by R. E. Rose
“Tight with Maisie? How tight?”
“I see them together a lot, not that I see them much.”
I noticed that the candle had gone out, and Shane had placed the feather back on the table. The odd thing was the candle appeared new again, like it had never flamed on. And the memories of William and the Cheshire dimension began to rapidly fade from my memory, but not my realization that William was either working with, or for Maisie Price.
*
That night I let Shane take me out. I didn’t want to think about William and his betrayal. Shane and I went for a drive in the countryside, but not beyond the boundaries of Meadowvale.
“We think the fire started in the kitchen,” Shane said while driving us through town.
“Really? How can you tell?
“We have insurance experts who can tell. I even think I know who started it.”
“Arson?” I asked, genuinely surprised.
“Devon.”
“Well, honestly, I’m surprised he hasn’t burned down the entire town.”
I decided it was a good time to pull out my bottomless bottle of wine and take a sip. I drank a big gulp. I didn’t offer it to Shane because I knew he wouldn’t drink while he was driving. But I could drink while he drove and I did.
When I opened my purse to pull out the wine, Shane caught sight of the handcuffs. They glinted from the dark bottom of my bag, catching the bright moonlight streaming in through the windshield.
“What’re you planning to do with those?” he asked, grinning like a dog with the butcher’s bone.
“Keep your eyes on the road, Shane Apollo,” I said and took the cuffs out of my purse. I put them on the seat between us.
Shane was in a driving mood because he just kept cruising around. Eventually he headed out of town and then deeper and deeper into the cornfields. We talked of many things, and one of those was the Cheshire Society. He claimed it was like any other semi-secret society, like the Shriners or the Freemasons, but they were magical, like I hadn’t already figured that out. He claimed that they weren’t bad guys, like the Silver Bullets or their rivals, the Razors. While gang activity harmed communities, groups like the Cheshire Society were good for the community, even if they were clandestine. The Cheshire Society was different in that women were in full command. Women like Maisie Price.
“I saved her life. I’ve wanted to do that for quite awhile now,” he said, as if he could plan such a thing.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, one way to be released from Maisie’s deck of tarot is to have her owe you! If you can save her life three times, she sets you free.”
“How many times have you saved her, Shane?” I asked a little over excited, hoping this was the third and last time. Then he’d be free to run off with me.
“That was the first time,” he said. I took a long couple of gulps from the wine. I felt myself deflate. “But it was in a fire, so it counts a little more,” he said, noticing my dismay. He tried to cheer me.
“Are you a member of the Cheshire Society?” I asked as we drove on down a country road.
“No. I’d like to be, though.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s a no-brainer. I already ‘do good’ in my job.”
Now that I’d drunk the first half of the full bottle, I decided that I needed to confess to Shane about my relationship with William. Maybe he’d help me figure it out.
“Oh, I know about you and William,” he said. “I want to win you away from him. And I think I know where he is,” Shane said.
“Tell me, please.” I grabbed him by the arm. His muscles were rock hard.
“He’s being initiated.”
I was silent for a moment while I considered that. I already knew about William’s initiation, but the reason for his initiation still had me feeling dubious.
I got really close to Shane then. I cuddled hard and whispered into his ear.
“I had a strange thing happen tonight after you picked up the feather and played with it around the candle.”
“I know,” Shane said. “You had a vision. That’s what that candle and feather are for – to evoke visions. Okay, here’s some truth. Maisie sent me by to show you how to use that gift. You should learn. You had a small taste of what it can do for you.”
“If I use it, will you help me find William?”
“He doesn’t need help being found. But, yes, I would help you, if you wanted that.”
Shane slowed down and pulled the truck over. There was an open patch in the endless rows of corn, through which we could see the full moon. He reached over and pulled me closer. He pulled the handcuffs out from between us and cuffed his wrist. He looked deeply into my eyes, and I wanted to kiss him so much; I could barely resist. He held out the empty cuff. I gave him my wrist, and he clasped the cuff into place. “Careful, those are magic,” I said.
“I know it.” He leaned in for the long, wet smooch, and as he did, I noticed that his horse charm dangled from his neck and twinkled so sharply with moonlight that it blinded me for an instant.
“Gotcha!” he said teasingly. He nipped at my earlobe.
“Yeah, you got me.” I couldn’t agree more. I was his.
“I mean with my charm, my horse charm,” he said, pushing me down on the front seat of the cab. He grabbed the bottle of wine from me and took several long, strong swigs.
“What do you mean you got me with your horse charm?” I said, laughing.
“You saw the twinkle?”
“Yeah,” I said, cautiously.
“Well, something special’s going to happen.”
“Special?”
“Uh, huh,” he said, pressing in real close.
“Shane, sit up a minute,” I said. Something didn’t feel right. “Something’s not right.”
“Feels right to me,” he said, pressing in for another smooch.
“You’re working for Maisie. You’re trying to get me interested in taking over her role.” I knew I was in trouble because I really liked this guy. It occurred to me that if I did take over the guardianship of the deck, I’d be near him all the time.
