The Pet🐾 (Completed)

Chapter 34

Ashley

We all leaned closer to look at the card. I read it out loud, whispering, "Death..."

I looked at the card underneath—it was crossed over and read Love. I glanced at the other cards but couldn't understand what they meant. I looked over and saw Sophia staring at Christine.

"What... what does it mean?" she asked.

Christine took a deep breath and read the rest of the cards. "Well, these cards over here," she pointed to two others, "mean you will be faced with a stressful decision." She gestured to the Death-over-Love cards. "These cards... mean there might be a death of a loved one, or love might be the death of you." She then pointed to another card. "And this one says you will end up on a long journey, where another decision will appear," she said, looking up at all of us.

I nodded and looked at Sophia, who was still trying to take it all in. "Well, is there any way of getting specifics about any of this?" I asked Christine.

Christine thought for a moment before standing up and running back into her carriage. She returned carrying a bundled-up piece of lavender and matches. "I can see if I get a vision from the Moon Goddess," she said, sitting down. "Okay, I need everyone to hold hands," she told us while lighting the lavender.

Once we were all holding hands, she waited for the smoke to waft around us. When it finished, she sat down, holding Javiare's and Sophia's hands while I was across from her. She closed her eyes and leaned back. Her eyes opened—but they were pure white. We all just sat there, watching her for about a minute, until she jolted forward, startling us all.

"Wow, I didn't expect that!" she said, looking between Javiare and Sophia. "The Moon Goddess has a plan for you, Sophia, and for you too, Javiare. She showed me herself that you won't be alone forever."

Sophia and I looked at each other, then back to Javiare. He looked as if he was about to explode with excitement. He noticed our staring. "Oh, uh... my mate rejected me two years ago, and it's been hard to live without her ever since," he told us.

We both nodded and looked back at Christine. She looked far too excited for her own good and giggled to herself. "Okay," she said, calming down, picking up one purple and one green crystal necklace. "Take these—they will bring you good luck and ward away evils." She handed Javiare and Sophia their necklaces, then looked at me and smiled. "You already have one, I see," she said, pointing to the crystal necklace my mother gave me around my neck.

"Oh, this? No, no. My mother gave me this when I was young. She said she got it from Target or something," I told her, waving it off.

She shook her head. "Oh no, I know this crystal. It's very powerful. There are only a few like it." She leaned forward, getting close to me. "Do you know who gave it to your mother?" she asked.

I leaned back slightly. "I don't really know. She just said never to take it off," I told her.

"What was your mother's name then?" she asked, reaching out to touch the crystal.

I looked over at Sophia, then back at Christine. "My mother's name is... Laura," I said.

She froze, then sat back down, wide-eyed. "Laura... long black curly hair, 5'6", brown eyes... Laura?" she asked.

Now I was wide-eyed. How did she know all that about my mother? "But... how did you know that? Did you read it off me?" I asked.

She started to laugh. "Oh, my dear, I don't need to read that off you, silly." She stood up. "Because I knew her!" she said loudly.

I sat back in my chair. "You knew my mother? My mother knew about you... and this whole other side?" I asked.

Christine ran around the table and stood behind me. "I can't believe she had a child," she said, putting her hands on my shoulders and resting her face on my shoulder. "And a beautiful girl, nonetheless." Christine stood back up straight and started running to her carriage. "Wait one moment—I'll be back!" she yelled before disappearing inside.

We heard clangs and rattles from the carriage, boxes being thrown, and glass shattering. "Damn it... oh well," we heard from inside. "Ah, here it is!" Christine called out.

Christine came running out with a large book. She placed it on the table after putting the cards back in the deck and slipping the crystals into her pockets. The book slammed down on the table, sending dust particles flying.

"Now, let's take a walk down memory lane," she said, opening the book and flipping through pages. It was a picture book. "Oh, here she is," Christine said, stopping and pointing to a group of four girls. The one in the middle was my mother. "Laura... she was the smartest out of all of us witches," she said.

I looked up at Christine, wide-eyed. "Wait... my mom was a witch?" I asked.

Christine smiled and nodded. "The best," she said.

I looked closer at the picture and saw Christine linked arms with my mom. "But... if she was a witch, doesn't that mean I'm a witch?" I asked.

They all looked at me while Christine jumped up in joy, leaning over the table and hugging me. "Yes! Of course!" she said.

I felt it sink in.

I'm a witch...