; I didn't even bother to turn on the light."

Shaking his head, he drifted closer to the bathroom while I brushed my teeth. "You need a conduit."

I rinsed and spit. "What kind are we talking about? A lightning rod?"

"Water."

"Well, that's easy."

"You also need a direct connection to their world."

My shoulders drooped. "And that's less easy."

"And a bloodless sacrifice."

"Bloodless is good. What's the procedure?"

He explained in more detail than was probably necessary, but I listened patiently, nonetheless.

"Thank you, Ray. That's helpful."

"Would you like me to research how to find a direct connection to their world? I didn't want to get ahead of myself."

"Actually, no. I have one in mind." Although given Goran's history with the Givers, the vodyanoy wouldn't like my proposal.

"And you might want to have a word with your houseguest about the state of her room. It's like she's channeled all her powers of mayhem into a 13 x 9 space."

I ran a brush through my hair. "I have bigger concerns at the moment, Ray, but I appreciate you looking after the house." I motioned for him to leave the room so that I could get dressed. I selected a black sweater, jeans, and boots with full knowledge that Gun would comment on each item. At least everything was clean—except the boots. I'd given up on those long ago.

I hurried to the kitchen to grab a quick bite to eat. I'd asked Gun to pick me up by nine in the hope that Addison would still be asleep.

No such luck.

Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating my curds and whey. Or oatmeal. Whichever.

"You're up early," I said.

"Your friend Tilly woke me up when she left this morning. Her horse is incredibly loud."

My hand froze over the fruit bowl. "Do yourself a favor and don't call her that next time you see her. It's Matilda or, if you're feeling deferential, Night Mallt."

Addison grunted into her bowl. "As if I'd ever feel deferential."

"Did she say where she was going?"

"I didn't speak to her. She was outside by the time I came downstairs. Where did she sleep?"

"On the sofa." No doubt I'd be treated to a litany of complaints about the lumpy state of the cushions next time I saw her.

The ward activated. I snatched a banana from the bowl. Potassium would have to be enough.

"My ride is here. I'll see you later."

"You're leaving me again?" Addison whined.

"Yes." No regrets. "I'm working on the Wild Hunt issue."

Addison's footsteps thundered after me. "Can I go too?"

"No."

"Come on. I'll be an asset to the team."

"No, you'll be a liability."

She pouted. "You seem to forget all the years I worked for The Corporation."

"I have no intention of leaving a trail of corpses in our wake. This is Fairhaven. Normal people live here."

"Normal like your assassin friends? Or normal like the demons from hell?"

"Logic won't work on me. Still not bringing you." I grabbed my coat off the rack and hurried outside before Addison tried to follow.

Gunther waited for me at the gate. "Someone dressed for success this morning."

"I knew I'd be seeing you. Had to keep the criticisms to a minimum."

"Oh, please. I'm very open-minded about your fashion choices."

I stared at him. "That right there. It's still thinly veiled criticism."

He cocked his head to the side. "Is it though? Thinly veiled, I mean." He unlocked his car doors, and I slid into the passenger seat.

"Cam knows we're coming, right?" I asked.

"Of course." He paused. "As soon as I tell her, she'll know."

Groaning, I threw my head against the headrest.

His fingers blurred as he typed a text message. "She's home. Let's go." He shifted gears and the car surged forward. "What are we doing again?"

"Did you not pay attention last night?"

"I was distracted. I had a new friend over." His eyes glimmered with mischief.

"Does your new friend have a name?"

"Doesn't matter. I won't be seeing him again."

"Why not?"

"Too incompatible." Despite his breezy tone, I got the sense he was disappointed by the discovery. He didn't offer details, and I didn't push for any.

"I'd like to see if the tarot cards can tell us anything about our future with the Wild Hunt." Just because Phaedra hadn't glimpsed anything helpful didn't mean Cam wouldn't. Different species. Different methods.

Gun nodded. "Cam is better suited to that particular request."

I smiled at him. "That's why you suggested we drive over there this morning."

"Here," he corrected, as he pulled into her driveway. "Drive over here."

Camryn's house was like a winter wonderland—all white and shiny with a hint of magic. It was basically the antithesis of the Castle.

The mage stood at the open door when we arrived and ushered us inside. She was dressed like a sunflower in a gold top and green pants. Yet somehow, I was the sartorial problem.

Gun hugged himself as he entered. "It's freezing in here."

"Then throw on a layer."

He regarded the hall closet with interest. "Any cashmere?"

