Trading Cards Book Novels & Stories

At his large hands on the table and his eyes anywhere but my face. “Damien,” I said. “It’s just wood,” he said. It was not just wood. Tessa gave books. A carefully chosen stack, children’s stories with beautiful illustrations, the kind that were as much for the parents reading them as for the child hearing them. Tucked between two of them was a small card in her handwriting. For all the nights you read these until you have them memorized. I looked at her over the stack and she lifted her shoulders in that small honest way she had when she meant something more than she knew how to say out loud.

I shrug my shoulders, she presses her lips together for a second and lets out a slight sigh. "What's the limit?" She asks, would having a limit make her feel better about it? "....well it has no limit" I chuckle quietly as she rolls her eyes. Why would I give her a card with a limit on it? I want so desperately for her to spend my money I'm not giving her a credit card with a limit on it. "But I don't care how much you spend on it, if filling that thing with a thousand books will make you happy then use that card to do it" I reiterate. She doesn't say anything but she does pick up the card and turns it over in her hands, still with a look of uncertainty on her face.

Lots of tricks he has in his pocket and he knows the right time to use them. The spy was first. With the spy card he could draw two more cards; he hoped they would be good. He wasn't mistaken, a dragon seeker and a dreamfort. With the seeker card, I can look at two cards and pick one; with the dreamfort I can play any world card. What to play first? The dreamfort…

I asked. "Why not?" His tone was somewhat challenging. I fanned out my cards and tried to keep my face even, blank. "Do you want to trade any cards?" "One." I slid him a card then traded one as well. I couldn't help but smile when it gave me a full house. He laid down a royal flush and my smile was immediately gone. Why luck is not on my side today?

Maxwell said, his voice carrying the quiet, absolute authority of a man who owned the room, "they are welcome to run the card.” Tristan stared at the black card sitting on the table. His mind scrambled. For a split second, genuine shock hit him. It was common knowledge in Tristan's circle what a black card actually meant. It wasn't just a normal credit card. It was a ghost. Invite-only, zero spending limit, reserved for the kind of wealth that moved markets, not just bought sports cars. Only billionaires carried them. But then, logic clawed its way back into Tristan's panicked mind.

“I’ll shuffle them and place a card at each spot. No peeking. We all flip our cards at the same time.” “Can we trade,” Zephyra raises her hand. “Like what if I got lust? I mean, I’m not making out with her just for this stupid game.” “No trading, no takebacks,” I clarify. “You get what you get.” “And you don’t throw a fit,” Simon finishes for me in a sing-songy voice. Zephyra glares at him, her pink lips pouting as her blue eyes shoot daggers from across the table.

He didn't really give a fuck and his vibe was screaming whatever you want. “…Sure,” I said. “Why not?” I shrugged playing alone. Her smile widened. She spread the deck facedown in a wide arc across the table. “Choose three cards,” she said softly. “Past. Present. Future, but be careful, the future would be scary.” I reached out. My fingers were hovering, then I picked three at random. She turned them over one by one. Past: The Tower. A stone tower struck by lightning, flames bursting from the windows, two figures tumbling through the air. Classic chaos card.

Aaron spoke first, his voice rough. "I sorted all your research notes from school. And those snowleaf plants you liked, I had them transplanted with the soil into planters. They're in the trunk." He spoke faster, as if he were afraid I would cut him off. "I'm not trying to keep you. I just…didn't want you to have a hard time adjusting up north." I looked at him, but didn't take anything. Kevin held out a black card and a set of authorization papers. "I set up a research fund for medicinal plants in your name. The first deposit's already been made. It's not compensation nor a trade. You'll need it in Northland."

"Catherine, are you cheating or something?" Triston, Aidan, and their other companion were all in disbelief. Catherine looked at them calmly and softly replied, "Is it that difficult? There are only a total of 54 cards. Just remember them all, and it's that simple." The others thought inwardly, "Remember them all?" Everyone was speechless.