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"If only I had a real crystal ball, huh?" I asked, the tension so high that I’d fallen out the other side and gone numb I didn’t knohat the best solution was; I just wanted to get on with it Running at danger or hiding from it both sounded just fine, if we could just keep the talk away froanizations I alone knew nothing about "Mother, you could always give tarot a try You actually knohat the cards ht before his eyes brightened "A powerful uild wouldn’t nore unless she had extraordinary talents elsewhere Is that it, then? Tarot focuses your true ic?"

"I’ll have you know that I was a knockout back in the day," nation "I didn’t need power I had sex appeal"

"No" I put up , please"

"I chose my husband, not the other way around I could’ve had--"

"Stop right there," I insisted

"-- of the hips--"

"You’re forgetting the situation"

"--brought the boys to my yard"

"Those aren’t even the right lyrics" I groaned "Ma, you have to stop"

My er in ourus from aited outside "Why, because I’m old and fat, I’m not allowed to talk about my past?"

"No Because you’re er said "You look great"

My er "Don’t you try to flatter me, boy" She stared at the door, her broered "It’s a waste of tiet set up, and I’ll put up another ward," the stranger said, taking a step toward the door "I had planned to, anyway No ti my premonition when you have your own?" My mother’s fists were back on her hips

"In this case, I’estions" He walked out of the room, his step sure despite the inquisition he’d just endured

"He believes what he says," I told my mother as she stared after him "You can see it"

"There are two types of fools The one who delivers the e, and the one who believes it" She stalked away,to herself I heard the word "fool" at least two er before I kneanted to follow hiaze

He turned enough to glance over his shoulder "I’m Emery, by the way" I nodded, but he’d already turned back and raised his hands, fingers spread "Can you see the elements in the world around us?"

I frowned and looked at the sky, finally starting to clear after that recent rainstorm "Like the water, you rass "Do you see little…tags sticking out of the world around you? The ele the to see what he reen blades stretched toward the well-tri, soround "Can you see it now?"

"Yes Did you check for watchers?"

"Of course The one I found…is out of commission They’ll think it’s heart failure"

The shock that would noreood

He wiggled his fingers as the streams reached them, and an expertly woven spell came out the other side "Do you see how I’ve formed the elements into a spell? Excuse me--the properties into a spell?"