"Always." She bounced to the closet and retrieved a dark purple cashmere sweater, which Gunther promptly pulled over his head. It was a perfect fit.

Gun must've had the same thought because he narrowed his eyes at his cousin. "Did I leave this here last winter?"

Cam smiled. "You might have." She swiveled toward me. "Would you like one of my sweaters? Yours looks thin. Is it synthetic?"

"I'm used to the chill," I said. "The Castle doesn't seem to get above sixty-five."

"You really need to modernize that heating system," Gun advised.

"I really need to do a lot of things. The problem is they all cost a small fortune."

Camryn beckoned us into the living room. "I thought we'd work in here." She relocated a glass vase filled with white lilies from the coffee table to the nearby console table. "What is it we're doing?"

"Looking at the near future," I said.

"Yours, Lorelei?"

"Not necessarily." I remembered the strange glimpse of my future from the looking glass spell. I wasn't keen on a repeat performance.

"The Wild Hunt could potentially impact everybody in town," Gun said. "Pick a focal point and run with it."

Cam thought for a beat. "Okay, we'll focus on the three of us."

"Does it matter where we sit?" I asked. Her white furniture was so pristine, I was almost afraid to use it.

"As close to the table as possible." She set a selection of tarot cards facedown in the center of the coffee table and inclined her head toward me. "Choose one."

I pulled the card that was farthest from me. "Ace of Wands."

Cam nodded to her cousin. "Now you."

He slid a card from the middle and held it close to his chest. "The Lovers."

She rolled her eyes. "I swear you hide that one up your sleeve." She reached for a card and flipped it over. "Queen of Swords."

Gun sucked the air between his teeth. "I think we know the answer to whether you and Vaughn have a future together."

"We don't," she replied tartly. "He made that clear last night."

"Explain," Gun demanded.

"I told him I wanted him to be all in or I was out." She nodded curtly at me. "He said he couldn't give me what I wanted, so I ended things."

"Oh, Cam. I'm sorry. That must've been hard to do," I said.

"Best to know now, so I can move on."

Gun gave her shoulder a light punch. "He doesn't deserve you."

I studied my card. "What does the Ace of Wands tell me?"

She consulted the card. "New beginnings. Personal growth. Unleashing your passion. Embracing new opportunities. Take your pick. I feel like that should be my card."

"Well, we know Lorelei isn't unleashing any passion," Gun remarked.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

Gun grunted. "You're more tightly wound than a yo-yo. Good sex would take care of that, you know."

"I appreciate that you specified good sex," Cam told him. "Most men categorize all sex as good because they don't know any better."

Gun gave her a pointed look. "Am I most men?"

"These cards seem specific to us," I said. "What happened to a collective vision?"

"That's the next step. Right now, I'm clearing the personal energy from the deck," Cam explained. "Now put them back."

We tossed our cards on the table, and she reintegrated them with the others so that we couldn't tell which was which. Once that was done, she passed her hand over the cards, and we chose again. This time Cam and Gun selected different cards, but I still chose the Ace of Wands.

"What are the odds?" I mused.

"Odds have nothing to do with it," Cam said. "The Ace of Wands is determined to show up for you."

I shrugged. "New opportunities don't sound too bad." Neither did unleashing passion, but I wasn't about to give Gunther the satisfaction of admitting that.

"We're interested in the Wild Hunt, remember?" Gun prodded. "Try to clear your mind of the royal demon and maybe we'll get the answers we're looking for."

Cam removed the Ace of Wands and shuffled the remaining cards before spreading them facedown across the table. "Let's try this again."

"Stay focused on the Wild Hunt," Gun cautioned. "Picture well-hung stallions."

I groaned.

"Now choose," Cam ordered.

We each took a card.

"The Tower," I said.

Gun's eyes widened. "Mine, too."

Camryn's breath hitched in her throat. "Mine, too."

I examined the three identical cards. "How is that possible?"

"It's possible because I have three Tower cards in the deck."

"But?" I prompted.

Camryn tugged at the collar of her sweater. "But it's highly unusual. The cards are sending us a strong message."

"And it's not a positive one," Gun said.

"What's the message?"

"If we're lucky, sudden change," he replied. "If we're not…"

"Disaster, upheaval, chaos—you name it," Cam said.

That sounded about right for the Wild Hunt.

Gun crooked his finger. Cam nodded, understanding her cousin's intentions without any elaboration. She collected the trio of cards and closed her eyes. After a moment of soft breathing, she opened her eyes. "Nada."

