Chapter Three

“Okay light the candles. We will start with the cards first.”

Gran started to shuffle the cards. She will read Frey first, then mine. And if Seth would also like, Gran said she could read his cards as well. Gran took Frey’s hand palm up and placed the card on top of it.

“Here is your card, Frey.” Gran placed two cards from the deck in Frey's hand on the table. She tilted her head and her forehead crinkled.

“What is it?” Frey asked. Gran took another two. And another two.

“What does it read, Gran?” I asked as I can see the tension on her face.

“Frey. You will encounter some great hardship in the very near future. You would need to prepare yourself. A relationship made of lies and betrayal will be revealed. It will not only break your heart but also your body.” Gran said seriously. She took the deck from Frey.

“Break my body? Would I get a broken ankle or something like that?” Frey asked, laughing a little to ease the tension.

“Something very important will be lost in a place you are not familiar with. Be careful.” Gran held her hand. 

I took her other hand as well to comfort her. It is very cold and I can tell that she got scared.

“Well, you know kids. Sometimes the cards don’t mean anything. But just be careful all the time. We make our own decisions and the cards can’t tell us what to do. Okay?” Gran assured us as she also took my hand.

“My turn.” I said with enthusiasm to lift the mood up. 

Gran smiled the shuffled the deck once again. She shuffled it three times this time. She then took my hand as well, palm up, and placed the deck of cards on top of it. She took two cards at a time and placed them on the table.

“You will receive a big title. But something will be taken from you in exchange for it. Trials. I can also see a lot of trials for a very long time. You will go into a place that holds a very special meaning to you. Travel with a loved one.” Gran said as she try to read the cards.

“I don’t think it makes sense.” I said sheepishly as I actually don’t get it.

“I think so too, my dear.” Gran took the deck from my hand.

But when she touched my hand, Gran suddenly grabbed it and held it very tight. She threw her head back and started convulsing. I can only see the white in her eyes. 

“Grandma! Grandma!” Seth stood up and tried to stop Gran from her seizures.

“I’ll call 911.” Frey took her phone and then went out to make a call.

“Granny, what’s happening?” I shouted. 

Then her shaking stopped. She slowly straightened her head towards me. Her eyes are still rolled up and her grip is still tight. She suddenly spoke with a voice that is not hers.

On the day the moon and the sun kiss,

The birth of a morningstar shall cause demise.

The evil shall bow down, and kiss the hem of her gown.

The Most High will once again be thy guide.

“You, the Morningstar Daughter. You shall die!” she shouted  and then grabbed my neck to choke me.

She was strong despite her fragile body. She sent me flying across the diner. My legs hit one of the benches and I fell down laying on the seat.

Gran is still on top of me screaming that I should die. Seth is giving his all to pull her back away. A strong gust of wind entered the door of the diner and Pops appeared. He pulled Gran away from me and slapped her hard. Gran froze for a second before collapsing. Pops caught her before she hit the ground.

“Are you alright?” Seth helped me raise my body from the seat. 

I am coughing my lungs out as I try to catch my breath. Frey came in to tell us that help is on the way. Gran is still unconscious as Pops laid her on the floor.

“What happened, Zaria?” Pops asked me.

“We were playing and Gran is reading us tarot cards. Then she suddenly started shaking and then when she stopped, she choked me.” I tried my best to summarize our night. 

“She started speaking in a different voice. She said something like a prophecy and shouted at Zari that she should die.” Seth added as he gave me water to drink.

Pops gave us a worried look. He took me and Frey home. He said he will talk to the medic once they arrive just to see if Gran is okay. 

“We will talk tomorrow, Zari.” Pops told me. We went to my room as Pops speaks with my parents.

“Are we in trouble?” Frey asked me. I honestly don’t know. But I don’t want to scare Frey anymore. She already had so much for tonight.

“I don’t think so. Don’t worry. Would you like to watch a movie?” I asked her to divert her attention.

“Sure.” She agreed. 

We picked a horror documentary film about a demon girl that fell in love with a mortal.

“It would have been so cool to be a demon.” Frey said while watching.

“How can you say so?” I asked.

“Well you got these superpowers and you got to see angels and fight them and punish all the bad guys.” I laughed.

“Not every demon has superpowers, Frey.” I said absentmindedly.

“How do you know?” She asked. The question caught me off-guard.

“Well, you see in other movies right? They just scare people.” I laughed hesitantly, hoping my reason is believable.

“I don’t think so. I think all demons have powers.” I didn’t answer back just in case I say something weird again.

Well yes. All demons have power over mortals. But not until their 16th birthday. I had my power a little. I was almost disappointed that I didn’t receive my powers at exactly midnight on my 16th birthday, but I received them after the Becoming Ceremony.

What powers do I have? I have telekineses and hypnotism. I can move things with my mind or hypnotize anyone that I like, even demons. But I don’t use it. It’s fun living like a normal mortal.

Frey slept throughout half of the movie. I thought she would have a hard time sleeping because of the events earlier. But it’s better.

I finished the movie. The mortal boy died and the demon girl revived him as a demon and they lived together. That’s impossible. A regular demon does not have that kind of power. You would need to ask for God’s approval to send that person to hell, then Lucifer’s approval to turn him into a demon, then bathe the mortal in the river Styx to remove his mortal body and a demon will capture his soul and Lucifer will make him a demon body.

It’s a process, I know. And the very first step is the hardest.

I went to sleep right after I turned the movie off. I tossed and turned for like an hour before I found my perfect position to sleep in. But it was not a peaceful sleep.

I dreamed of Hell. I’ve been there before, on a tour from Pops. But I am not in Lucifer’s realm. It’s in one of the circles. 

I dreamed that I was in a boat with Charon, the boatman of the river Styx that delivers souls to hell. The water of the river is lava, and the souls of the sinners are trying to grasp the boat in the hope to save themselves. I got off in one of the banks and when I turned, I was in the seventh circle. The sand is burning my feet and then it’s running fire. The sand that I am standing on turned into quicksand, swallowing me. The sand is burning my skin, and the demons around me are all screaming for me to die.

When I woke up, it was three in the morning.