(Auction 2014) Three More Guests: Part One. Phoenix

[Zodiac]

(October 31st. Location: Landcaster's after the conclusion of the auction)

"Well, this was an interesting evening, to be sure," Zodiac fanned herself with a black and violet folding fan of lace and satin as she moved about acknowledging those she knew as she walked by with a smile.

"Is that what they call something like this?" the girl laughed nervously as she watched the crowd in motion from her perch at the bar. She had done her best to stay out of the way of things while the auction had progressed. With such a potentially volatile crowd as this together under one roof, the pair decided on a 'out of sight, out of mind' approach when it had come to the matter of her safety.

"Oh trust me, dear. This could have gone much worse." the thoughts of the girl who worked the crowd reached the redhead from across the room. Jennifer watched her employer handing out cards while encouraging those who failed to win one of her prizes that they could still purchase one at a later time. The raven haired woman's eyes sparkled as she moved about. "Has my own purchase been arranged for?"

Jennifer checked her phone and then caught the eye of the mystic and nodded yes. "Transaction has cleared."

"And the others?"

The woman's phone beeped softly as if answering the voice in its owner's mind. "Last of them have paid in full."

"Excellent! No one has left yet, so they should not be too hard to find in this crowd. Far better than you hunting around the town like last year, eh?"

Jennifer frowned at the bubbling telepathic laughter in her mind. "Yeah, and a whole lot less running room if something goes sour."

More soft laughter filled the woman's thoughts. "My eyes are on you, never fear. I have pointed them out to you, so simply deliver the cards and we can be on our way, please. Just be your charming professional self and there should be no problems at all."

Jennifer nodded her agreement and picked up the three lilac colored envelopes next to her purse. Each had a number in gold ink written upon them as well as one of their business cards paper clipped to the corner of them. She finished her drink and took a deep breath and then began to scan the crowd.

*****

One: Phoenix.

'Appearances are deceiving' was a maxim Jennifer had come to learn to its fullest extent ever since her association with Zodiac had begun. She had heard tales about this woman, but upon seeing her the visual was not matching up with the words. All things considered, her appearance did not fit the images at all. If 'Phoenix' was simply human, Jennifer would lay odds she could kick her *** one on one in a street fight, but this woman she was approaching killed fadebeasts for the fun of it and ran with some of the more dangerous crowds within the society of the night on occasion. 'Never assume' she reminded herself. Her own employer was proof of that. She had seen the girl pull of things that did not fit the physical image she presented to the world around her so she had no doubts the woman she was approaching could do the same, if not more.

Jennifer coughed softly to get the woman's attention when she found her and put on her best smile.

"Miss Altaire? Hello, I'm Jennifer Hayes. Day manager for Pandora's Box. Congratulations," she handed the woman the envelope with the number one written on it. On the upper corner, one of the company business cards was attached with a paper clip. "Everything you need to know about your prize is inside. Give us a call to make your appointment."

The card within was simple, yet elegant script proclaimed in red ink;

Congratulations to the three of you who have won.

I hope this will prove to be a fun and enlightening experience for all of you.

Information will be coming to your e-mails before the weekend is out on how things go from here.
(Appointments made, preferences, and all the rest.)

Refreshments will be served to taste.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide on a unique journey.

Blessings of the night to you, and a joyous Samhain.

~Mistress Zodiac~

She said good night with a smile and moved on. Some vampires would talk to a mortal all night while others would act as if a cockroach had suddenly stood up in front of them and flipped them off. She did not know this one so she was not going to press the point. She also had no desire to offend the woman nor start a scene in such a crowd. Jennifer moved slowly as she began to search the crowd for the second winner.

[Phoenix]

Despite the bitter taste in her mouth at the prospect of even so much as a dime going into Pi's pretentious pockets, Phoenix was pleased with her purchase. The readings that Zodiac auctioned off had always piqued the redhead's interest, but pride was a wicked thing. Never before had she allowed herself the luxury of bowing down and admitting quality in someone she disliked. Perhaps that shift in stance - the ability to simply appreciate a skill for what it was instead of who possessed it - more than anything else, that proved beyond a doubt that she had indeed grown.

Her reverie was disrupted by the voice calling out her name. On instinct, one hand came out, skeletal fingers curling around the envelope she was being offered. Her head bobbed, perhaps a bit too forcefully, sending a cascade of red curls over her shoulder.

"Thank you. I'll make the appointment this weekend." When the woman slipped back off into the crowd, Nix hurriedly opened the enveloped and read.

