Page 40 of Chasing Eternity (Stealing Infinity #3)

First thing I see when I return to my room is that Arthur has made good on his word.

Positioned with deliberate care is Artemisia Gentileschi’s iconic piece, Judith Slaying Holofernes —my reward for procuring the Moon.

Resting just beside it is Albrecht Dürer’s Melencolia I , the intricate engraving Arthur wants me to decipher to locate the Star.

These two pieces, each a masterpiece in its own right, serve as a visual representation of our conflicting ambitions, the monumental task I’m preparing to face.

Artemisia’s painting, with its vivid depiction of determination and courage, symbolizes the daunting challenge of confronting a man like Arthur whose ambition is boundless.

On the other side, Melencolia I , with all its layered symbols, mirrors the complex puzzle I still need to solve to locate the Star.

As I stand before them, my shoulders slump under the weight of the responsibility I’ll soon have to face.

Arthur, with his dream of remolding reality, views these two artifacts as mere steppingstones toward achieving his goal.

For me, they serve as stark reminders of the delicate balance between creation and destruction, a balance I’m sworn to protect.

Though I’m quick to remind myself that this battle is about more than just stopping Arthur’s plans—it’s about protecting humanity’s freedoms—a question remains that I can’t seem to shake: if we’re both making choices for others, at what point do our destinies become so entangled that we are merely two sides of the same spinning coin?

The path ahead feels like a twisted odyssey, where the line between hero and villain is beginning to blur. Yet it’s a path I must walk all the same.

Reaching for the envelope Roxane left earlier, I lift the flap, and three tarot cards slide onto my palm: the Star, Strength, and the World. Each card, part of the Major Arcana, feels weighted with significance, their vibrant images resonating with a silent call to be deciphered, understood.

It’s also interesting to note that these tarot cards are not from the Visconti-Sforza tarrocchi deck that Arthur usually favors. Instead, they’re taken from the Rider-Waite deck, a product of a more contemporary era.

Could this selection of modern cards signify Arthur’s vision for a new world?

Alongside the cards, folded with care is a copy of the map Christopher Columbus used to navigate the Atlantic. In its margins are hand-sketched symbols that correspond with the imagery found on the tarot cards. Among the engraving, the map, and these cards lies a complex puzzle—an enigmatic blend of history, art, and mysticism—that forms a cryptic guide leading directly to the Star.

Having already interpreted the engraving, I settle onto the velvet settee and arrange the cards and map on the table before me. Beginning with the Star, I try to recall what I know.

As the seventeenth card of the Major Arcana, The Star symbolizes a guiding light of hope. By adding its digits—one plus seven—it shares a numerological link with Strength, the eighth card in the deck. Though the challenge lies in determining how these cards work together.

Let’s see, let’s see… The Star’s astrological link is Aquarius, its element is Air, while the Strength card’s element is Fire, and its astrological link is Leo.

Okay, so what does that mean and how does it help me?

Usually, I have a little more time to figure this out, but with Arthur likely to dispatch me tomorrow, with either Elodie or Killian overseeing my actions, I need to unravel these mysteries sooner, rather than later. Time is a luxury I no longer possess.

Lifting the Star card to examine it more closely, I focus on the golden-haired maiden gracefully pouring water from two urns—one onto the land and the other into a natural pool. A distant memory resurfaces: my father’s voice explaining that this imagery represents the healing of both present and past.

Well, that certainly tracks. It’s pretty much what Arthur intends, but what else?

The maiden’s nudity stands as a testament to her purity, underscored by the celestial canopy above, where a constellation of stars, one pictured in a radiant yellow, shines with exceptional brilliance and is said to be a golden beacon that guides her.

But while all of this is rich in meaning, it’s starting to seem more like an esoteric collection of details rather than the clear guide I need. My frustration mounting, I tap a finger against that bright yellow star, and within seconds, a torrent of insight floods into my mind with such velocity, I scramble to grasp the enormity of it all.

As the deluge of knowledge ebbs, a singular revelation remains: the Star is not just a symbol, but rather a confluence of energies, merging the luminance of the Sun with the reflective glow of the Moon to forge a new earth.

The revelation hits like a punch to the gut. No wonder Arthur never sent me in search of any of the other planets. He must’ve known about this shortcut all along. Having already claimed the Sun and the Moon, the Star was always going to be the last step.

All this time it’s felt like Arthur is forever ten steps ahead. But now, thanks to my dad, I’m more confident than ever that I can finally catch up.

Or at least I sincerely hope that’s the case. Because if I’m wrong, the consequences will be dire for everyone.

As my fingers graze the infinity symbol on the Strength card, a cascade of insights flood my mind. Among these revelations, one stands out: the infinity symbol over the maiden’s head recurs across the deck, appearing also on the Magician card—the one I associate with Arthur—and the Wheel of Fortune—the card that led both Braxton and me to Gray Wolf.

