I rock my heels back and forth against the counter I stand against, to a nameless rhythm that appears in my head. Caramel strands of hair fall over my bare shoulders in rippling waves as I grind the sprigs of rosemary into pale powder. I stare ahead past the enamel drapes and the kaleidoscope of colors their vibrant shades splay across the floorboards. My eyes land upon my mentor and best friend’s sprawled figure.

Angelo lies lazily across felts and cushions of pillows thrown askew on the floor. The curls of his stark white hair mussed over the left half of his face, just enough to cover one of his violet colored eyes. His hands move rapidly, fingers gliding with ease across the gilded sides of his card deck. In a flash of movement, he stands abruptly from his seat and calls for me to come to sit with him in the backroom. I take my seat and he waits for just the slightest second before gazing downward.

“I… I have to go.”

I gave a weak smile. Angelo always has somewhere else to be and he insists every time that I can’t come with. My dismay must have been apparent because his eyes glistened sadly and he tilts to look back up to me. He remains pensive, staring thoughtfully through the glass window. He hardly notices the snake wrapping around his shoulder. The snake, Angelo’s familiar named Jenny, seems to whisper something to him before nestling into the nooks of his overcoat. He turns to me with sparkling eyes.

“Close your eyes.”

Not wanting to disappoint, I submissively, stick my palm out and close my umber eyes. He holds his hand out and gently places an item in it. When I open my eyes, the object becomes his card deck. I blink twice, and when nothing’s changed, I look up to meet his smiling eyes with a wide-eyed expression. My face is enough to make him laugh. Yet, he turns on his heel and grabs two of the shimmering vials with corked tops on the quartz counter.

“You can’t… you can’t give me these! They’re...they’re your own personal deck! If I were to lose a card…” I stammer pushing the cards back into his hand.

“I trust you” he grasps my hand once more and gives me a reassuring look. Angelo offers a kind smile, and in an instant, his back is turned to me and he’s opening the rickety oak door. He steps out of the doorway and with a quick,

“Don’t forget to close up shop!” he’s gone in an instant.

 Jenny slithers up from the table and quickly winds herself around my shoulders. The touch of her cool skin is enough to break me from my stupor. I glance around the shop now and realize that the sun’s rays no longer pour through the ornate glass windows. That I had been left alone once again by Angelo in the magic shop. I don’t need his stupid cards! Whatever they mean to him, I could care less.

            Jenny slips around my neck and the blue hue of her textured skin goes unnoticed against the pale blue of my dress.

            A minute later, I stand in the center of the circular backroom, watching the shadows on the walls melt away out of existence. Alone in the dark room with just Jenny and the card deck in my hand, I attempt to light a few candles in the shop.

            Lighting the different colored candles hanging from the fixture on the ceiling results in me breathing in the overwhelming, sudden scent, of citrus and lavender. I exhale with a sigh and light one last candle, this one cinnamon, just before chucking the match into the burning furnace.

            I’m struck off guard by the piercing sound of the wooden door being frantically knocked upon. For a second I let myself wonder if it’s Angelo at the door. The rhythmic knocking cuts clear once more, and with my mind on Angelo, I squeeze out a pathetic and feeble,

“Oops.”

I had forgotten to close up shop. I think to check the peephole first, but I just yank open the door instead. A hooded figure lies in wait and pushes past me in their haste. Their linen cloak covers the entirety of their legs and arms. They practically loom over me, taller than me in a definitively new way. The figure shifts uncomfortably before inquiring in a sharp yet soft tone,

            “Am I right to assume that this is the home of the magician, Angelo?” I shut the oak door with a thud before turning to address the stranger. A breeze of cool summer air sweeps through the room simultaneously causing the candles to flicker.

            “You’re most certainly right, but I’m sorry to say that he’s not-” With one swift motion, the figure drops the hood. The length of her plum-colored ombre hair strikes me immediately, as well as her distinctly sharp features.

            “Uhm...uh... forgive me…. but you wouldn’t happen to be…?”

Duchess Nova? Who am I kidding, she’s definitely Duchess Nova! What is she doing here?

Duchess Nova wastes no time rushing to the backroom. Jenny’s ruby red eyes look up to me from my shoulder and seem to scream in confusion.

            “I require a reading and it is most urgent... Angelo is not here?” I shake my head in response to her inquiry.

            “Yet those are his cards... you must be his apprentice!” She regards the cards held tightly in my hand.

“If I may?” She looks from the cards to me, and I hand them to her lazily.

“You will give me a reading, won’t you? If the apprentice is anything like the teacher, I’m sure you will be capable of fulfilling the task...” She places the colorful deck back in front of me. I reply sheepishly with a simple, ‘no’.

“Nonsense! You will give me what I desire. Or I’ll just burn this when I return home…” With a flourish, she pulls one of Angelo’s cards from her sleeve. The Empress. I grab for the deck and frantically shuffle the cards, but I’m already painfully aware of the terrible misbalance in the deck. This isn’t good...not at all...these are Angelo's cards! I can’t lose one of the so-called major arcana!

“Fine, but I need the card back first! I can’t give an accurate reading without it.” I stick my hand out for the card, eagerness seeping through my voice. She places it back in my hand, but not without giving me a skeptical look. I shuffle the deck and run my fingers along the cards’ edges. I finally cut them and flip one over to reveal The Magician’s card.

“It's the Magician” I mutter quietly, minding her strong gaze.

“How fitting. What does he have to say?” I let my fingers brush against the card.

“You’ve been holding back for a time now. You're ready to finally put a plan into action-”

“Should I take action?” she quickly asks, her stare intensifying, and her poised demeanor slipping under the reigns of curiosity.

“Yes.”

“Lovely. Thank you for your time.” She stands abruptly and turns to leave from where she came.

I collect the cards now, careful to account for each one. Especially the Empress. I hug the cards close to my chest with newfound appreciation. They matter so dearly to Angelo, I can hardly bear the possibility of me losing any of the cards. I pull The Magician once more from the deck and stare at the all too familiar violet eyes with a twinge of sadness. Never again would I be so insensitive towards Angelo or his cards. Never again.