---

A few days later, once she'd received and read Zodiac's email, Nix's misgivings were forgotten. Yes, this was Zodiac, but she'd keep an open mind. Jennifer had been professional and, given this was a business deal, she expected the same standard from not only Zodiac, but herself. The redhead lounged on the sofa, fiddling with the business card as she attempted to determine which day suited her schedule. It was procrastination, and she knew it.

Finally, she gave up the procrastination and, cell in hand, dialed the number on the business card she'd received along with her information package. After the second ring, someone picked up.

"Pandora's Box, Jennifer speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hi, this is Phoenix Altaire calling to schedule an appointment. I won one of Zodiac's readings at the auction."

Across the line, papers were shuffled. "Yes, of course. When are you available? We have openings on Wednesday or Friday night, or if you prefer next week..." Jennifer trailed off, shuffling a few more papers.

"Wednesday would be fine. Would 6:30 work?" Nix asked, preparing herself to make a mental note. It would be full dark by then.

"6:30? Yes, Mistress Zodiac is free. Wednesday the 12th at 6:30 PM," Jennifer confirmed along with the scribble of a pen on paper.

"Excellent - see you then. Thank you." Click.

---

The call had only been a few days ago, but it felt like years. She'd been confident of the appointment up until the building loomed into sight. Every step through Honeymead Market brought with it a new concern, a new paranoia. Closer and closer, each staccato click of her heels against the cobblestone punctuated her paranoia. What if Zodiac used this against her? What if it's a trick? An ambush? I haven't brought a weapon... what if, what if, what if...

Only the sound of the door opening and the scent of incense from within Pandora's Box stopped the crazed ramblings of her overeager mind. She knew the type of magick Zodiac practiced; she knew better than to be paranoid. Harming her would not be worth the repercussions of her actions... or so Nix hoped.

Pulling her simple black woolen jacket around her, Phoenix painted a smile on her lips and approached the counter. "I have an appointment at 6:30 with Zo," she informed the woman tending the cash.

[Zodiac]

It had surprised her at first when she learned that Phoenix, of all people, had bid on one of the readings-let alone the woman actually had won one of them. At first the gypsy considered that perhaps the woman had done this as a gift for another. A reasonable assumption and one Zodiac would have gladly obliged, but that did not fit the impression she had of the Altaire matriarch at all. No, she knew the woman disliked her. The feeling was totally mutual for various reasons. The mystic did not apologize for herself and she never expected Nix to do so either, so in that much they stood on common ground. So the idea of her winning one of the readings as a gift did not work because why would Phoenix send a friend to someone that her personal opinion of probably ranked below a dead fadebeast?

It made no sense at all.

Days passed and the idea slipped behind the hectic hub bub of getting the shops ready for the storm most call the holiday season. Items ordered during the summer brought out of storage while other shipments arrived as well. Decorations, sales and events to plan and prepare for. She has better things to do with her time than to obsess over the mystery of Nix until Jennifer walked into her small office at Pandora's.

"Well, the great mystery is over." the human girl took a seat across from her employer and relaxed.

"Oh? Which one is that? We was up to 317 of them last time I counted." she laughed in reply softly.

"The mystery with Miss Altaire. She made her appointment."

"Oh good. So who is she sending over for the reading?" Zodiac pushed off with one foot against her desk and sent her chair in a slow circle clockwise.

"Apparently herself. She made no mention of anyone other than her."

Zodiac dropped her foot to stop her chair and grabbed the appointment book from the girl. She glared at the lines written in on the date as if trying to make them change or melt away for a few moments before 'speaking' again. "Tell Chain I want the cameras in the parlor up and running and audio."

"You don't like them running in there. You say it effects the vibe of the sitting." she reminded the gypsy gently.

"I don't care. Not in this situation. I want a witness, and tell Chain if he doesn't want to get involved in pulling the two of us apart if it comes to that, he can fill in at 'The Eye' and Emily and Leona can work security here that night. I am not going to be set up into a her word against mine deal if everything goes south."

"Anything else?" Jennifer was surprised. She had never seen the girl get this agitated before on the subject of a client.

"Turn those detectors on at the door too. I want to know if she is packing when she comes in." Zodiac's thoughts shifted into a loud litany in Romany and Jennifer knew for a fact now this could turn into something ugly. Once the gypsy had calmed down again, she spoke in English. "Do we have anything scheduled before her reading?"

The girl quickly checked the other book she carried for project plans. "No, we have a two hour window between meeting with the CoC and her reading."

