The Lesser Evil - 8. The Three-Card Reading

“Damn it!” Edwin hissed angrily, smacking his pliers on the counter. The ankle bracelet he was trying to repair was too delicate, and with his nerves getting the best of him, he could not focus and keep his hand steady. As much as he tried to bury himself in work - cleaning the crystals he found in nature and fixing the broken jewelry - his mind kept wandering off to Ida and Lothar. As if his best friend being missing was not bad enough, Lothar had also not appeared in several days. Edwin couldn’t help but wonder, what if the demon was avoiding him on purpose? Just last night, he had an unnerving nightmare about Mildburg’s death, and as much as he wished it wasn’t so, he had to wonder if Lothar was responsible for it. Maybe it was all a coincidence, he tried to convince himself. After all, how much did he know the old woman? She could have had many enemies who wanted her dead.

Forcing himself to focus on his work, Edwin somehow went back to the task at hand, losing all track of time while he worked on the jewelry. Several customers had come and gone, looking through the goods and purchasing some. Once he was left alone, he looked through the window, observing the people outside going about their way and the tall trees swaying in the wind.

All of a sudden, he could feel shivers down his spine, and he knew he was no longer alone. He turned around only to see Lothar standing by the door, as expected. The demon looked moody, his red eyes darker than usual.

“Where have you been?” was the first thing Edwin asked. He was angry and impatient, yet he hated how his voice betrayed the concern he felt somewhere deep inside.

“Home. Had to take care of some things,” Lothar replied, walking over across the room. Before he reached Edwin, he stopped, as if changing his mind, and sat on a nearby chair instead.

“Did you find anything out? Anything that could help us?”

“Just confirmed what we already knew. I met the guy who was assigned to Helga’s case. He’d been spying on the angels for a long time and managed to find out where they took her, but that’s as far as he got. They’re probably keeping your friend at the same place. It’s called the Cultivation Spire, a place for training new angels.”

“So, how do we get there?” Edwin asked passionately, staring at Lothar with full attention, as if itching to spring into action at that very moment. “We can’t waste any time, we have to…”

“Hold on a second,” the demon chuckled softly, raising a hand to interrupt him. “We? You don’t think you’re going up there, do you?”

“Of course I am. Ida is my friend. If anyone has to go and save her, it’s me,” Edwin insisted. He glared at Lothar, making sure to show he was being completely serious. Ida disappeared while she was with him, and it was his responsibility to rescue her. He would not allow another person he cared about to suffer.

“Edwin, I’m not taking you there,” Lothar dismissed him. “You’re human, you wouldn’t last a day in our domains. If either side found you there, you’d be dead.”

“I don’t care. Next time you go, you’ll take me…”

“No!” the demon raised his voice, bolting angrily from his chair. He started pacing across the room, running fingers through his white hair. Despite being startled, Edwin stood his ground, observing him quietly, but fuming on the inside. “If I took you there, I wouldn’t be able to protect you, and I don’t want to have to worry about you too. Cromwell would have you killed on sight, and the angels… I don’t know what they’d do, but it can’t be good. No, it’s better for you to stay here, trust me.”

“Trust you?” Edwin murmured, loud enough to be heard, as he side-eyed Lothar.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the demon stopped, facing the other man.

The shopkeeper stared for just a few moments before he opened his mouth, knowing that he would burst if he stayed silent. “Mildburg is dead. Murdered.”

“Who?” Lothar blinked, furrowing his brows.

“Mildburg. The old lady who came to the shop the other day.”

“Ohh…” Lothar nodded, and Edwin could notice a hint of recognition passing across his face. “Do you think it has something to do with your friend?”

“You tell me,” Edwin replied as he approached a small wooden cabinet and opened the first drawer, taking a small black gemstone out of it. “I found this on the floor, next to her dead body.”

As Lothar’s eyes fell upon the stone, there was no doubt in Edwin’s mind that he knew what it was.

“Tourmaline. And what about it? Wait… Don’t tell me you think I had anything to do with it?”

“What am I supposed to think?! One day she gives me the stone to protect me from you, the next I find her dead. What would you think if you were me?” Edwin asked, their conversation turning into a shouting match. He could feel his face heating up with anger, but Lothar’s eyes were fire itself. He had never seen the demon look so angry, so… dangerous.

