Page 98 of Potions and Proposals
“I need the key for my afternoon lecture,” he explained. He wasn’t asking like someone who had discovered he’d been stolen from; Lucy was beginning to wonder if anything could disturb this man’s peace.
She went to the till and removed the key from beneath the cash tray.
“You knew?” she asked, offering it to him. There was no point in lying about it. She’d planned on dropping it in the library to make it look like it might have slipped out of his pocket while he was working with Rosie.
“Rosie wanted to have a look at one of the objects in the restricted relics section to compare the symbol she found in the case she’s been working on. It was only when we got there that I noticed it wasn’t in my pocket. I checked everywhere. and then one of the professors said that he saw you and Benedict leaving the university library quite late the night of the festival opening.”
“I’m sorry – I should’ve asked. I didn’t want to get you involved or put you in an awkward position.”
“I would’ve given it to you without question. You are the reason I was even able to get a key in the first place,” Emerson reminded her.
“I know, but that didn’t give me the right to take it.” Lucy hesitated. “You don’t want to know why?”
“It’s none of my business. And by the way, I didn’t tell Rosie about this.”
Lucy wanted to thank him, though she couldn’t help wondering if he was keeping it from her friend to use it against her in the future. “How about you let me give you a reading to say thank you? I’m not as talented as my Grams, but Rosie said you’ve been trying to figure out what your future looks like now that you’ve decided to settle in Foxford.”
Emerson shrugged. “Sure, maybe a quick reading. I don’t have a lecture for another hour or so.” He took a seat at the round table encrusted with crystals.
“A four-card draw shouldn’t take too long. And anything we discuss or that comes up will be kept between us. A witch never discusses her readings,” Lucy said, always respecting the privacy of others. Readings could bring up past emotional issues, or personal concerns and troubles, so it could become emotionally charged. She hung a busy sign on the door so that no one would interrupt, knocked on the deck of cards three times to remove any energy lingering from past readings, and handed the deck to him.
“Close your eyes and let your mind quieten. Don’t try to hold any thought or concern; let whatever thoughts come to the front of your mind settle,” she instructed, lighting a candle at the heart of the table.
Emerson eyed the cards laid out with an aura of unease. Then again, Lucy didn’t doubt that he was the first Order member to have his cards read. Her ancestors wouldn’t believe their eyes if they could see this.
She flipped the first card.
“Death Reversed.” She would have said it was the most positive card in the deck, despite its reputation. “Don’t panic, this isn’t a death sentence.”
“I’m relieved. I still have some things to tick off my bucket list before I kick it.” He smiled, but there was wariness in his gaze.
“It can mean the death of your old habits, or a way of life. The closing of one and moving on to the next. You’ve just moved to a new town, so I’m not surprised this is your first draw.”
“But it’s upside down?”
“That can mean there is some resistance. Perhaps there is a part of you clinging to old habits, or a reluctance to leave the past behind.”
He didn’t verify or deny her reasoning. It wasn’t her job to pry; she only read the cards. She reached for the next.
“Seven of Wands, and it’s upright, which is interesting. Romance could be on the horizon. A love you are fighting for and defending. A love that will face some challenges, but if you are true in heart and intention, you could have long term success,” Lucy explained, thinking how delighted Rosie would be. Her best friend was never one to shy away from a challenge; she only hoped he was up to it.
Emerson fidgeted with the collar on his coat. Concealing her smile, she turned over another card.
“Three of Swords, upright.” She hesitated, staring at the crossed swords.
“You look concerned. Should I be worried?” He leaned forward.
Lucy forced a smile and ran her hand over the card for a clearer reading. Lies, deception, scheming…the messages flashing through her mind were unclear, so she opted for a less serious explanation so as not to spook him. “A little suspicion, either from you or directed towards you.”
“That makes sense. Not everyone has been accepting of my arrival.”
“Some conflict at work?” she asked, and for the first time since she had grown to trust him, she felt a flash of irritation. He wouldn’t meet her gaze, and he kept glancing at the door.
“I got the new job at the university, which I’m sure others weren’t happy about,” he hedged.
Wanting to end the reading, she wished she hadn’t proposed, given his unsettled reaction and her renewed suspicion, Lucy reached for the next card.
Emerson visibly swallowed before she turned it over. Suddenly, he reached into his tweed jacket for his phone. “The dean is calling me! I still have to get to the relics section beforemy lecture. We can finish this some other time,” he said, getting up with such haste that the chair nearly fell back.
