Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Benedek indicated for Lojos to go to the table first. “Nicu and I have had the cards read twice for us. We know our lifemates exist in this century. At least we have hope to continue.”
Lojos sat across from Safia. Petru knew the goddess wouldn’t react to Lojos as the cards had reacted at his prior readings. Aura knew Lojos, and Safia knew him; therefore, the cards would have already judged his character.
She handed him the cards and told him to shuffle and then divide the deck into three piles as he thought of what he wanted the cards to answer for him. He was to take a card from each pile and place it face up on the table. Lojos did so without hesitation. He kept his gaze fixed on her face as if she would give something away to him. Petru knew she was too experienced to read anything she personally felt. She did her best to step back from the cards and allow them to answer his question.
“You have a lifemate, Lojos,” Safia said.
She made a little moue with her lips, tempting Petru to kiss her. He felt the laughter in her mind. “She is not a woman to take lightly. She waited long for you, gave up on you coming for her, and will soon go her own way. Pointing you in a direction is useless when she is unpredictable. However, I see that your paths will cross if you continue the course of service you have set for yourself.”
Lojos glanced up at his brothers. “Unbelievable. It really works.” He stood up while Safia gathered the cards.
“Give me a minute,” she said as Tomas sank into the chair across from her. “I like to cleanse the cards before the next reading.” She stood up and stretched, taking the cards with her.
Do you have an idea who Lojos’ lifemate is? Petru asked.
Safia shook her head. She is strong-willed and a warrior. She will fight by his side or not accept him. The cards said that very clearly.
She will have no choice if he binds her to him.
We will see. Safia sat across from Tomas and handed him the cards, murmuring the same instructions.
Tomas took his time shuffling the cards. He was very methodical as he divided the deck into thirds and very precisely pulled three cards from the center of each of the piles, turning them face up.
Safia’s lashes fluttered, and her palm pressed over her heart where the goddess card lay beneath her clothing. Tomas had very different cards from his brother. Petru tried to read Safia’s mind before she spoke, but she was allowing the deck to interpret for her, as the cards could be read in several ways. She wanted his question answered in the way he asked it.
“You have a lifemate as well, Tomas. Your lifemate is somewhere in South America. Your journey will be dangerous, and you must go first with your brothers to follow their path.” She frowned and studied the three cards, gave a slight shake of her head and continued. “It is important that you are together on these journeys. Your lifemate is not alone, and the danger to her grows over time. Someone important will not be saved if Lojos, his lifemate and Mataias are not with you.”
She looked up at him, gathering the cards as she did so. “I hope that answers your question.”
“Perfectly. Thank you.” He stood up, gave her a slight bow and moved away so Mataias could take his place.
That sounded as if Tomas should leave for South America right away, which is a big place, by the way. Petru watched her cleanse the cards. I would have a difficult time knowing my lifemate might be in danger and I needed to wait for my brother to secure his lifemate first.
I don’t know why it is important for Lojos to find his lifemate first, but it is. Safia returned to the table and faced Mataias. She moistened her lips, touched her palm to the goddess card beneath her clothing and glanced at Aura. Aura gave her an encouraging smile. Petru knew both women had a fondness for Mataias.
He took the deck and shuffled. Mataias handled the cards with grace, the way he did most things. He seemed to be a completely selfless man. There was an innate gentleness about him. He treated the tarot deck with respect as he divided it and chose a card from each stack, turning them face up.
Safia waited for the cards to speak to her, to answer whatever question Mataias had asked. The answer puzzled her, not making sense to her. She looked up at Petru. “I was born two thousand years after I died and held your soul. Is that normal? I don’t understand how it works.”
“A lifemate can be reborn if she is unclaimed and dies in some way, such as a vampire kills her. The soul can be passed to another if the situation is dire. It doesn’t happen often, but it can happen. Once, that we know of, the female was murdered, but Mother Earth held her spirit for three hundred years, and then she was born anew, a daughter of the earth. When she was born, a male Carpathian was also born, his soul splitting so that she became the keeper of his soul. There are many ways.”