“I can’t believe this! Ever since I got here, I’ve done nothing but try and help you find your friend!”

“And was tricking me into giving up my soul a part of that?”

Lothar stopped for a moment, glaring at Edwin. “For someone so eager to go to the angels’ domain and get himself killed, you sure care a lot about your soul,” he replied sarcastically, making the other man even angrier.

“Why did I ever think I could trust a demon? Yes, you helped because it’s your mission. You said it yourself, you were ordered to do this,” Edwin replied, trying to read Lothar’s expression, but the demon turned away, refusing to look at him.

“Not just because it’s my mission,” he muttered under his breath.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Lothar replied gloomily, buttoning up his black jacket. “I have to go. I’m sorry about Mildburg’s death, but I had nothing to do with it. I thought you of all people would know that,” he added, still refusing to look at Edwin, before vanishing from the room.

“Fuck!” the shopkeeper yelled as he stormed off to the kitchen, slamming the door behind him. He grabbed a bottle of ale from the table and poured himself a glass, needing something strong. The liquid burned his throat as he swallowed, but it felt good.

After the short break, he returned to the shop to continue his work, the fight with Lothar still on his mind. Why did the demon have to be so insufferable yet so… irresistible? It would be much easier if he was all evil - at least then Edwin would know where he stood, but right now, he had no idea.

After a few more futile attempts to get something done, it was clear to Edwin he would not get any more work done that day. He could not focus on anything, so he put his tools away and decided to clean up the place and close early.

Just as he was about to lock up, the tiny bell on the door rang out as an elderly woman walked in. Edwin looked up, taking in the strange figure in front of him. The woman, whose long, gray hair still had some streaks of auburn in it, wore a long, flowery dress that almost touched the floor. Her hands were practically covered in rings and bracelets, as if she had just purchased every item in Edwin’s shop. In one of the hands, she was clutching an oversized linen bag that seemed stuffed with items.

“Good afternoon, how can I help you?” Edwin greeted her, putting on his best smile.

For a moment, the woman just stood at the door, looking around with a mysterious smile on her wrinkled face. Her brown eyes looked old and deep, as if full of wisdom and secrets only she knew. So strange, yet so familiar.

“You must be Edwin. It is lovely to finally meet you!” she replied warmly as she walked toward him.

“That’s me alright. I’m sorry, but should I know you?” the shopkeeper was confused, but still walked out from behind the counter to greet the woman, extending a hand.

“You may know of me, though we’ve never met before. My name is Sigrid,” the old lady explained as she shook his hand. Edwin opened his mouth to speak as realization hit him.

“Oh, you’re… Mildburg’s sister,” he concluded, receiving a nod in reply. “I am so sorry for your loss. Mildburg was a good woman, and I wish I could’ve gotten to know her better.”

“That is sweet of you indeed, but please, let us not get all bleak right now. I don’t want my sister to see me cry. For now, I need your help - if you’re willing, of course. And then, I promise to help you in return,” she spoke as she squeezed his hand, her eyes full of sympathy and understanding. Edwin stared at them for just a moment, wondering how much she knew.

“Of course, what do you need help with?”

“I wish to speak to my sister, of course. I am going to find out who killed her.”

“You can do that?” he asked in wonder.

“Yes, at least I hope so. I shall need to make some preparations first, and if all goes well, it will allow me to connect to Mildburg’s spirit,” Sigrid explained, though it hardly made things any clearer for Edwin.

“I see. And… how can I help?”

“You can start by showing me to your kitchen. I shall need to prepare everything for the ritual first.”

“Of course, it’s this way,” Edwin pointed to the door to the right of the counter. After locking the front door and placing the ‘Closed’ sign, he joined the old woman in the kitchen. She had already placed her bag on the table, pulling various jars and bundles of herbs from it, arranging them on the wooden surface. All the while, she glanced around, as if analysing the room and everything in it.

“It’s a bit small, but I think we’ll manage,” Edwin commented, just to break the silence.

“It’s not that I’m concerned about,” Sigrid shook her head. “Dark forces have been here, I can tell,” she added, looking straight into the shopkeeper’s eyes. He said nothing, but he somehow knew there was no use in trying to lie to her - she knew that whoever had visited his home, Edwin had let them in.