“Well, only because I like you so much. If you were in charge of the deck imagine how powerful we’d be together. We could rule the world!” He said, teasing.
“The world?” I asked him, my voice full of sarcasm.
“Okay, Meadowvale, then.”
“Shane, how long have you been imprisoned in the deck?” I asked.
“O-o-oh, a couple of centuries.”
“Centuries!”
“Yeah, it’s been awhile.”
“Does she ever let anyone go?” I asked. I took another long gulp of wine.
“Haven’t seen it happen yet.”
“What do you do for her? I mean what benefit can she get from keeping you all locked up all the time?”
“She makes a lot of money from us. She does a lot of tarot readings and other stuff. She uses us well. And we’d be yours if you took over. We’d make you rich like we did her.”
“I’d probably just set you all free,” I said.
“Good luck with that, but that’d be fine by me,” he said, reaching for me. “But remember, if you took over you’d be bound to the Star card just as Maisie is. I’m not even sure she could free us even if she wanted to. She’s as bound to the tarot deck as we are. But if you’re the tarot’s mistress, you could reset the rules.”
“But what about the fact that you saved Maisie’s life? You’ve worked off some of your karma. Couldn’t you make a deal with her to set you free?”
“Three life savings and I’m free. But they must be genuine and not set up by me or anyone who is – my friend,” he said, and then looked longingly into my eyes. We were handcuffed together. I didn’t feel threatened by Shane. He behaved like a perfect gentleman, but I might have him handcuffed to me for awhile because I still wasn’t very good at figuring out how to get them off.
“Maisie did tell me something import
ant about the tarot deck and the cards,” I said.
“What’s that?”
“She said that if the deck got too far from Meadowvale’s boundaries, the characters in the cards would dissipate and be replaced by whoever took the deck away. And whoever took the deck away becomes the first member of the new one that automatically replaces it. In other words, destroying it doesn’t really destroy it.”
“Oh, she probably told you that so you’d stay put.”
“Well, I’ve already tried escaping once, and that didn’t go well. I had the deck with me, and my girlfriend was possessed by the Sun specter, and when I tried to get her out of town, well it didn’t go well.”
“I hope she’s alright.”
“Yeah, she is. I stopped in time.”
“I’d still be happy to challenge that boundary story,” he said.
“Well, I wouldn’t,” I said, not wanting to go through that again. “But I’m happy to plead your case to Maisie.”
Shane looked at me and smiled sweetly. He gave me a soft kiss on the forehead. He lifted my chin and kissed me on the mouth.
“I’d be forever in your debt if you did. Are you ready for that something special?” He pushed me down on the front seat of the truck, and I’m sure by now we were both a little drunk because we got hot and heavy in no time.
12.
An Order of Sorts
Emi told me that when she and Maisie got back from the hospital, it was late. Maisie was sick and then angry when she saw the sorry state her shop was in. It looked like a cougar had chased a rabbit through there. Shelves were tumbled over and broken. The rings and jewelry that Cassie hadn’t stolen lay scattered all over the floor and lost under counters.
“That no good demon did this,” Maisie said as she bent over to retrieve a smashed crystal and noticed Devon’s gold. Whenever he’d done a demon transformation, he’d leave a small pile of gold coins, kinda like his golden scat.
Maisie was not pleased.
Emi stayed quiet, which was probably a good strategy; she followed Maisie around the shop like a lost puppy. She looked around for the deck of cards because, right at the moment, I think she’d wanted to be disappeared.
Emi went behind the front counter to look, but the deck was gone.
“Jane or Devon took that deck,” Maisie said, reading Emi’s expression. Emilia tried phoning me, but by then I’d already thrown my cell into the cornfield!
“She doesn’t answer,” Emi told Maisie. Emi put her phone away and grabbed a broom from Maisie.
“She’ll be back,” Maisie said confidently. “She’s horsing around.”
Emi gave Maisie a look, but when Maisie wouldn’t elaborate, they quietly continued to clean the shop.
“I don’t think she’d take it,” Emi said. “I think she learned her lesson from the first time she tried to make her escape.”
“She’s hot for that fireman. They’ve gone somewhere to try and outsmart their situation. But if they stay out too long they’ll get sick and weak and eventually find their way back,” Maisie said. Emilia looked surprised.
“She’s hot for the Charioteer?” Emi asked.
“Oh, yeah,”
“What about William? I thought he was her true love these days.”
“William’s busy. And when the cat’s away…well, you know.”
Emilia chuckled. “I thought you didn’t allow the deck out?”
“Well, I am trying to find a replacement. I’ve got to give her some control. Each time she catches a major she gets stronger. Her magic becomes more powerful.”
“And you?”
“I get freer,” Maisie said, giggling like a girl.
“I guess Jane doesn’t know that.”
“And don’t you mention it.”
“How many?” Emilia asked.
“How many what?”
“Times does she need to catch a major?”
“That’s a secret,” Maisie said. “But I will tell you this, because I know you can’t wait to run off to tell her, that the more powerful majors, like the Hierophant and the High Priestess, give her more magic, and the top three make her more powerful than the strongest warlock amongst us.”
