Page 7 of Incubus
She moved to touch the last card before Nathan could deny any of that. The main image looked like a satyr and was one of the few cards Nathan recognized.
"Something's not...right with this card," she said.
"No shit, you mean because it'sSatan," Nathan shot back.
Wade glared at him. "TheDevilcard is not Satan. It's much more complicated. It doesn't even always represent a person. But for you, I...I think it's representing two. I'm getting two very distinct presences. One is clearly more sinister, while the other..." She stopped, her gaze going distant until she centered her eyes on Nathan so intensely that he flinched.
"What?"
"You must find the second before the first finds you," Wade said in a hushed monotone. "Sasha. Sasha can help you. Sasha is the key to everything."
"Who’s…Sasha?" Jim asked, as stunned as Nathan that Wade had fallen into some sort of trance, which was rare, even with her potent gift.
Wade blinked and pulled her hand back from theDevilcard. "I...I don't know."
Gathering the cards quickly, Wade began shuffling them with renewed vigor. This time when she slammed them down onto the table, Nathan knew to cut the deck immediately. Wade dealt out three cards again.
The new cards were less distinct, all Minor Arcana, none of which Nathan knew the meanings of by sight. Wade looked over all of them, as if seeking out some common theme or message. She touched each one separately and then all at once. She even closed her eyes, which most legitimate psychics would admit is just for show.
Wade's eyes sprang wide and she jerked her hands away from the cards. Almost as if she feared she would forget what she had seen, she immediately grabbed a pad of paper and a pen from beneath the table and began writing. Nathan leaned forward and saw that she was scribbling down a name and an apartment number.
"What is that?" Jim asked.
"This is who you need to help you," Wade said, "andthis," she pointed to the number, "is where they will be tomorrow.”
"Wait. What? Who's going to be where now?" Nathan blinked down at the paper.
"Sasha," Wade said, pushing the notepad closer to him, "will be at that apartment number. Tomorrow."
"And who is Sasha?" Nathan asked, though he curbed his curiosity when Wade glared at him. "I hate this psychic bullshit," he grumbled.
"Where do we even start?" Jim asked. "Is this apartment here in Pittsburgh?"
"Minneapolis," Wade said. "That's as much as the cards are willing to show me. Happy trails, boys. If you want to get rid of Nathan's mark then you need to find Sasha."
"Come on, Nate,” Jim said, “we have to go." He had the paper with the name and apartment number and was already hoisting his bag over his shoulder. Then he stopped. "Oh...uh, hey, Wade? I don't suppose you could...spare any cash? Or maybe something we could sell? We're sort of short on...everything."
Wade rolled her eyes, but immediately got up and crossed to the large armoire on the other side of the room. "Lucky for you, I have something I was planning to send to Schuester anyway. Since you'll be in his neck of the words, I suppose you could sell it to him."
She came back a moment later, carrying a pair of amethyst goggles that looked like old aviator specs. They glowed with embedded crystals and runes. They even had violet lenses and an adjustable strap.
“These little beauties can see through the glamour of any fae, witch, or changeling. Good for spotting enemies or finding out if someone is lying about their identity. Schu might like these,” she said, and handed them to Jim.
Nathan frowned. “A little conspicuous, don’t you think? No way can I imagine anyone wearing those in public.”
“Put them on,” Wade told Jim.
Jim looked a little wary but nodded. As soon as he lowered the goggles over his eyes, they disappeared. “Whoa,” Jim said, blinking around the room. He could see through most glamours just by being a changeling, but not all. It would not surprise Nathan if Wade's shop was covered in illusions, though he did wonder what was being hidden from the naked eye.
“Still too conspicuous for you?” Wade said, planting her hands on her shapely hips.
“These are amazing,” Jim said, at last pulling the goggles off. They became visible again as soon as he removed them. “Thanks.”
Nathan almost wished they could keep the goggles with a power like that, but they needed the money. As they were gathering up the last of their things to leave, he couldn't help noticing the way Wade's smile was curled up at one edge like she was hiding something. "You're keeping something to yourself," he said.
"I don't know what you mean." Wade's smirk looked even more devilish as she waved them goodbye.
Nathan trusted the cards. He trusted that this Sasha person would be at that apartment tomorrow. He trusted that the goggles would be a good item to sell. He did not trust Wade. But at least they had a starting point.
