The Silent Deal (The Card Game #1)

Ch 16 - The Fortune-Teller

CHAPTER 16

THE FORTUNE-TELLER

Viktor forgot his pain and staggered out the tent flap with Romulus, winding back the way they’d come. Around a tent corner, they saw Arseni was dismounted, his horse in the hands of the enemy. Under blooming Chinese flowers, guards had swords pointed at his neck, and others picked through his belongings; their leader questioned him with the bottle of Fatata brandy in hand.

“What’ve I done?” Viktor asked the colorful sky.

“It’s not your fault. Arseni rode his horse too hard. The guards would’ve caught him regardless of your stunt.”

“They’ll know he was sneaking us in. He’ll be punished,” Viktor whispered.

Romulus couldn’t deny the statement. He waited out of sight while the fireworks ended. Then he stole another glance. “Viktor—they’re gone!”

“And I’m back,” said a voice.

They looked up. Arseni had come around the backside of the tent with his horse.

“What? They let you go?” gasped Romulus.

“Yep. And it’s a good thing Viktor’s a bad rider.”

“I’m not a bad rider.”

Arseni chuckled. “Tell that to a Ruska Roma! Equestrian arts flow in our blood—there’s not a sober one among us who’d get caught in your position—but that’s why I was able to convince them you were a cousin of mine who’d had about ten drinks too many. I said Romulus and I were chasing you.”

Viktor gawked.

“That was quick thinking,” Romulus said.

Arseni led his horse back to the stable as he explained the story. “The funny thing is, it was their idea. They saw my bottle and guessed at it, and thankfully Fatata brandy is Gypsy made, so they never guessed we came from Aryk. ’Course, they confiscated the bottle … So now I’m down a fire-breathing routine … Perhaps I’ll juggle Orange Splits yet.”

After Arseni got a stable hand to care for the weary horses, the three boys set off on foot through the web of tents.

“Can you tell us who we’re meeting now?” Romulus asked.

“Oh, right. Lady Nutrix—a fortune-teller.”

“But that’s against the church,” said Viktor.

“We Ruska Roma don’t think so,” Arseni said. “We’re Eastern Orthodox, and it’s always been a part of our culture. Our people invented using cards to tell fortunes.”

Viktor shook his head. “No Russian will agree with fortune-telling.”

“You’d be surprised. Many men travel to Kasta Way from afar on holidays to get their cards read. Of course, they were all denied entrance tonight … which might’ve been for the best. It can be a grave thing to know one’s fortune.”

“Well, I’m not getting my fortune read—not that I believe it to be true,” growled Viktor.

“Lady Nutrix isn’t going to lull herself into talking about the cards!” Arseni snapped. “She’s a seer, not a sap. We need a reason to visit her.”

Romulus shrugged. “I’ll have my fortune read.”

“Good. It’s settled.”

Arseni continued past different shelters until he came to a bizarre purple tent whose shape resembled a giant spider. It looked eerie in the moonlight—especially with the faint sounds of wailing in the night air.