Page 21 of Whispers of the Elderoak

She regarded him, scrutinizing every feature. “I’m sorry, young man. Only one person at a time. My readings can be intense, and I insist my patrons have complete privacy. It’s their choice if they want their partners to know about what happens in my tent.”

Henry shrugged and looked at Ava. “You can go. I don’t really want mine done.” He handed a ten-dollar bill to the woman and exited the tent. “I’ll wait outside.”

Now it was the woman’s turn to inspect Ava, and inspect her she did. She recoiled at the sharp gaze as the fortune teller regarded her, as if she could read each thought swirling through Ava’s mind. Though she knew this was likely a scam, the way the old woman evaluated her had her questioning the decision to come in here.

Looking her up and down, she waved her hand. “Have a seat.”

Ignoring her unease, Ava sat in an old wooden chair at a small round table covered in a royal blue tablecloth sprinkled with silver moons and stars. The inside of the tent was lined with bookshelves decorated with dozens of flickering candles, casting eerie shapes against the plum-colored velvet walls. The ceiling rose, the fabric joining together at the apex with colorful glass lanterns casting a glow and contributing to the supernatural shadows.

The old woman sat across from Ava and yanked a piece of velvet off the table, revealing a crystal ball. Ava tried not to roll her eyes at the theatrics, and remained quiet, waiting for the woman to speak as she adjusted her sweater.

“You look nervous, girl,” the woman spoke in a hoarse voice.

“I’m not,” Ava lied.

The crone sighed and closed her eyes, gnarled hands hovering over the crystal ball. She hummed to herself for a while before opening her eyes and peering into the void. Avasaw nothing and tried not to laugh as she prepared herself for the cheesy fortune.

“You will find your true love soon,” she said as she watched her prop on the table. “He will be handsome, kind and very powerful.” Ava stifled a giggle. “You can trust him, and he will always keep you safe. Fate is bringing you together as we speak. He is part of your path forward.” She looked at Ava, watching for a reaction.

“Oh wow!” She feigned surprise, assuming the old woman invented this after seeing her walk in with Henry. “That sounds amazing,” she added as she began to rise from her seat. “Thank you for your time.”

The woman grinned wildly, revealing rotten broken teeth scattered throughout her mouth and shot her hand across the table, gripping Ava’s wrist firmly and forcing her to sit back down. “We’re not done,” her voice echoed, different now.

“I—” Ava tried to wrench her arm away.

“Be still and listen to me,” the woman insisted as she opened Ava’s palm with her other hand and traced the lines. “You must take this seriously, child,” she hissed in her ancient voice, volume rising.

Ava looked at her, wrist throbbing under the feeble woman’s grip as her heart started to race. “Let me go.”

The woman held tighter as her eyes bored into Ava’s. “You found the book.”

“What?” Ava whispered. “How the hell do you know that?”

It wasn’t possible. There was no way this random woman was an actual psychic. Ava didn’t believe in psychics.

“Shhhh…listen.” The woman’s voice changed, molding into something deeper. Something supernatural. The candles flickered, flames guttering from an invisible force. The hair on the back of Ava’s neck stood erect as the woman spoke, voice echoing nowhere and everywhere as her eyes glossed over. “You won’t be able to run from the prophecy, young lady.”

“Prophecy?” she whispered, as her hands shook.

“You must go back. Find your homeland,” her voice croaked. “Do not trust anyone. There are deceivers.”

“Stop,” Ava pleaded as she tried again to free her hand.

The woman quieted, eyes closing. “The voice in your dreams,” she whispered harshly. “You must find him.”

Panicking, Ava yanked her arm free and rushed out of the tent leaving the old crone and her omen behind. She stood in the cool air, feeling dizzy as she took deep breaths, willing herself calm before Henry noticed her alarm.

How did the woman know about the book and the prophecy? What the hellwasthe prophecy? Other than a brief snippet in her grandfather’s journal she had no idea what it could even be about. Who was the voice in her dreams? Her homeland? Ava’s efforts to write off her grandfather’s ramblings were crumbling with each discovery. The book, the creature in the woods and now this. Plus, there was something about Luna she still couldn’t figure out. And what was this about deceivers? Uneasiness brewed inside Ava’s stomach as she ruminated over what the woman said.

The one thing she was almost certain of was that she was on the cusp of finding answers. Like a small seed of truth had been planted when she was a child and was continuing to grow, now on the verge of blooming. A great and terrible bud about to burst open and upend everything.

She rubbed her temple and looked at the night sky, allowing the crisp breeze to cool her face. Nerves waning, she turned to search for Henry. She found him lingering a few booths away, eyeing the art displayed with care along the walls of the kiosk. She hoped he couldn’t tell she was still rattled, and it took every effort to hide her nerves.

“How’d it go?” he asked, taking her hands in his and stepping close.

“Well.” She smiled, heart still racing. “She said I would find my true love soon.”

His eyes twinkled. “Is that so?”

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