Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
“I remember.”
“But, do you believe me?”
“So much has happened, I no longer know myself, so yes, I believe you.”
“What has been the change?”
“I. . .” My voice grew hoarse. “I love Emily different.”
“Different how?”
“Before my love was full of passion, lots of lust, and an all-encompassing desire to possess her in every way.”
“And now?”
I shook my head. “Is this discussion necessary?”
“How has the way you love Emily changed?”
“Now, I want to heal and protect her. I want to love her so much that all her pain withers away. I want to make her happy for a lifetime, not just one day. I want to. . .”
“Continue.”
I stirred in my seat. “Begin the reading.”
She shook her head. “Separate the cards in as many piles as you want, and then pick the first card.”
Sighing, I reached over and divided the cards into five piles. Then, I picked one card from the third pile’s bottom and lay it on the desk without turning it over. “Here.”
“This deck that your energy has drawn is an interesting set. It comes from the idea of moonology.”
“Which is what?”
“The cycles of the moon have a huge effect on our health, our mood, our relationships, and our work.”
“I have always believed that.”
“Then, you are truly in sync with the moon. Possibly because you are a Cancer—”
“I am a Leo. It is the lion.”
She rolled her eyes, took a hit of the joint, and then exhaled. “The moon empowers you during certain phases. However, this reading will tell you about your personal moon phases in your days to come.”
“I do not understand.”
“Kazimir, in this situation,” she pointed at me. “you are the moon—turning dark to light, traveling across the cosmological signs and making them your home.”
I frowned. “How can I heal Emily?”
“Turn over the card.”
I did.
The card showed a new moon. Under it were two lines, displaying golden words.
I read them out loud. “New Moon. You must go through a powerful change to begin the cycle.”
“Change.” Baba flicked the ash in the ashtray. “To heal Emily, you must change. And if you change, everything changes around you. Your men. The Brotherhood. Even your enemies.”
“I am already changing enough.”
She wagged her finger. “Two innocent people died this evening, and the blood is as much on your hands as it is on Lunita’s. Change some more.”
My stomach twisted.
She gave me a sad smile. “The fact that you did not dispute what I just said, at least shows me that you are already changing on the inside.”
I shrugged. “I did not want that couple to die.”
“The Kazimir from last year would not have given their deaths another thought, but then the Lion met the Mouse. . .”
I sighed. “But then the Lion met the Mouse.”
She leaned over and handed me the joint.
With no protest, I took it.
“Tonight, Lunita did what Emily could not. She put her foot down with you when it came to Paolo.” Baba leaned back in her chair. “Unfortunately, Lunita’s methods only deal with blood and death.”
I inhaled the joint.
“Turn over the next card. Let us see how you can make this change.”
I exhaled smoke, grabbed the top card from the first pile, and flipped it over.
Baba laughed when she saw the image.
Nervous, I put it on the desk.
In this image, A lion’s face had been painted in the center of a full moon. Under it the gold words proclaimed, “Full Moon in Leo. Don’t let pride get in your way.”
Baba grinned. “I think I like these cards a lot.”
“And I think you may be a little too high.” I reached for the ashtray, stamped out the joint, and placed it out of both of our reach.
“I do feel quite better.” The grin remained on her face. “But, what is pride, Lion?”
“Honest confidence in oneself.”
“My mother used to tell me that pride can cost you everything, yet leave you with absolutely nothing.”
“I do not see how this relates to healing Emily.”
“Your own pride is keeping you from fixing the broken parts of your heart.”
“There is nothing broken in my heart.”
“No?”
“None when it comes to Emily—”
“And what about Pavel?”
The line in my jaw twitched. “What about him? I did what needed to be done.”
“And how do you feel?”
I looked at the joint, wishing I had not stamped it out. “What does this have to do with Emily’s healing?”
“Paolo is a bright light in this dark war. You would know that if you would allow yourself to look into the light and feel its glow.”
I closed my eyes.
“Kazimir.”
I opened my eyes.
“How can you heal Emily, if you are not willing to heal yourself.” She gestured to the pile. “Pick the next card.”
“I would rather you find the other deck.”
“That deck is no longer available to you.”
Sighing, I leaned over, took a card from the last pile, and turned it over.
Baba whispered, “Interesting.”