Gun took the three cards and did the same. "Nothing." He passed the cards to me. "Now you try."

The moment I closed my eyes, an image formed. At first glance, I thought I was standing in an open grave, which set off a series of heart palpitations. As the images gained clarity, I realized that I was in some sort of underground cavern. It had a homey quality to it, though; the space was inhabited. Wherever this was, it was buried deep in the heart of Wild Acres. I felt it in my bones.

I opened my eyes and let the cards fall on the coffee table.

"What did you see?" Cam asked.

I described the underground image.

Gunther grinned. "You're asking the right people. If you want to put someone six feet under, it's basically my specialty."

"I don't think it was about death or burial. It seemed inhabited."

He drummed his fingers on the coffee table. "Could be Madame Thea's place."

Cam's eyes lit up. "Ooh, good thinking."

"Who's Madame Thea?"

"She runs an underground speakeasy," he replied.

"In Fairhaven?"

"Right underneath Wild Acres."

"Why would the cards show me a speakeasy?"

Gun shrugged. "Maybe someone there has information about the Wild Hunt, or maybe it's advising us to hide underground until the threat passes."

"I was always told that tarot cards couldn't actually tell the future. That they're more about reflection."

Cam blew a dismissive breath. "That's because those mages aren't La Fortuna. We're in a class by ourselves."

Gun held out his fist for a celebratory bump from his cousin.

"Is there really nothing the cards can do to stop the hunt from coming?" I asked. "All that power… It seems a waste not to be able to use them for protection at the very least."

"There's the House of Cards, but we don't have every card represented," Gun said.

"That's an old wives' tale anyway," Cam interrupted.

"What's the House of Cards?"

Eyes sparkling, Camryn slid forward to the edge of the cushion, as though preparing to share the hottest celebrity gossip instead of information about an ancient magical practice. "According to legends, our ancestors designed a spell so powerful, it could destroy all our enemies in one fell swoop."

"Think of it as the nuclear option," Gun added. "Nobody would really want to do it because of the potential fallout."

"What's the fallout?" I asked.

"No one knows for certain because no one's ever done it," Cam said. "The catch is you need mages who've mastered every single card."

"Collectively or individually?" I asked.

"Collectively," Gun said. "No one's mastered every single card on their own. They've tried, naturally—we're a greedy bunch—but no dice."

"Have you tried?"

"Absolutely not." He fluttered his long eyelashes. "I'm too pretty to be a corpse."

I looked from one mage to the other. "What did it cost you to master these cards?"

A wall slid into place between us. "Doesn't matter. The important part is that we mastered them," Gun said.

Camryn's voice hollowed. "Anything worth having comes at a price."

I decided to press the issue. If they expected their curiosity about me to be satiated, then I deserved the same. "You've mentioned the difficulty of the process, that not all mages with potential make it through."

"Alive," Gun added. "They don't make it through alive."

"Does anyone make it through unscathed?"

Camryn swept her cards off the table and rose to her feet. "Why are we talking about this when there's a Wild Hunt to thwart?"

"Because we're sharing," I said. "That's what friends do. We learn about each other."

Gun snorted. "That's rich. Now that your secret's been spilled, you want us to learn about each other?"

"I'm trying to break a bad habit. I've been so focused on protecting myself that I only scratch the surface of others." Over the years, I'd worried that if I made an effort to get to know someone, they'd reciprocate, and then I'd feel guilty for hiding my true self. It seemed better to keep people at arm's length. Now that Gun and Cam were privy to the knowledge, however, I realized I had a golden opportunity to increase the depth of my connection with them.

Cam shuffled the cards in her hands in an idle gesture. "I have scars."

"Physical ones?" I asked.

"Those healed a long time ago, but not the other kind. Those scars were built to last." She plucked the Wheel of Fortune card from the deck. "This one nearly killed me."

Gun fixated on the card. "It was the Emperor for me."

"Explain something to me," I said. "Why would you bring yourself to the edge of death for the purpose of wielding magic that you then use to kill others? What's the point?"

"Not all La Fortuna mages become assassins," Camryn answered.

Gun glanced in the direction of the kitchen. "A conversation like this requires alcohol."

"Not for me," Cam said. "I'll make a protein shake."

We reconvened in the kitchen. Gun started toward the pantry.

"Oh, your secret stash isn't there," Cam advised. "I moved it to the laundry room. Check the cabinet above the washing machine, next to the detergent."