"Thank you. I will not be available during that time, so schedule nothing for me."

*****

(Wednesday. 6:15 PM)

(10 years earlier)

"You can bring nothing with you when you become as one with the cards." the older woman told her protégé as they sat at the table. "Only your insight and neutrality in such things. Your personal feelings do not matter, for what you do is not for yourself but for the one who seeks your help. Any prejudice or opinion you drag into such a thing will only distort and corrupt the issues at hand, and instead of solving a problem you could create bigger ones that may come back to haunt you. We do not judge, but guide."

Angela nodded her understanding. Yes Nana, she signed in reply.

(today)

She levitated within her pentacle and meditated in silence. This would be a true test for her now and would tell her if she had truly been worthy of the time and efforts her grandmother had poured into her. There were others, to be sure, that could put her in such a state when it came to something like this but those normally did not come to her seeking her help. They preferred to mock her from afar or from behind others. For being such a nothing, it amazed her how some put so much time and effort into reminding her of such things.

Why her? Surely she could not be the only one here that did such things and there were others who (claimed or actually could) divine the past and present as she did to choose from, so why her? She shook the question from her mind and let it fade with the rest of the baggage. She saw herself as a wound untreated yet finally lanced to allow the poison to leak away. Cleansing herself of it. This was not about her, but her guest, and any of the things in the past had no place in this. Perhaps tomorrow the pair would continue as they always have but for this night all of that had to be put aside.

For good measure, she had done the Eirene`s Will ritual earlier over her shop. Just in case. Her normal weapons were stored in her workshop as her usual habit, despite the fact she would have felt better at least having the comfort of her grandfather's razor hidden in her blouse. What difference would that bit of steel matter against Nix she had no clue if the woman simply decided to beat the hell out of her. Her security would be watching, of course, but...

"Lilith, dark mother, grant us both clarity and calm in this journey we are about to embark on." her thoughts prayed as she let it flow out of her.

The sound of the door opening caught her ear. "She's here," Jennifer said.

Zodiac nodded and made a gesture that the girl knew meant she would be downstairs in a few moments. As Jennifer left, Zodiac stood up and stretched and then finally opened her eyes.

"Just don't say 'Hello Phoenix'. Be your luck it will come out sounding like Seinfeld saying 'Hello Newman'." she thought to herself and actually smiled a bit. Still floating over the floor, she drifted to the door and glided down the stairs. At the bottom before opening the door, she willed herself back down so the edges of her skirt hid the fact her feet did not quite settle on the ground anymore.

Her eyes found her guest and she smiled. A genuine smile. There was still a glimmer of doubt in her mind the woman would actually come, but here she was. Zodiac placed her palms together and inclined her head in greeting.

"Blessings of the night to you and welcome to Pandora's. Before we move one step, allow me to assure you of a few things," she kept her mental voice calm and tranquil now. "Whatever we shall discuss and discover in our time together this night will not leave this place. As a doctor with his patients, I treat these sessions the same way so no one even needs to know you have come to me if you choose to have things that way. Second, I have taken the liberty of preparing this place by cloaking it under Eirene's Will so no one here needs worry they will be attacked or accosted during your visit so our mutual safety is assured as best as I can do."

She drifted a bit closer to Phoenix now, yet kept a respectable buffer of space between them both. "Let us be honest here. Neither of us are major fans of the other, so we both may have our suspicions here, but this," she gestured to the surroundings. "Is my life. My calling, and using it in a way to cause another harm for petty reasons would be an insult to us both. Our differences are part of the world that ends outside of the front door to this place. If there is anything else I can do to ease any concerns you may have, please speak now so that we can remedy the situation. Otherwise, we may proceed to my parlor and begin."

[Phoenix]

This was unfamiliar territory; she'd avoided Pandora's Box like the plague since she and Zo had had their falling out. She didn't trust the mute gypsy by an stretch of the imagination, but this was different. Why, she didn't know, but it was. Standing there, Phoenix felt strangely raw and exposed to... just about everything. It made it easier for her to slip behind the aloof, sterile persona she always hid behind when she was afraid. She'd come without weapons, her constant companions. She'd left her armaments at home, all save for her mind; that was usually weapon enough.

As she waited for Zodiac to appear, her thoughts stretched out, prodding and connecting to anything electronic in the room. There were various cameras; those at the front she'd expected, but the other systems - security systems at the back, up those stairs: sensors, video and audio - she hadn't expected. While she poked around in the technology, her soon to be guide appeared.

