Major Detours

by Zachary Sergi

  Behind Supriya, Rowe offers a smile, and Sherwin just nods. Following our alias trend, I assign each a persona based on their outward vibes: Supriya Coachella, Rowe Lizzo, and Sherwin Practical Magic.

  “So what brings you into Chills Coven today?” Supriya asks.

  “We’re driving up the coast, and someone we met recommended stopping in here,” Amelia answers, not missing a beat. We all agreed to keep our lies as close to the truth as possible, without giving ourselves away. “Do you know Lily Baxter?”

  I nearly wince—that’s quite the opening risk Amelia just took. Luckily, all three of our marks quickly shake their heads, without a trace of recognition.

  “Still, love a rec!” Supriya says. “So what do you know about our space?”

  “Not much. But it looks amazing.”

  “It’s all the vision of Rosa Resfriado, the founder of Chills Coven,” Supriya continues. “She imagined it as a coworking community designed for sisterhood but open to everyone, with a focus in the art of scientific spellcraft. Our members and customers use the space diversely, but we three are the Coven coordinators.”

  “Though we’re better known as the three wicked stepsisters,” Sherwin adds without a hint of irony. It’s then that I notice Sherwin wears a light layer of makeup, perfectly accentuating his features.

  “Forgive Sherwin, he lives for all things Hocus Pocus,” Rowe says. “But we all have our specialties. Supriya handles the floral shop and essential oils brews. Sherwin is our resident drag night hostess and budding wiccan.”

  Rowe glances at a small stage in the shop corner, prompting Sherwin to wink.

  “And I’m our empress of mathematics,” Rowe continues, “but I also run the award-winning coffee counter. Trust me when I say: I mix magic in a cup.”

  “Science meets spellcraft,” Amelia says. “So, like, astrology and the tarot, too?”

  “Rosa actually handles that stuff if you’re lucky enough to be read by the queen herself,” Sherwin says. “She usually only does sessions while she does nails, which are as sharp as her reads.”

  “Rosa kind of adopted us, her coven of stray children, so to speak,” Supriya says. “Everyone is welcome here as long as they have something organic to offer.”

  “Is Rosa obsessed with Pentacles from the tarot?” I ask, breaking my silence. Amelia tenses beside me, but I know what I’m doing. “It’s just, the emphasis on a green and female space. The magical vibes rooted in physical senses.”

  “Actually, yes,” Sherwin answers. “And as Mama Ro would say, collecting them coins. Pentacles are all about the transactional as well. But honey, how do you know so much about Pentacles?”

  “Oh, I’m writing a thesis on tarot cards,” I lie, surprised by how effortlessly it flows out. “It’s why we’re on this trip—I dragged my best friends along for one last occult research hurrah before the semester starts. A kind of ‘taroad’ trip, if you will.”

  I wink at Amelia, hoping this inside joke makes her smile. I’m not sure I recognize this smoother version of myself, but I don’t hate him.

  “You might have actually come on the perfect day,” Rowe says. “We were just in the middle of solving a tarot equation and we hit a wall.”

  “Tarot equation?” I feign. “What does that even mean?”

  “It’s a little bit of a deep dive, if you’re really interested,” Rowe replies. “And it might seem kind of… out there.”

  “Try us,” I say.

  Sherwin then shoots Rowe a look: What are you doing? But Rowe just shrugs him off: What? These three are harmless. Meanwhile, I see Cleo and Amelia exchange a look of their own: Here we go again with these “secretive” Perillians spilling the tea.

  “Rosa acquired a new tarot deck, a bit of a lost artifact to aficionados like my stepsisters here,” Supriya picks up. “It’s interesting, but a touch weird for me. The guy who made the deck was some kind of underground artist with a cult following. Apparently he liked to hide some integral missing cards behind elaborate puzzles.”

  “You’re not talking about someone named… what was it?” I pause for effect. “Carter Perry? I read a little about him in my studies, but he seemed pretty obscure.”