The symbol also repeats on the World card—a card that symbolizes both the end of the Major Arcana journey and, according to this, the end of my time here at Gray Wolf.

It’s as if the fates have bound us all together, and now it’s my job to break free.

Turning my focus to the World card, I remember that its element is earth and it’s ruled by Saturn—possibly a nod to Arthur’s Saturnalia party? Either way, the card represents completion, achievement, the interconnection of all things, and the joy of a seeing a long-held dream come to fruition.

But exactly whose dream will that be?

Arthur with his grandiose designs?

Or mine, with the hope of saving humanity?

The World card’s two infinity symbols wrapped around both the top and bottom of the wreath can be viewed in two ways—either as the perpetual cycle of our challenges or the opportunity to redefine our fate.

As I shift my focus to the map and the symbols sketched in its margins—symbols that mirror the imagery found on the tarot cards, such as an urn, a wreath, and the face of a lion—I notice something extraordinary. The longer I gaze at them, the more they seem to animate.

Rising from the paper, they dance before my eyes like celestial guides, charting a course not only across the vast expanse of oceans, but also through the very fabric of time.

As the vision fades and the symbols fall back into place, I’m certain it’s the lion that’s truly guiding the way. Since the lion is featured prominently on the English royal arms, I’m pretty sure Arthur is sending me right back to where it’s been all along.

Combining the two urns of the Star card, the lion depicted on the Strength card, and the Earth element of the World card, I’ve got a pretty good idea of exactly where I might find it.

With the final piece of this intricate puzzle now snapped into place, I leave these items as they are and head into my closet to ready myself for Arthur’s Saturnalia gala.

As I sift through my wardrobe, I’m greeted by a vast collection of gowns, each a silent witness to the stories that have unfolded inside these walls.

There’s the dress I wore to my first fancy dinner in the Winter Room, its fabric intertwined with memories of insecurity, anger, naivety, and wonder.

There’s the one I wore on the day Braxton was tasked with teaching me swordcraft—a lesson that culminated not in mastery of the blade, but in a kiss that echoed through the very core of my being.

Tonight’s selection carries a weight far beyond the aesthetics of fabric and hue—it’s about making a statement, a bold declaration in Arthur’s intricate game of shadows and schemes.

The dress I choose must do more than merely whisper my presence. It must send a clear, undeniable message of defiance, an unequivocal challenge to the rules of Arthur’s game.

Channeling the elegance and poise of the dancer immortalized on the World card, I wrap myself in a gown of ethereal, purple silk—a silent pledge that I, too, hold a vision for the future, one starkly at odds with Arthur’s darker designs.

I stand before the mirror, admiring the way the fabric swirls around me, seeming to whisper secrets of rebellion within every fold. After sliding into a pair of strappy gold heels, I adorn myself with all the treasures Braxton has gifted me—the emerald earrings, the talisman that rests against my heart, and the latest addition, a golden bracelet with its secret inscription meant only for me.

Given it’s a Saturnalia celebration, some bits of gold leaf in my hair would seem fitting. Yet, lacking anything suitable, I let my hair fall in loose waves and focus on enhancing my eyes with a subtle touch of liner, hoping to highlight the defiance in my gaze.

As I pause before the full-length mirror, I remember how this all began with a makeover courtesy of Elodie. A transformation that never quite fit, leaving me feeling like I was cloaked in some other girl’s skin. Yet, the person who returns my gaze now is worlds away from that scared, angry girl who first arrived on this rock. The trials I’ve faced, the obstacles I’ve overcome, and the love I’ve discovered have molded me into someone new—a phoenix reborn from its ashes, just like the vision I saw at my dad’s.

Though Braxton will be here soon, I cross the room and stand before the window, wondering if I might catch another glimpse of the girl in the red cape—the one who looks just like me.

Outside, a winter storm rages, but the girl remains elusive. There’s no lost labyrinth, and all the statues are here. The Magician , The High Priestess , and The Wheel of Fortune —three silent guardians shining under the silvery glow of the moon—the embodiment of Arthur, Elodie, and me—like some kind of twisted triad, an unholy trinity, bound by fate and shrouded in secrets.

As I gaze upon them, I’m reminded of the intricate dance of destiny and free will, of the shadows that lurk behind even the most enlightened intentions.

A sudden knock sounds at my door, jolting me back to the present, and I rush across the room, eager to see him.

With one hand tucked behind his back, Braxton stands at the threshold, clad in a deep blue silk tunic, dark jeans, and polished black boots.

“You are a vision.” He grins, his appreciative gaze sweeping over me. “Though it seems you’ve forgotten something.”

Pressing a hand to the fitted bodice of my dress, I shoot him a quizzical gaze, puzzled about what he could possibly mean. That’s when I notice the exquisite gold leaf crown he offers me.

“May I?” he asks, and I lower my head. When I rise, I see he’s now wearing one of his own.

“When in Rome.” He grins. Then linking my arm with his, we make our way toward Halcyon, ready for our last party at Gray Wolf.