Phoenix remained perfectly silent and still as the woman's words filled her mind. Once Zo fell silent, Nix gave a slow nod. The Eirene's will she didn't mind; she'd not planned anything violent for the encounter - quite the opposite, in fact. What did disturb her was the feigned confidentiality... 'Whatever we discuss and discover will be private... except for that it'll be recorded. Hah!' she thought as Zodiac stepped closer.

Her thoughts gave a twist and she knew her eyes twitched; they always did when she shut down security systems remotely, and this time she'd gone a step further and corrupted what she could. Whoever was monitoring the system would have a damn hard time rebooting it, and if they tried, she'd know.

"I'm not here to make waves, if that's what you're worried about. If I wanted to get at you, I think you know this wouldn't be how I did it. And I know the... guidelines of your craft well enough to know that harm isn't something you'd want to conjure. But, in the interest of openness and easing concerns, I took the liberty of shutting down the security system. I expect privacy, and you can't guarantee that if the session is monitored." Though her voice was firm, her voice betrayed no hint of anger. She couldn't blame Zodiac for being suspicious. "If the system is damaged, I'll be more than happy to pay for the repair or replacement costs. The front cameras are still intact. Everything else, though..." she trailed off and shrugged. Perhaps Zodiac would be annoyed, but then again, she may understand. A single brow arched in silent question as she watched the woman.

[Zodiac]

"Oh you *****," she thought to herself as her own mind followed within the system and discovered what she had done. Quickly she added up the facts so far, The woman had not set off the detectors, so her claim of being unarmed was right. She still was not comfortable with the idea of this becoming a her word vs her own war later in time. Despite the fact she told the truth as best she knew it, Zodiac never came out well in such debates. The idea would basically protect them both if it came to such a need, but no matter.

A small twitch in the corner of her eye was all that betrayed her mindset. The mystic reminded herself again to let it all flow out of her on the subject. She saw herself now with her wrists slashed and the venom pooling below her feet.

"I will have my security chief check the system and itemize the damage," her voice still calm and tranquil, "And a bill, if required, will be waiting for you once this is finished. Please settle all accounts before leaving this eve." she refused to debate the matter further. Seeing they were the only three in the shop at the moment, the gypsy relaxed her will and lifted a bit higher from the floor. "Unless there is anything else you wish to discuss, please follow me."

She turned in the air and drifted down the small hallway. A single glance over her shoulder to be sure Phoenix was following her before she opened the door and bid the woman to enter what most called 'The Purple Parlor'. Once inside, she hung the 'Do not disturb: Session in progress' sign on the door, then closed and locked it. The room was lit mainly by candlelight but a flip of a few switches brought track lights along the edges of the ceiling to life to push the majority of the shadows away. "Please, feel free to explore and assure yourself no death trap or assassin is lurking."

She smiled for a moment. "Were you at the one All Hallows party I helped put together in Tytonidae down in 'The Realm' ? If so, you may remember some of these items from the displays I had set up." she gestured at the showcases that held a bizarre variety of items from esoteric and vampire lore. "And I can assure you, the majority are the real deal. Just don't open any jars of vials, please." she said before fixing Phoenix with a glance and held it for a few moments as if she was deciding something. "Some of this I would be willing to part with for the right price if anything catches your interest. Documented proof of authenticity is available and arrangements can be made to have anything appraised by an expert of your own choosing."

Without another word, she drifted to the small stove and sink arrangement and filled the kettle with water. She glanced and saw her guest begin to look about as if something would indeed jump out and bite her if she got too close. It was as she suspected. Nix was just as freaked out about this as she was. "Oh great. This is going to be fun." Zodiac pulled a tea canister from the shelf as she looked at her 'throne' and saw Ginny watching the woman as well as she perched on the back of it. "You behave," she sent to the feline's mind. Secretly she was glad Ginny had decided to join in. The cat's senses were far sharper than hers, so anything that might be suspicious from Nix's side of the table Zodiac would be warned of. She began to measure out leaves from several canisters and began to grind them up in a small pestle.

Movement and reactions of Nix was discussed and agreed upon by players before posting.

[Phoenix]

Vaguely, Nix wondered who this security chief was and whether they were qualified to assess system damage. Then again, she was quite certain that even someone with the most basic systems know-how could tell when a circuit was fried. Her attempt to short-circuit the thing hadn't exactly been subtle or graceful; she'd just wanted the system disabled, and that's what she'd gotten.