  “Carson Perilli,” Sherwin corrects. “And yes, he would be.”

  “Anyway, maybe some fresh eyes would help these two?” Supriya asks, brightening to soften the edges in Sherwin’s voice. “I have to admit, I’ve been pretty useless. Unless you came here for something more specific?”

  “I, for one, could stand for a flower crown like yours,” Amelia gushes.

  “And I could go for some magic coffee, for sure,” Cleo adds.

  “Well, I forced us to stop in for some research scouting, since we’ve been visiting notable tarot shops,” I say, sealing the deal. “So an obscure tarot puzzle sounds right up my alley. Lead the way?”

  Once we’ve resettled—with what can only be described as truly transcendent cups of coffee—the Coven stepsisters walk us through Perilli’s latest puzzle. True to Pentacle form, Perilli hid the King card in a large circular box, one made to look like a coin. On its face, there’s a pentacle set with five points. The fifth point at the top is the King of Pentacles, while the other four points have combination-style locks with scrolling numbers from 1 to 14. In the center of the pentacle is a list of instructions on how to open the coin box:

  Find the four distinct Pentacle Arcana numbers that add up to the King and tell his story in the correct order. Tampering with the box or locking in an incorrect combination will destroy the card.

  Once again, Perilli wasn’t kidding around with his homemade self-destruct mechanism—it must have been some kind of secondary, sculptural engineering art form for him. The back of the lockbox does indeed house a canister of some acidic liquid, probably the same kind that Amelia said was in the Princess of Cups maze tank. It makes me wonder why Perilli didn’t have a similar mechanism for the Prince of Wands, but then I think that card was far better hidden than the Princess and the King, both of which were also readily accessible by Perillians.

  “You’re right,” I say, trying to seem surprised. “That is pretty out there.”

  “How did you even find the lockbox?” Amelia asks, seeming innocent enough.

  “Well a bunch of us who follow Perilli visit this little treehouse out in the woods. Supriya especially likes to keep it full of her flower arrangement experiments,” Rowe explains. “It was one of the places where Perilli liked to paint, so we always expected there was a card hidden there—especially because there’s a locked compartment on a platform inside that no one knew the keycode for.”

  “So what changed?” I ask.

  “It was all Rosa, really,” Rowe continues. “Some dude called her out of the blue, saying he inherited the final deck from his grandfather. Rosa thought he was a fraud, but then, as collateral, he gave her the coordinates on the cards that led to the treehouse, which also had the code to open the platform compartment.”

  Anwar may have stolen Amelia’s story along with the deck, but at least he had the decency not to sell us out. Otherwise, this visit definitely would have gone much differently.

  “Fast-forwarding,” Sherwin jumps in, shooting the clearly more loose-lipped Rowe another mean mug. “Rosa agreed to buy the deck and the dude dropped it off this morning. Total dreamboat, but probably not very bright. Rosa bought the deck from him for a fraction of what it’s worth, at least to the right buyer. It’ll be worth even more if we can unlock the King of Pentacles.”

  I look to Amelia and am relieved—and proud—to see she holds her face even. Because Anwar getting way underpaid for our deck only adds insult to injury.

  “We’re all saving to go to college. We have a fund from what we earn here,” Rowe says. “Rosa said if we help unlock the King and figure out how to find the other missing cards, she’ll split some of the sale between us.”

  “Rosa went out to see if she could find something called a ‘toolset’ to determine the other coor
dinates,” Supriya adds. “We’re supposed to be solving this four-number sequence while she’s gone. We made some headway, but we’re stuck.”

  Sherwin still looks displeased about how much they’ve told us, but the fact that he hasn’t totally shut them down must mean they really do need our help. I also don’t see the deck anywhere, so it must be locked up somewhere they think is safe.

  “Want to walk us through what you have?” I ask.

