Betrayals
Page 88

“The Seven of Swords,” Rose said. “It signifies secrecy and selfishness, doing something for yourself at the expense of others. Possibly hurting others in the process. It suggests someone will—”
“Betray me.” My gaze slid to the King of Pentacles card.
“We’re asking the cards about an event concerning you and Ricky and Gabriel. Yes, there will be a betrayal. Most likely to you as a group, rather than between you.”
I nodded, but must have looked unconvinced, because she said, “I know Gabriel has—”
“Can we just continue? Please.” I turned over another card before she could answer. The Hermit, reversed.
“Signifies isolation and darkness.” She tapped her fingers against it. “It can mean an overabundance of introspection, but the sense I get is darkness. A dark and empty place.”
“Gabriel, Ricky, me, dark place, betrayal …” I exhaled a little in relief. “Okay, no offense, Rose, but I think your precognition is running on a delay. That happened about four months ago.”
“Yes, there was a betrayal, but it did not lead to you being in that dark place. Connected in time, rather than circumstance.”
I turned over two more cards, which didn’t add anything to the mix.
“Gabriel, Ricky, me, dark place, betrayal,” I said again. “That’s all I’m getting, isn’t it?”
“That’s what I saw in my premonition. The three of you, both together and divided. In a dark place. And …” She shook her head. “And that’s all.” She began collecting the cards.
“No, it’s not. What else did you see?”
She said nothing until I prodded again, and then only, “Shadows, violence, anger, a struggle …”
“A struggle?” I prodded.
“A struggle against a violent impulse. Someone who desperately does not want to do something and yet the impulse …” She knocked the deck against the desktop, straightening them. “The impulse isn’t strong enough to come to anything. But it’s dangerous nonetheless.”
“Can I get anything more concrete?”
She looked at me. “My nephew is involved. I would not hold back if I knew more.”
“So beware dark places, dark impulses, and betrayals. That last one can’t really be avoided, though. Unless I’m the one doing the betraying.”
“Which I cannot imagine.”
I wrapped my fingers around my teacup. “But I am, aren’t I? Betraying Gabriel.”
Her blue eyes bored into mine. “You have done nothing to Gabriel, Olivia. Nothing except good. Whatever choices you’ve made, they were because he offered no other option, and because you are free to pursue your own happiness rather than wait for something that may never come, because someone is too damned dense …”
She trailed off as I looked up at her.
“And that’s not what you meant at all,” she said, leaning back. “Which is a relief. Also rather awkward. This betrayal you were referring to, then …”
“Patrick.”
She refilled her tea and mine. “Not telling Gabriel that Patrick is his father.”
“Like I didn’t tell Gabriel that he’s Gwynn. Apparently, I haven’t learned my lesson.”
She gave me a hard look. “I’d hope you realize it’s not the same. But now that things are going well with Gabriel, you’re anxiously scanning the ground for any obstacle you could trip over.”
“I—”
“You hate that. You hate fretting and worrying. You think, if it’s a solid relationship, it should be smooth sailing. Like it is with Ricky.”
“I don’t—”
“Ricky is easy. He demands nothing of you. Expects nothing of you. You see eye to eye on most things and when you don’t, you accommodate each other, effortlessly. Smooth sailing. Gabriel, on the other hand, is a wild ride through stormy waters, both exhilarating and exhausting.”
“Yes.” That was all I said, all I could say. Yes.
“I wish I could tell you it’ll get better. But Gabriel will never be Ricky. I would also rather he didn’t find out about Patrick. The problem, though, is that he will eventually, and it’s better coming from someone who cares about him.”
I sipped my tea. “Ioan almost let it slip. Patrick makes sly comments, and I’m sure he’s always done that because it amuses him, but now I react when he does. Gabriel is going to figure it out. It apparently wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret. It just wasn’t important at the time. He wasn’t important.”
Rose was quiet for a minute. Then she said, “I could tell him, but I really think it’s better coming from you. He’s not going to run, Liv. At least, not far and not for long. You know that now. As hard as it was the last time, it was only Gabriel retreating temporarily.”
“Behind his wall.”
“Yes.”
“Which I can climb, but I’m never going to knock down.”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“No, I know that. I’ve always known—”
The front door opened. Rose called, “Gabriel?”
“Do you need more time with Olivia?” he replied, his voice echoing from the hall.
She glanced at me. I shook my head, and she said, “No, come in and join her for tea while I start dinner.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE