Page 10 of Death Card

“Maybe in a few years she’ll be ready,” Uncle Larry agrees.

The room begins to spin as the debate over whether I should take up Gran’s title continues. I have to blink away black spots in my vision. I refuse to pass out. Not now.

This comes as a complete surprise. Gramps and I haven’t even discussed this. What is he thinking, throwing this at me in front of everyone?

“Settle down! I’m sure this is a lot to take in,” Gramps continues. “Rest assured, this won’t be an overnight change. Mikaela will take on the mantle slowly, under my guidance.” His eyes sparkle as his gaze returns to me. “But that day will come very soon. She’s ready.”

My voice has been stolen by shock. Instead of speaking, I grab my glass and suck down a huge gulp of water. It pours down my windpipe, forcing me to bend over and cough up half a lung. Orion forcefully smacks my back as I attempt to catch my breath.

Apparently, I can’t even handle a glass of water, so what makes anyone think that I’m capable of leading the coven?

5

After dinner, someoneputs on one of Gramps’s dusty jazz records, and the living room furniture gets cleared out to create a makeshift dance floor. Everyone’s singing and dancing and having a good time. All except for me.

I slip through the front door and park myself on one of the rocking chairs, listening to the sound of laughter escaping through the open window. Through the glass, I spot Miss Connie shuffling her feet as she wags her cane. All the kids are cheering her on, but I can’t even bring myself to crack a smile. Connie’s disappointed frown while Gramps delivered the news is etched in my memory.

Not a single person in that room believes in me. Aunt Roberta argued on my behalf, but only because it’s my birthright, not because she truly believes I’m up to the job.

I open my palm and will myself to conjure a water droplet or a tiny flame. Nothing.

I reach down to grab the gnome perched on the low wicker table between the chairs. I will myself to cast a glamour over its grumpy, stout figure, visualizing a white unicorn with a rainbow-hued horn in its place. The stone heats up beneath my fingers as I whisper the trigger word,transform. A haze briefly passes overits features, turning its nose into a long snout before the entire spell falls apart. The warmth fades away and the gnome’s appearance remains unchanged.

I can’t even cast a silly illusion.

Gramps doesn’t understand what he’s done. He’s pushed a future on me that I don’t even want. More importantly, it’s a future that I can’t possibly have.

Every single person in this house knows that divination is the only form of magic I’m good at. Sure, I can read tarot, but what use is that? A Witch Queen should be skilled in all areas: healing, glamours, and elemental magic. I’m supposed to be the backbone of the coven, but I’m not sure how, when I’m filled with more doubt than strength.

The front door creaks as Lizzie steps out into the darkness. She takes a long drag on her vape and exhales a strawberry-scented cloud. I shift in the chair and the movement nearly sends her jumping out of her shoes.

“Mikaela?” She steps closer, hand placed over her chest. “You nearly scared me to death! Why are you sitting out here in the dark?” She opens the front door and flips the switch for the porch light.

I shrug and cross my arms over my chest. “Hiding. Pouting. Reflecting.”

Lizzie leans against the side of the house and runs a hand over her closely cropped Afro. “What do you have to pout about?”

Her words crawl beneath my skin and send a flare of annoyance running through me. “Didn’t you hear what Gramps said at dinner?”

“Of course I did. I was sitting right there with you.” She sucksin another puff of vapor and holds the flavored death-cartridge out to me. I politely decline. “I still don’t see why you’re upset. You’ll be a great Witch Queen, like your grandmother. She taught us everything we know. You’re her flesh and blood, so you’ve got her power locked up inside you.”

I think back to the explosion of whispers in the room when Gramps announced the news. “Thanks, but you might be the only one in the coven who believes that.”

She waves me away. “Don’t listen to them. No one likes change. Especially those dinosaurs.” She reaches for the door handle. “Don’t sit out here and pout for too long. You’re going to miss someone breaking a hip!”

That does bring a slight chuckle out of me. Lizzie’s smile lights up the darkness before she heads back inside.

I dwell on her words a few minutes longer. It’s in her nature to say nice things. She’s always been an optimist. Me, on the other hand, well, it’s hard to find any sort of positive in this situation. I haven’t even read my cards yet, but I can see plenty of embarrassment and shame in my future.

The party lives and dies as I sit on the porch, stewing in my feelings. People murmur their goodbyes to me as they leave. Slowly, the street clears out, and the house settles into its usual silence.

Aunt Roberta and Uncle Larry are the last to leave. Most likely, they cleaned up the kitchen and stuffed leftovers into the fridge so we wouldn’t have to do it ourselves. She squeezes my shoulder as she passes. Thankfully, she doesn’t mention college again, or even my future as Witch Queen. I watch them walk hand in hand down to the streetcar stop.

After they’re gone, the door swings open as Gramps steps out onto the porch. I haven’t seen him since he turned my life upside down with his speech. He sits down in the chair beside me and looks out at the street. “You disappeared after dinner,” he states matter-of-factly. His chair creaks as he rocks back and forth.

“I wasn’t hiding. I was out here the whole time.”

He lifts his hand and cradles his chin. “You’re upset with me.” It’s a statement, not a question, so I remain silent. “This is about my speech, isn’t it?”