Gun shot me a look. "Don't ask." He left the room, returning a few moments later with a bottle of tequila. He eyed the ingredients on the counter that Camryn had selected for her shake.

"I'll take one of those, too," he said.

She tilted her head. "I thought you wanted alcohol."

"Where do you think I'm going to put the tequila? How about you, Lorelei?"

"I'll take a protein shake. Hold the tequila." With the Wild Hunt's imminent arrival and Mathis lurking nearby, I needed to keep my wits about me.

Cam blended the ingredients and filled three glasses with thick, frothy liquid. Gunther tipped the jigger of tequila into his glass and took a swig.

"How much do you know about La Fortuna?" he asked.

"It's an ancient society of mages that began in the fifteenth century in Florence. The ability to wield the magic of the cards has been passed down for generations through the bloodlines of the original families."

"You also know not all mages master all the cards," Cam added. "And that it's a hellish process."

"Cam and I grew up with a girl named Livia who started the trials with us. She didn't make it past her first Minor Arcana card."

Camryn averted her gaze. "The Two of Swords. Liv was always indecisive…" She trailed off, blinking away tears.

"It turned out to be her fatal flaw," Gun said in a low voice.

"Why go for the most powerful cards? Why not be content with a bunch of minor ones?" Neither Gun nor Cam struck me as power hungry. "Why do it if it's so perilous?"

Gun raised his head to look at me. "Why do people climb mountains instead of hills? Or jump from airplanes instead of the front porch?"

"Or wear polka dots with stripes instead of clean lines?" Cam frowned. "Right. Bad example."

"It's also our heritage," Gun explained. "Magic is as normal to us as keeping secrets is to you. We grew up surrounded by tarot cards and magic and assassins."

"So basically you're telling me you were brainwashed," I pointed out.

"There is a cult-like quality to it," Camryn admitted, "but we can walk away whenever we want."

Gunther winced. "Well, not technically. There are rules."

Cam waved a hand. "No need to get into the details. It's not like either one of us is looking for a way out. We're content with our choices."

I wasn't sure how many others could say the same. "You're fortunate that you had a choice at all." I hadn't chosen to be a goddess of ghosts and nightmares, and if I'd been given the option, I would've run like hell in the opposite direction.

"I don't deny our advantages," Gun said.

"What would've happened if you'd decided not to master any cards?"

Gun and Cam exchanged looks. "Then I guess we would've ended up like our cousins," Gun said. "Sasha and Bentley declined to participate in the trials and now they work…"

Camryn cut him off with a deadly look. "Don't say it."

"In retail," Gun finished with a shudder.

"What's wrong with retail?"

"The only person who would ask that question is someone who's never worked in retail."

"Have you worked in retail?" I asked.

"My mother owned a clothing store," he said. "I grew up in retail."

"Gun and I worked there after school and on weekends," Camryn added.

"Is that why you both love fashion?"

"I suspect I'd love it anyway," Gun replied, "but I'm sure it was a contributing factor. I'd try on all the new arrivals, even if they were two sizes too big for me."

Cam smiled at her cousin. "He loved admiring himself in the dressing room mirrors from all the angles."

Gun exhaled dreamily. "My favorite pastime. I miss those gangly limbs."

"Trust me," I said. "You've still got them."

He patted my cheek. "You're the sweetest." His brow furrowed. "Can I touch you without letting you inside my head?"

"You can't stop me, but I can stop myself. I've had years of practice. It's only when my emotions are heightened that it's more difficult to keep my guard up."

"In other words, I could've saved myself a whole sob story by giving you a peek inside my nightmares."

"I'd prefer to learn about you the old-fashioned way."

The corner of his mouth lifted. "You're an ancient goddess. Your way is the old-fashioned way."

Camryn smacked his arm. "Don't bring the subject back to her. I'm enjoying our time in the spotlight." She turned to face me, leaning her elbows on the counter. "You have more burning questions, don't you?"

Gun scrutinized me. "She definitely does. I can tell by the lines right here." He tapped the space between my eyebrows. "And now that I'm focused on this spot, you should really consider microblading. I can recommend someone."

My fingers skimmed my eyebrow. "I'd like to understand your decision to join the guild."

"Health insurance that includes eye care and dental," Gun replied smoothly.

Cam elbowed him in the ribs. "She means the decision to kill people for a living."

"I'm not judging you," I added quickly.

"No, that's Nana Pratt's territory," Gun murmured.

