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Athena fell asleep, and I released the tray in front of me and spent the flight getting side eyes from the woman across from me as I dealt my tarot cards over and over. They continued to say the same thing.

The Fool

The Lovers

The Heirophant

The Fool represented a new and exciting adventure. A leap of faith. Mardi Gras was always fun and exciting but I was on a mission.

The Lovers while sounding self-explanatory, had strong implications that a choice was possible. According to Lucille, my intended had already been fated and there was no choice. It didn’t matter what I wanted. It was only him.

The Hierophant was the one that concerned me. It signaled a spiritual journey. Traditions and convention. If there was one thing I didn’t do well with, it was convention. Traditions I could get behind. Everyone had them — families, corporations, tribes, even covens had traditions.

Convention suggested routine. It suggested doing things a certain way. A way someone else required. I had Lucille. She always guided my path and had never steered me wrong. What would I do if the man the universe had chosen for me contradicted what Lucille shared?

As we readied to land, I gathered my cards and replaced the tray in its upright position. I packed up my cards and put them away in my bag that sat under the seat in front of me.

We were in Louisiana.

The place I would finally meet the man the universe had chosen. Not the man I had chosen.

I was known as the bossy sister. The confident one that was always in control.

Except nothing felt in control.

I had no idea who I was looking for. Only that Lucille said he was here. Athena and I sat in our seats, waiting for those ahead of us to leave. There was no point in standing uncomfortably hunched over while we waited for our turn.

“You know it won’t happen as soon as we get there, right?”

“Athena, will you stop? If you can’t tell me who he is, then just let me be,” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

I was anxious.

I knew it. Athena knew it. I was pretty sure the whole damn plane knew it. But this was important. This was my person. I had been waiting for my turn. I had walked away from the first man that ever made me feel like I was important. That I was seen.

As the oldest, I should have been first. But Lucille said I had to wait. Phoebe had Shaw. Dimeter had Henley. Now it was my turn.

I looked at my sister. She would be next.

I wondered about the man who was meant for Athena. He would have to be special. He would have to be tough. Loving a woman who knew everything before you did wouldn’t be easy.

But she was worth it.

Athena was only a few years younger than me, and my best friend. I reached over and grabbed her hand.

“I’m glad you’re here with me. I don’t think I could do this without you.”

Athena just smiled and squeezed my hand. She knew everything. Sometimes I was jealous of her gift. Oh, how great it would be to know everything before it happened.

To not have to wonder or worry about making the wrong decision.

“You’re next, you know. Tell me what you see.”

Athena just shrugged and looked out the window. With a heavy sigh, she muttered, “I don’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I can see how things will work out for you and Phoebe and Dimeter. But not me. I’m not meant to. Or maybe I don’t have anyone waiting for me.” She shrugged.