While Sigrid busied herself chopping and mixing the ingredients in a bowl, Edwin went over to the stove to make some tea. As the water began to boil, he looked at the jars on a long shelf on the wall, wondering which herb to choose.

“Sage would be nice,” Sigrid said before he even had a chance to ask.

“Oh... alright,” Edwin replied, reaching for a glass jar on the shelf.

Soon enough, an aromatic sage infusion steamed from two mugs, filling the small kitchen with a warm, herbal smell.

“So, have you set everything up?” he asked after joining her at the table, eyeing the curiously-looking concoction in a bowl in front of the woman. It seemed to be constantly shifting between translucent and opaque, with a rare bubble popping up to the surface every few moments even though it was nowhere near the stove.

“Almost. We have to wait a while for the mixture to settle,” she replied. “While we wait, what do you say I do a tarot reading for you - as a way of showing my gratitude for helping me?”

“If you’re sure,” he shrugged. A month ago, he would have dismissed the idea as pointless and a waste of time, but now, he couldn’t deny he was curious what she would have to say. “I suppose it can’t hurt, right?”

“A reading itself can never hurt,” the old woman responded, taking a worn-out tarot deck out of her bag. She had really come prepared, Edwin noticed. What else did she have in there? “It is up to you to decide what to do with the information you’re given. If you heed the warnings and pay close attention to the signs, you can make adjustments and ensure good fortune.”

The woman took the cards and shuffled them carefully before placing them face down on the table and spreading them with one hand into an arc.

“Now, take one hand and move it over the cards, focusing on something you need an answer for,” she instructed Edwin. “Then, pull out three cards and place them on the table face down.”

Without a word, Edwin did as she asked, holding up his right hand and moving it above the cards, observing them. When the moment felt right, he pulled out one card, followed by another, and then one more.

“Very well. Now, let us see what you’ve drawn,” the woman announced, taking the leftmost card and flipping it over from the side.

Edwin’s eyes were glued to the card as his heart pounded in his chest. The image showed a solitary mermaid lying on a stone by the shore, her head hung low, as if she was mourning. On the ground in front of her lay three overturned goblets, while behind her stood two goblets filled with water. The text at the bottom read: Five of Cups.

“Is… is this good?” he asked, glancing up at the woman, who was still transfixed on the card.

“Five of cups,” she spoke aloud, as if ignoring his question. “This card represents your past, symbolizing loss and sorrow. There was something or someone you lost, and you’re still missing them,” she added.

Edwin stared at the card, thinking of Ida, but also his little sister, Marcella. There was not a day he didn’t think of her. One day, he would see her again. He finally nodded, looking up at the old woman.

“Marcella,” he said in a quiet tone. “She’s my sister. I… I had to leave her behind when I came here. Does this mean I’ll get to see her again?”

“The cards cannot reveal that,” Sigrid answered sympathetically. “All they can do is present your situation and give you clarity so you can better decide what to do. May I ask what caused you to leave your sister?”

He sighed, averting his gaze. He had not told that story to anyone except Ida, but the old woman seemed to exude not only wisdom, but also comfort and safety. Before he could change his mind and shut off again, he started opening up.

“It was a few years ago, but I see it as clearly as if it was yesterday. We were out in the fields, horseback riding, but this time Marcella wanted to ride on her own. Our parents would never let her, but she kept insisting she was big enough. She was only thirteen at the time. Stupidly, I thought it would be alright, so I mounted her on a horse and let her ride it, but then… It all happened so quickly. The bloody animal must have gotten spooked and threw her off. She fell on some rocks and started screaming in pain. I can never get that image out of my head, Marcella lying on the ground, wailing in agony, so small and helpless.” Edwin’s lip quivered as tears rolled down his cheeks, the memory of his little sister breaking his heart yet again. “The accident left her paralyzed. Our parents could never forgive me. They blamed me for it, and they had every right to do so. That night, they told me they never wanted to see me again, so I packed and left home, coming here. I didn’t even say goodbye to her, I just couldn’t. I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me.”

“I’m sorry for what happened, boy,” Sigrid reached over, taking Edwin’s hand in her own and giving it a gentle squeeze. “This loss, it is still affecting you, perhaps even ruling your life. The cards are telling you to focus on the present and the future instead of living in regret. You cannot change the past, but you can work on creating a better future for yourself. And remember, it is never too late. You can see your sister again. But first you have to forgive yourself, for I think she already has.”