Instead of protesting, the redhead nodded. "I'll make sure the account's settled before I leave," she confirmed amiably before giving a shake of her head. There really wasn't much left to discuss. Not here, anyway. When Zodiac turned to go, Phoenix followed after her, maintaining a comfortable distance of a good 7 feet. Close enough that she was obviously following, but not quite close enough to take the gypsy unawares should she attempt a lunge.

Not that Nix had violence in mind, but she couldn't be sure Zodiac knew that.

As she entered the aptly named Purple Parlor, those honey brown eyes went wide. There was something dazzling about the flickering candlelight and how it sent the shadows dancing through the room. The track lighting, once turned on, didn't detract from her wonderment, though the nerves remained.

When Zodiac spoke of the party, her eyes flicked up from a particularly large crystal. "If it was last year, I wasn't, and I don't remember it being the year before that. Too bad I missed it," she mumbled, genuinely curious as to how this decor had played into the party. Her brow furrowed at the mention of parting with some of the items, but that wasn't particularly why she was here. "I'll keep that in mind; not sure I'm looking to expand my collection, but maybe..." She did have excess funds to throw around.

With permission to explore, the redhead did just that, barely refraining from touching some of the things tucked away on their shelves. Her eyes flicked from corner to corner. Breathe, Phoenix... Breathe, she reminded herself, focusing on the rise and fall of her chest as she meandered through the room. With every step around the room she took, her paranoia melted away, replaced by sheer curiosity. Many of the items, she wasn't even able to identify.

Finally, Nix turned back to Zodiac, watching her measure out that tea. Normally, her steps were silent, but as she approached the table, nearing Zo, she made certain that the heels of her boots clicked against the floor. With a sigh, she slipped the wool jacket off and set it on the back of the chair she suspected would be 'hers' for the evening. Hands folding in her lap, Nix sat and let her eyes fall shut. Even though she'd calmed, she wouldn't allow her nerves to get the upper hand; that would defeat the purpose of the evening.

[Zodiac]

Once she had finished, she poured the leaves into a crock dish and added some water, then sat it on a tripod like holder over a candle. Then Zodiac sat the entire arrangement near, but not on, the reading table and lit the candle. "I know you are like me and can no longer enjoy an actual cup of tea," she explained while getting two cups and saucers from the cupboard. "But the smell is still good-yes?" A blood pack was dropped into the simmering kettle to warm and she turned to study Phoenix again for a moment, then went to a small bureau and looked among the collection of table cloths she had. A soft violet one was selected and draped over the table. By now, the soft aroma of chamomile was beginning to fill the room.

"So what is it you hope to learn this night?" The gypsy asked as she filled both cups. "Perhaps I should clarify a bit. While we are doing this, I need the base truth from you in replies." she sat one within her guest's reach then the other on her side of the table. "I do not need to know every detail of your personal business at all, however, as we explore there will be questions I have to help me focus on the proper clues. Names and such are not needed, but if I am for example trying to decide if part of the problem or question is male or female, I need to know which-not who. A crude example but I think you get the idea. I need the base truth, not the total truth."

Zodiac finally settled into her throne and relaxed. One hand reached up to scratch Ginny behind her ears while the other took her cup. "So what has brought you to me, Miss Altaire? The past? The future? All become one in here, I assure you." she took a small sip and waited for an answer.

[Phoenix]

Still in silence, Phoenix's eyes tracked Zodiac's movements as the woman fiddled with the tea. Silence, she thought, was the best option. Though the atmosphere was calm in the room at present, the potential for tension to erupt was there like a storm lurking just over the horizon, felt, but unseen. It wouldn't take much, she feared, so she'd weigh every word before she spoke.

The scent of chamomile filled the room and the redhead gave a nod, even offering a faint smile. The aroma was familiar to her - comforting. She was sure Zo had seen it, and felt no need to elaborate until she was asked a direct question. One she wasn't sure she could answer; it was more feeling than coherent thought, but after another moment of mulled silence, Phoenix let those honey brown eyes settle on the purple cloth. Once Zodiac had taken her seat, Nix lifted her eyes to the woman and explained as best she could.

"I'm hoping for a bit of guidance, mainly for the future," she admitted. "I suppose a bit of enlightenment on how the past has shaped my future. There's been a lot of conflict between my faction and I in the past, and I'd like to know if I've truly grown as a person. Also, I'd like to know if I'm making the right choices for the right reasons, and maybe how my choices now, with regard to my partner and my faction, will shape my future."