“Who are the top three? Who’s the most powerful warlock?”
“Have you looked at your belt and your sword lately? The power’s working for you too. Play your cards right, and you get to be a super ninja and free of the deck!”
Emilia touched her belt and examined her sword. Then she went to the Knowitalls and logged an entry into the enchanted journal.
“Oh, one more thing, while you’re writing your entry,” Maisie called out to Emi. “There’s an order of sorts.”
“An order?”
“Yeah, she has to put one person back in the deck last.”
“Who?”
“Can’t say.”
“Wouldn’t her knowing who goes last expedite your situation?”
“It would, but a few things must happen first. All in good time, Emilia Darkiness.”
13.
Charmed
Well, that night Shane made me feel like I was sixteen and dating guys with cars, for one sole purpose. We were all over that truck of his, and handcuffed the entire evening, which made our tumble challenging, but tons of fun.
Until Shane finally said, “I think the wine’s doing something to us.” And I had to agree. My cell rang, and I ignored it. My phone started to speak to me.
“William is calling for Jane.” Shane and I looked surprised at the announcement.
“Soon, those things will be able to answer themselves,” he said. I tossed the phone out into the cornfield. Shane adjusted his rearview mirror and stared into it for a couple of beats.
“What’s up?”
“We’re good. Just thought it was a bit weird that call came through now. The mirror in the truck lets me know what’s up.”
“A scrying glass?”
“I guess it is. Anyway, it’s not important right now.”
“Did you see anything?” I asked wondering if he saw William.
“It lets me see specific things. Things that might want to harm me – things that are coming, sneaking up on me. I don’t have any control over it.”
“Let me have a look, please.”
“Go right ahead.” He twisted the mirror in my direction. I looked into the mirror and wiped the mascara from under my eyes, and for a moment I saw Maisie’s face. Shane grabbed the mirror and turned it back. He smiled at me.
“All you saw was that pretty face,” he said, giving me a gentle chuck under the chin. I started giggling. We stopped drinking the wine. Eventually, we fell asleep. At some point, I heard his cell phone, and when I opened one eye to check it, I saw William’s number on Shane’s call display.
I don’t know how we got out of our handcuffs last night, but they were gone. I rooted around on the floor and found them pushed deep beneath the front seat almost into the back. I grabbed those and tossed them in my purse.
I sat up and grabbed my clothes and put them all back on and threw Shane his t-shirt.
“Wake up, wake up,” I said in a low voice. I looked out the window, and the sun was coming up. We were still out in the middle of a dirt road, cornfields all around. I couldn’t wake Shane.
“Shane, wake up! Wake up. We’ve got to get out of here.”
I went outside and into a field to relieve myself and heard the sound of trucks, big trucks gearing down and whining and groaning. I couldn’t see them because the corn was already so tall.
When I got back, I climbed up onto the roof of the cab and had a heck of a view. The blue sky went on forever, ‘til it hit the distant mountains. The sun was an orangey glob of egg yolk, and one field over, they were bringing in the rides for the upcoming carnival. The main tent was nearly up, and it looked exactly like the one I saw in my dream.
I climbed back down and tried again to wake Shane. But he was having none of it. He snored a bit, and his lips did a funny vibrati
on thingy as they blew out a breath. It was very cute. He looked so sexy and so asleep. His long black lashes against his skin.
Then his horse charm, hanging awkwardly from his neck, twinkled at me. This time is was full of morning light, and I reached for it. The golden horse compelled me. I took the necklace off him and held the charm in my hand. I put it around my neck. I decided that Shane would always find me if I had his charm.
The keys to the truck were still in the ignition. When I’d taken a pee next to the cornfield, I’d noticed a small path that led deeper into the field. While Shane slept, I’d decided to search down the path for my cell, which I’d stupidly thrown out the window.
I’d followed the path for less than five minutes when I decided I didn’t like being alone out there. Once I found myself buried amongst the tall stalks of corn, I felt afraid. I couldn’t see a thing and decided to go back to the truck. It was then that I heard an animal, a large one out on the road. I heard it disturb the gravel and bump up against the truck. It breathed heavily. From the sounds of it, it behaved in a disoriented way. I was a little terrified it might come hurtling down the path.
Being a city girl and unable to see what it was, I was hard pressed to identify the creature, but if I had to guess, my best judgment said it had to be a horse! I crept up to the rows of corn closest to the road. I stayed hidden and peeked out. A giant black stallion was circling the truck. He looked agitated. His nostrils flared; his black shiny tail flicked and thwacked at the vehicle. How could Shane not hear that? My cell phone started to chime again from somewhere nearby, and when the horse heard it, he took off, galloping down the road at full tilt.
I followed the sound of my cell and retrieved it. I worked my way back to the path and stepped out of the cornfield then hurried over to the truck. I so wanted to get out of there.
The truck was empty. Shane was gone. I figured he was either in the field peeing, or the horse frightened him, and he hid.
“Shane! Shane!” I called his name over and over. I decided I’d get into the truck and drive up and down the road a bit to see if I’d find him.
I’d found my phone, but I didn’t find Shane in the fields.
