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"We need to go through the entire courtship dance, and I'm actually looking forward to it." Din smiled. "I'm not just old-fashioned. I'm old, and I kind of miss the days when the hunt required skill and finesse. It's too easy these days, making the whole thing meaningless and less satisfying."

Max shrugged. "I quite enjoyed the ease of conquest until I met my one and only, but if you like your balls slow-cooked, I have no problem with that."

11

FENELLA

"Din landed." Fenella put the phone down. "We need to hurry up."

Jasmine looked up from the deck of cards she was shuffling with her dexterous fingers. "Relax, we have plenty of time. With rush-hour traffic, we have at least two hours before he gets here."

That was good to know. Fenella wasn't ready to meet Din yet, and she wanted to know what the cards said, even if it was stupid.

"I'd rather get this over with before he arrives."

Jasmine's lips quirked in a knowing smile as she shaped the deck of cards into a neat stack and then started shuffling them again. The cards moved fluidly between her slender fingers, making soft whispering sounds that somehow added to the atmosphere.

"You don't need to pretend for my sake. It's okay to be a little nervous."

"Please." Fenella rolled her eyes. "I've faced down far worse than a lovelorn Scotsman." She leaned back and folded her arms over her chest. "Speaking of lovelorn men, where is Ell-rom?"

A shadow crossed Jasmine's face. "Training."

"Training for what?" Fenella asked. "Martial arts? Sword fighting? Target practice?"

"It's confidential," Jasmine murmured, thumping the deck into shape on the wooden table between them with a bit too much vigor.

Fenella raised an eyebrow. "Does it have anything to do with the Doomers in Iran?"

Yesterday, she'd heard Kyra telling Jasmine that the clan planned to look into Doomer activity there.

Jasmine shook her head. "As I said, it's confidential. Let's focus on your reading, shall we?"

It seemed like Jasmine was adamant about keeping her mate's activity a secret, which was fine. Everyone had their secrets, and Fenella had her share. Besides, she was curious about what the cards might reveal, even if it was all nonsense. It was a nice way to pass the time and get rid of the nervous energy coursing through her.

"Let's. You promised me insights about Din, and I can't wait to hear them, even if it's all hogwash."

Jasmine cast her a mock glare. "And that's what you'll get, ye of little faith."

Fenella waved a hand dramatically. "Work your witchy magic, oh high priestess of the Mother of All Life."

Jasmine smiled at that. "What exactly are you looking for guidance on? Your relationship with Din? His intentions? Or your future together?"

Fenella hesitated. "Is he trouble?" she asked finally. "That's what I want to know. Am I making a mistake by letting him back into my life?"

Jasmine nodded. "Think about that question and hold it in your mind as you cut the deck into three," she instructed, handing her the cards.

Taking the deck, Fenella divided it into three piles, trying to keep her mind focused on Din and the question she'd asked. She felt ridiculous, but also tense, as if these pieces of cardboard might actually hold some truth.

Jasmine gathered the piles, reassembled the deck, and began to lay out cards in a pattern that looked vaguely like a cross.

"This is your present situation," she said, turning over the first card to reveal a figure carrying ten wands. "The Ten of Wands. You're carrying a heavy burden—past experiences, suspicions, fears. They weigh on you, but you're determined to manage them alone."

"Doesn't take mystical powers to see that," Fenella muttered.

Jasmine ignored her, turning over the next card, showing a man and a woman exchanging cups. "This card represents a challenge you're facing. The Two of Cups. Interesting. The challenge is about partnership, connection, and mutual exchange of emotion. You're struggling with the possibility of letting someone in."

She turned over a third card, placing it above the cross. "This crowns you—it's what you're aspiring for." The card showed a woman sitting on a throne, holding a cup. "The Queen of Cups. Emotional fulfillment, intuitive wisdom. Even though you pretend otherwise, part of you wants to trust your feelings."