Her lips pressed into a thin line for a moment before a single brow arched. "The partner is male, if that wasn't known. Does that give you the information you need?" she asked softly, red curls sliding over her shoulder as her head tipped. She should have been suspicious of the liquid within the cup set before her, but she'd seen Zodiac take a sip, and so she followed suit. As far as she could tell, it was just blood.

[Zodiac]

She nodded softly in reply and smiled a bit in approval. "Yes, it does. Is a good answer. A lot of ground to cover in that, yet hopefully the major points. The things you need to know and consider will come to the surface in this." Zodiac picked up the blank notebook and did a quick grid to keep track of things as the reading progressed along as was her habit, then pulled open a drawer on her side of the table and looked down at several bundles of colorful silk as she decided. As always, she did not rush this point. Phoenix could have been in Wickbridge now for all she knew. Her focus was on her inner perceptions as to which deck should be used. Anything around her was a non factor.

She finally selected the one in red silk and closed the drawer. A soft kiss upon it as she sat it down and untied it to reveal the deck sitting inside. "One card to be you, and ten cards to tell your story," she began to explain as she used the edges of the cloth to pull the deck within her guest's reach. "When you are ready, you will shuffle the deck while thinking only of your question and nothing more. When you feel satisfied, you will set the deck down and I will cut it and you will do it again. Three times we shall do this and then I can begin to see what insights we can gather from this."

She took a small sip from her cup and looked at Phoenix. "Before we begin, I will say this again. You are free to believe me or not, of course. Many have come to me in private to have this done for them. I could give you names and some of those names might surprise you, but what was discussed between them and myself as never left my 'lips', so to speak, to anyone." Zodiac paused and sighed for a moment. "My grandmother taught me this, and in the process I was taught this was a trust among other things. The fact someone has come to me means they are willing to trust me-at least in this much. To betray that trust would be an insult to all I was ever taught to be by my Nana and to her spirit as well. I may be many things in the court of public opinion and in truth, but I do not betray trusts like this."

She leaned back into her throne in time for the cat to hop down into her lap and curl up. "Whenever you feel ready, Nix, you may begin."

She had her reservations on this. How would the woman react if the cards point them to things she had no desire to discuss or hit upon a truth Nix might not be happy someone suddenly knows? Mentally she continued to envision herself letting the poison flow out of her body. There certainly seemed to be a lot of it. She closed her eyes and waited for Phoenix to say she had completed the first shuffle.

"Focus on your question and only your question. Anything else will just confuse the matter at hand." She reminded her guest gently.

[Phoenix]

At least her explanations had been sufficient. Those honey brown eyes flicked across the bundles the could only just see over the edge of the table. Different colors had different meanings, she knew, but the contents of those little parcels eluded her until Zodiac retrieved and unwrapped the red pack of cards.

Nix's head gave a very birdlike tilt as she watched and listened. When the cards were pushed towards her, she hesitated. Cards were a very personal thing, but she supposed it made sense to have the subject shuffle. Zo probably had her own private deck for personal use.

Phoenix listened in silence as Zo spoke into her mind; nothing she said was a surprise. It was what she'd taken for granted when she walked through the door - if she doubted the gypsy's ability to be professional, she'd never have come. Let alone having come unarmed and open of mind. "Understood," she said simply. She didn't need the reassurance, but perhaps Zo was voicing as much because she did - either way, it wasn't something she needed to dwell on.

Nix took another delicate sip from the cup before setting it down on the table, hopefully out of the way of the spread. Carefully, almost reverently, the Shadow plucked the cards from their silken bed. They were heavier than they looked, and large - almost too large for her slender hands - but she would manage.

Taking a deep breath, the woman shut her eyes and cleared her thoughts, which proved harder than she thought. Just when she thought she was good to begin shuffling, a niggling thought poked at her. Where was Imp? Did she leave the straightener on? Was the Citadel burning to the ground at this very moment? Tch, of course not. It was a mountain. What would Blake think of all this? On and on until finally she managed to shut away all those minor distractions and focus on the larger picture. For whatever reason, her question took the mental image of a golden sphere of light and pulsing energy. How have I changed? What am I doing that will impact my future in a major way? How will things play out if I stay on this course? She focused on that ball and everything it represented, and shuffled the cards. Awkward as they were due to their size, she managed. Once the golden orb seemed satisfied, she set the deck back onto its red silk cloth and gently pushed the deck back to Zodiac.

"I believe that's sufficient."