Page 6 of All Hallows' Hex
“At its most basic interpretation, unity. But that can come across in a funny way, right?” she asked, and we nodded. “From this card, placement, and looking at you, I would be more inclined to interpret this as its connection foretelling.”
“Can that be a reconnection?” Sienna clarified.
“I don’t see why not,” Lane said, smiling. “It’s up to you, Sienna, to put meaning to the facts of a reading. I know nothing, but you do. Where this could have meaning is up to you. If you feel it’s a reconnection, then you follow that. Tarot isn’t so concrete, and given this spread, it’s a comfortable determination that these two”—she pointed to the side cards—“could very well have a reconnection.”
“Oh my gosh, me next,please!” Vera exclaimed excitedly. “That was amazing, truly.” I looked at Vera, begging her to not bring any more attention to Sienna’s cards. Lane enjoyed her enthusiasm and simply cleared the table of the present cards and placed them by the incense stick.
“Absolutely,” she said before looking at me. “Is that okay with you, Aimee?” I nodded and Lane picked up Vera’s deck. “Question for the deck?”
“Can it be cliché?” Vera asked as her cheeks flushed.
“I live for cliché, so go for it, baby.” Lane smiled while she shuffled the cards and for a moment, I forgot everything around me. She was in her element. Her dark hair was beautifully curled and framed her face in large, luscious waves. Her eyes were alight and the curve of her lips as she grinned stirred a new feeling deep inside my chest.
“Okay,” Vera said, cutting through my thoughts. “What do the cards want to tell me? I guess, is there anything I should be aware of?”
“Not as cliché as you could’ve gone, by the way.” Lane shuffled more and explained the spread she chose for Vera. “I think a past, present, future pull is perfect for your information. More so in a sense of asking where you were previously, how are you faring now, and what we can infer for your future.”
Lane took a beat of silence as her brow furrowed and her concentration landed on the deck she shuffled. Three cards popped out in quick succession, and she straightened them before discarding the rest with Sienna’s deck.
“Where you were, where you’re at, and what to expect,” Lane repeated as she pointed to the cards. “The Sun reversed. Page of Swords upright. Ten of Cups upright.” She shook her head with a soft chuckle and kept explaining. “Reversed Sun in the past position, the strongest feeling here is naivety. Upright Page of Swords, I’m leaning to restless curiosity. Upright Ten of Cups for your future outlook, I’m reading fulfillment. Beyond that, for future prospects, there’s a balance, a harmony achieved. Know what area this is for you?”
“No idea, if I’m being honest,” Vera replied. She looked just as puzzled.
“Well, keep these in mind if you do analyze areas you might be holding close to you without knowing it.” Lane cleared the table and looked at me.
“Actually,” Sienna interrupted before Lane could speak. “I just remembered; I haven’t eaten tonight. We’ve already had our cards read so, Vera, do you want to go with me and get some food while we wait for her to finish up?” Vera’s face sat in surprise for a moment before it clicked what Sienna’s aim was.
“Absolutely, I know you must be famished.”
Way to really sell it, Vera.
The two stood and ushered themselves out of the shed with hurried and muffled goodbyes. I schooled my face before turning back to Lane.
“I am so sorry about that,” I said, feeling the heat creep into my cheeks.
“Don’t be, we haven’t gotten to hang out with each other yet. Do you still want your cards read?” she asked, reaching for the deck but hesitating.
“I’d love one, but it doesn’t have to be anything extensive. I know this can be exhaustive for you.”
“How considerate.” She beamed while shuffling the deck I chose for myself. “In that case, we can ask a simple question with a one-card pull, and if we feel it’s needed, we can ask for clarity.”
“That sounds perfect, but you’re the expert.” I blushed under her undivided attention. Unlike the others, she didn’t watch the deck—she watched me. Her green eyes were fixated on mine as she shuffled and shuffled until a card spit out. She flinched at its expulsion and laughed.
“I see the spirit has chosen,” she said casually before flipping it over. “The Lovers upright.” She grabbed the deck, shuffling before pulling another card. “For clarity, the Hanged Man. Upright.”
“I’ll be honest with my lack of knowledge and insight, but the Hanged Man doesn’t scream anything good.” I laughed it off, but I felt uneasy about the depiction before me.
“The Lovers is indicative of choices, and when asking for clarity, the Hanged Man is telling me that you need to let go.” She tapped her fingers along the edge of the deck, her blood-red nails creating a punctuated sound in the space between us.
“Let go?”
“Tell me, Aimee, what do you want from tonight?”
CHAPTER4
Lanie
The questionI asked hung in the air between us.