Edwin didn’t say a word, but simply wiped his tears with the sleeves of his shirt. If only Sigrid’s words were true. At that moment, there was nothing he wanted more.

“Now, let us see what the next card shows,” the woman said, flipping over the middle card. This time, the image showed two snakes coiled around each other against a background of red and white leaves. The text at the bottom of the card read: The Lovers.

There was only one person on Edwin’s mind when he saw the card. Even though they were not lovers in any sense of the word, having only shared a kiss, there was no doubt in Edwin’s mind who the card was referring to.

“Ah, kindred spirits, soulmates!” Sigrid proclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “Do you have anyone special in your life, Edwin?”

“Uh, I… no,” he replied, not looking her in the eyes.

“Then you might very well meet that person soon. And not just anyone, but someone with whom you could forge a deep bond. The Lovers is all about a perfect union, a partnership, but it can also mean there are major choices ahead of you. You could be faced with a dilemma about something or someone in your life, and you will have to make an important decision. Even if it seems difficult, it will lead you to greater things in life as long as you make sure to be prudent and make the right decision.”

“But… how will I know what the right decision is?”

“You will feel it. We can always sense what the right choice is, we just have to trust our instincts. It is just a matter of being brave and having faith,” Sigrid replied. “Now, the final card.”

As the woman flipped the third card over, Edwin felt his stomach drop as he stared at the image. A black raven perched on top of a skull, while a dark, armor-clad figure stood behind him, wielding a scythe. The text at the bottom consisted of just one word: Death. The anxious expression on his face must have been clear as day, as Sigrid was quick to explain what the card actually meant.

“Ah, Death. Possibly the most feared of all the Major Arcana, but also the most misunderstood.”

“So, it doesn’t mean I’m going to die?”

“No, rest assured that although it seems frightening, Death can be a very positive card,” the woman reassured him. “It does not mean physical death, but a major transformation in life, the end of one phase and the beginning of a new one. This change may be sudden and scary, but it is also necessary. This card tells you that you should accept such transformation as a positive, cleansing experience, instead of resisting it.”

“But what kind of change?” Edwin asked, still confused.

“It’s too early to say now, but I’m sure you’ll recognize it when it comes your way. And now, you will hopefully be prepared for it, otherwise…”

At that moment, the liquid in the cauldron turned milky white, drawing Sigrid’s attention. Edwin followed her gaze, noticing the change as well.

“It is time,” she announced, calmly pulling the cauldron closer and raising a hand above it. She extended the other one to Edwin. “Can you please give me a hand? I shall need your energy as well.”

With a nod, the shopkeeper obeyed, holding her hand as he looked into the cauldron. Sigrid began murmuring words in a strange language Edwin had never heard before. The only word he was able to recognize was ‘Mildburg’. Silent, he kept staring until the old woman stopped with her incantations and the liquid became translucent once again. A moment later, a familiar face appeared on the surface, causing Edwin to gasp and squeeze Sigrid’s hand harder.

“That’s…”

“Mildburg,” Sigrid spoke, staring at her sister. Edwin decided to stay quiet, afraid of ruining the moment and perhaps even cancelling the incantation.

“Finally! What took you so long?” the older woman replied, her voice distant and echoey. She did not sound angry, Edwin noticed, but rather sarcastic. He could hardly believe he was observing an image of a dead woman, talking to them.

“Hey! You’re lucky you’re on the other side,” Sigrid frowned. “I can’t believe you’re gone. I… I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.”

“It was hardly my choice, was it now?” the other woman’s spirit replied. “I see you’ve had help. I’m glad you’re here too, Edwin.”

“I… I’m sorry about what happened,” the young man said, a look of sympathy and confusion on his face. What do you even say to a dead woman who possibly died for trying to help you? He couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“It’s not your fault, dear boy. I don’t want you to blame yourself for what happened.”

“Then who was it?” Sigrid asked impatiently, as Edwin held his breath in anticipation. He was finally one step closer to finding out the truth, and perhaps even finding Ida. As long as the answer wasn’t Lothar. “I hope you saw them, because I shall make them pay!”

“Oh, of course I saw him. I let him into my home because I never suspected him. Bloody fool I was,” Mildburg replied with bitterness in her voice. “It was that old rat, Agilmar. He was the one who killed me!”