"I can give you my reasons." Cam paused to drink her shake. "Gun might have different ones."

Gunther stared into his glass. "We grew up surrounded by death and violence."

"I know retail can be cutthroat, but that seems excessive."

Gun gave me a look of disdain. "My mother owned the store. My father was an assassin."

"And mine," Cam said. "They were brothers-in-law. Gun's dad and my mom were siblings."

I didn't miss her use of the past tense.

"I rebelled as a teenager." Gun's gaze flicked to me. "Shocking, I know."

"Except his rebellion was more about the horrors of our family's lifestyle," Camryn explained. "Like you, he wanted to know why our fathers would choose murder as an occupation."

"I told my parents I wouldn't even attempt to master the Major Arcana if it meant taking innocent lives." He paused to clear his throat. "That's when my father sat me down and told me the truth."

My head spun with possibilities. "He wasn't actually an assassin?"

"Oh, no. He was, but he had a say over his targets, just like we do. He would only agree to a contract if certain conditions were met."

"They were ethical assassins," Cam tacked on.

"What were the conditions?" I asked.

"The same ones we adhere to now. There had to be evidence of a crime. Not just charged with one or an accusation but hard evidence." Gun's eyes gleamed with gravitas. "And the crime had to be violent or deadly in nature. No revenge for a business deal gone bad unless the result was the loss of innocent lives."

"And the targets can't be human," Camryn chimed in, "but the ones who hires us can."

"Who offers the contract?" I asked.

"Depends," Gun replied. "Oftentimes it's the family member most impacted by the crime. They submit their paperwork to the guild and wait for approval. A couple weeks ago I took out an incubus with a power addiction. He'd been drugging and assaulting women for a constant high. When his picture went up in the bars he'd been frequenting, he switched to stalking high schools."

A knot formed in my throat. "There was no way to rehabilitate him?"

"He wasn't interested. He lived for that surge of energy." Gun's eyelids lowered. "It was the family of his last victim that contacted the guild. Their daughter died during the assault. The incubus left her underneath the bleachers like discarded trash."

My voice scratched as I asked my next question. "Which card did you use?"

He leveled me with a look. "The one that inflicts the most pain."

Camryn swallowed the last of her shake and rinsed the glass in the sink. "Well, this has been an uplifting conversation. I'm tickled pink we're getting to know each other better, aren't you, Lorelei?"

Gun twisted the lid back on the bottle of tequila. "I'll admit I wasn't thrilled, but I'm glad Lorelei asked. It's important to have hard conversations, no matter how uncomfortable. I thought it was a lesson only she needed to learn, but I suppose I needed a refresher."

Cam rinsed the pieces of the blender under the tap. "It feels kind of liberating to share with an outsider. We tend to only talk to other guild members or La Fortuna mages, which can skew our perspective of the world if we let it."

"Well, I don't recommend sharing during story time at the library. You might frighten the children." Not to mention Hailey Jones, the librarian.

Gunther squeezed my shoulder. "How does it feel to get past the surface level? Mind you, my surface is still an amazing place to linger. Ask any of my doomed relationships."

"I feel like I need to decompress," I admitted.

"That's how I feel after too much time with the guild," Cam said. "The number I've times I've left meetings with a hangover without a sip of alcohol…"

"Want me to drive you home?" Gun offered.

"Not home."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Somewhere else?"

"Do you know where the speakeasy is?"

"There's a secret door in front of One Oak."

I shot him a quizzical look. "One oak? Which one? There are hundreds of oak trees in the forest."

"One Oak," Gun clarified. "It's the biggest oak tree in Wild Acres."

"Big enough to earn its own name." I nodded. "Live and learn."

"There's a notch on the trunk. Press it like a button and say the secret word."

I tapped my fingernails, my impatience building. "Which is?"

"I don't know what it is now, but the last time I was there, it was rosebud."

I peered at him. "And what did you do there?"

"That's confidential."

I contained my outrage. "Seriously? Do you not see the hypocrisy happening here?"

"Everybody who enters has to sign an NDA."

I rolled my eyes. "What is it with this town and legal documents?"

"I'm not even supposed to share as much as I have. I'll drive you as close as I can get. Beyond that, you're on your own." He held up a finger. "And don't use my name. I don't want a permanent ban. I like it there."

"Not to worry. I wouldn't dream of jeopardizing your standing with Madame Thea."

"Trust me, you don't want to get on her bad side. She makes Kane look like a unicorn princess." His pause had an ominous quality to it. "You'll see."