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Persephone finally spoke In her s for so"
The man’s head jerked toward her
Calla’s card, beside Persephone’s, was also the knight of pentacles It was unusual for two decks to agree exactly Even stranger was to see that Maura’s card was also the knight of pentacles Three cold-eyed knights surveyed the land before the to do whatever it takes to find it You’ve been working at it for years"
"Yes," thetheer? Will I find it?"
The three wo for an answer to his question Blue looked, too She ht, but she knehat the cards were supposed to mean Her attention e drae of cups Blue glanced at her frowning ative card; in fact, it was the card Maura always said she thought represented Blue when she was doing a reading for herself
You’re the page of cups, Maura had told her once Look at all that potential she holds in that cup Look, she even looks like you
And there was not just one page of cups in this reading Like the knight of pentacles, it was tripled Three young people holding a cup of full of potential, all wearing Blue’s face Maura’s expression was dark, dark, dark
Blue’s skin prickled Suddenly, she felt as if there was no end to the fates she was tied to Gansey, Adae
Maura stood up so quickly that her chair keeled back against the wall
"The reading’s done," she snapped
Persephone’s gaze wandered up to Maura’s face, bewildered, and Calla looked confused but delighted at the appearance of conflict Blue didn’t recognize her mother’s face
"Excuse me?" the man asked "The other cards --"
"You heard her," Calla said, all acid Blue didn’t know if Calla was also uneasy, or if she was ’s over"
"Get out of my house," Maura said Then, with an obvious attempt at solicitude, "Now Thank you Good-bye"
Calla moved aside for Maura to whirl past her to the front door Maura pointed over the threshold
Rising to his feet, the man said, "I’m incredibly insulted"
Maura didn’t reply As soon as he was clear of the doorway, she slammed the door shut behind hiain
Calla had moved to theShe drew the curtains aside and leaned her forehead against the glass to watch him leave
Maura paced back and forth beside the table Blue thought of asking a question, then stopped, then started again Then stopped It see to ask a question if no one else was
Persephone said, "What an unpleasant young ot his license plate nu for," Maura said
Retrieving her two cards froretfully, "He’s trying awfully hard I rather think he’ll find so"
Maura whirled toward Blue "Blue, if you ever see that ain, you just walk the other way"
"No," Calla corrected "Kick him in the nuts Then run the other way"
Chapter 14
Helen, Gansey’s older sister, called right as Gansey got to the Parrishes’ dirt road Accepting phone calls in the Pig was always tricky The Camaro was a stick shift, to start with, and as loud as a ses were a host of steering probleearshift knobs The upshot was that Helen was barely audible and Gansey nearly drove into the ditch
"When is Mom’s birthday?" Helen asked Gansey was simultaneously pleased to hear her voice and annoyed to be bothered by soot along well; Gansey siblings were a rare and complicated species, and they didn’t have to pretend to be so planner," Gansey said as a dog ripped out of nowhere It barked furiously, trying to bite the Camaro’s tires "Shouldn’t dates be your realm of expertise?"
"That means you don’t re planner anymore Well Part-time Well Full-ti She didn’t have careers, she had hobbies that involved other people’s lives
"I do remember," he said tensely "It’s May tenth" A lab mix tied in front of the first house bayed dolorously as he passed The other dog continued to worry at his tires, a snarl ascending with the engine note Three kids in sleeveless shirts stood in one of the yards shooting uns; they shouted Hey, Hollywood! and affably ai’s tires They pretended to hold phones by their ears Gansey felt a peculiar stab at the three of the, products of their surroundings He wasn’t sure if it was pity or envy Everywhere was dust
Helen asked, "Where are you? You sound like you’re on the set of a Guy Ritchieto see a friend"