  “Well, I started us off using my math brain,” Rowe says, walking over to the board to explain her work. “We don’t know a ton about Perilli, but we know he always believed Pentacles stood for earth sciences. We here at Chills Coven believe science is basically the same thing as casting spells, so we broke it down like a spell equation. The four numbers must be distinct, be related to the Pentacles suit, and add up to the King, which stands for fourteen.

  “That leaves us with the numbers one through thirteen. And since our lowest possible combination of numbers is one plus two plus three equals six, that rules out anything over eight, which would put us over fourteen. Then, accounting for the numbers needing to be distinct, that narrows it to just five options that add up to fourteen: 8 1 2 3, 7 1 2 4, 6 1 2 5, 6 4 3 1, and 5 4 3 2. Finally, accounting for every potential combination of the number order gives us twenty-four options per set, so a total of one hundred twenty possibilities.”

  Rowe points to a part of the board where, indeed, 120 different number combination sequences have been listed.

  “Next up, it was my turn to get spooky on it,” Sherwin says, taking over. “My darling Rowe misspoke a bit. Existing equations and recipes aren’t actually considered spells, because we have mastery over them. We define spellcraft here as any future science, the magic that we don’t yet fully understand. Astrology might be considered spellcraft by this definition, but I like to focus on Numerology. Even though numbers have no physical existence, they order every aspect of the universe.

  “We all agreed Perilli would probably go with the number set two three four five. It’s by far the most sequential, plus it also tells a chronological story. That was just a hunch, but then we tried doing a little tarot reading divination with just the Pentacle cards in the deck. That’s when my sisters realized that these four specific Pentacle cards—two three four five—all have special marks the other four don’t.”

  Supriya leans forward to show us her phone, which has pictures of these cards. Instantly, I spot the tiny green star painted on each one, which I never noticed before.

  “Sherwin thinks the sequence for these numbers is two three four five,” Rowe picks up, “but I think that’s too straightforward. It doesn’t account for how these four cards and their symbols ‘tell the King’s story’ in the right order.”

  “So that leaves us with twenty-four possible combinations of two three four five,” Supriya summarizes. “We were going to try to figure out how to narrow it down next.”

  Staring at the chalkboard, my brain begins thrumming again.

  “Okay, I actually might have an idea where to look next,” I begin.

  “I agree that magic and spells are really just possible future science. Just like the tarot, it all has meaning because it’s grounded in reality. That’s why we need to focus on telling the King’s story through tarot history.”

  Click here

  “I think it’s totally possible that magic and spells are real. Like spiritual truth, just because we can’t prove it exists, that doesn’t mean it isn’t real. So we should focus on the tarot symbols and how they capture higher truths.”

  Click here

  Things like numbers and symbols have only the meaning that history assigns them, just like the fidget spinner in my pocket. To anyone else it would just be an inanimate object, but to me it’s a powerful totem carrying so much personal resonance. If we’re going to figure out this equation, we need to focus on the thing that seemed to carry the most weight when Perilli created his decks: tarot history. After all, the symbols of the tarot are expressed in almost every historical religion, not to mention astrology, yoga, the chakras, mythology—the list goes on.

  “First, should we agree on a definition of the King of Pentacles?” I continue. “From what I know, the King stands for achieving success using common sense, but also the principle that one should never become obsolete and complacent. He also represents reaping what is sewn from steady, hard work.”

  Starting on this tarot flow feels so good, returning to something I have mastery over. Since Logan left, everything I knew about myself has felt unsteady. Getting back to basics like this reminds me who I am, or at least an important part of who I am.

  “Isn’t the King of Pentacles the strongest representation of an artist in the tarot, capturing the struggle between inspiration and criticism?” Amelia suddenly adds.

  I shoot her a look: I’m supposed to be the only tarot expert here, remember?

  “I might have gotten into the tarot through my bestie here,” Amelia says, winking.

  “Don’t worry, I’m a tarot newbie, just like Supriya,” Cleo chimes in to compensate.

  “Right, well that take makes sense to me, too,” I say, trying to push us forward past this moment. “Since Perilli was an artist himself, telling the King’s story might really mean telling the artist’s story?”

  Click here

  Just like objects, I’ve always believed symbols also carry special meaning, coming in many different forms. Like the favorite objects we brought on the trip: my journal, Cleo’s art backpack, Amelia’s locket… Logan’s fidget spinner.

  Clearly all the tarot’s symbols course with the same kind of power and significance. They might have different expressions in all their varying contexts, but their core meanings resonate—just like numbers. So now our job is to figure out how these numbers, in the right order, symbolize the King of Pentacles.

  “First, should we agree on a definition of the King of Pentacles?” I continue. “From what I know, the King represents the reality of nature and the elements: order and chaos, control and abandon.”

  Starting on this tarot flow feels so good, returning to something I have mastery over. Since Logan left, everything I knew about myself has felt unsteady. Getting back to basics like this reminds me who I am, or at least an important part of who I am.

  “Yes, the King of Pentacles is the strongest representation of nature in the tarot, capturing how it always changes with the seasons,” Amelia suddenly adds.

  I shoot her a look: I’m supposed to be the only tarot expert here, remember?

  “I might have gotten into the tarot through my bestie here,” Amelia says, winking.

  “Don’t worry, I’m a tarot newbie, just like Supriya,” Cleo chimes in to compensate.

  “Right, well that take makes sense to me, too,” I say, trying to push us forward past his moment. “I think the King also warns against the danger of being left out in the wilderness, especially if you try to tame nature.”

  Click here

  Just then, the door to Chills Coven suddenly clangs closed and a new voice sounds from behind us.

  “I think Perilli definitely would have agreed with you, young man. But no one knows the King of Pentacles more intimately than…”

  We all turn and I lay eyes on the woman who must be Rosa Resfriado, chosen mother to the coven of chills, looking every bit the part of her tarot expression:

  “The Queen of Pentacles.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  AMELIA

  LONG AFTER WE all make introductions, I can’t stop staring at Rosa. She is dressed and styled like she’s stepping into a music video, or maybe even one of the coven’s drag shows. Everything about her seems elongated: false eyelashes, flowing hair extensions, and acrylic gel nails painted forest green with golden stars. She must be in her forties, but it’s impossible to tell with the expertly applied makeup contouring her face. She wears a fitted white jumpsuit printed with green palm leaves and gold strappy-sandal heels, which match her full sl
eeve of gold bangles and pentacle pendant necklace.

  Rosa obviously fully embraces the glamorous and generous Queen of Pentacles gig, but if that’s true, I also have to remember to beware the Queen’s potential reversal: spinning webs and being lured by material wealth. I’ve already been deceived once today—the thought of Anwar still flashes fury and misery into my veins. I know if I stop too long to think about what he has done, I’ll fall deep down into a well of anxiety. So I just try to focus on the present moment, one foot in front of the other.

  “You all figured this out in the hour I was gone?” Rosa exclaims, once she is fully filled in. “You chosen children, always making mother proud!”

  Rosa smiles and it’s like her sunshine beams directly on each of us. She then strides toward the chalkboard, taking point. As she moves I get a whiff of perfume, citrus and golden honey.

  “But let me tell you, this queen started searching for her King of Pentacles while most of you were still on playgrounds,” Rosa continues. “So gather round. I have a story to tell, now that I know how far you’ve come.”

  Just before, Chase had us focused on tarot history.

  Click here

  Just before, Chase had us focused on tarot symbols.

  Click here

  “I think our new friend Apollo has the right idea,” Rosa begins, causing Chase to actually blush. “The artist who made this puzzle believed the tarot carries its history with it in every variation of its cards, just like every specific deck carries the history of those who read it. So maybe ‘the artist’s story’ can be found in the tarot’s own herstory?”

  Rosa pauses, flipping her hair for dramatic effect before continuing.