Day Zero (Page 21)

She was running from one of those bag creatures, wending between flaming trees. Her eyes were blank with terror. The red glow of her heart was racing; I could see it.

We met gazes. She was just as terrified of me. Must explain. . . .

Leaping upward, I clumsily flapped my wings until they scooped smoky air—like sails catching a breeze—holding me aloft.

Getting accustomed. Easier now. I was flying! Ah, the rightness!

Where was Febe? There!

I landed a few feet in front of her, holding up my palms. She skidded to a stop, horrified, clearly not recognizing me.

I parted my lips. A clear liquid streamed out of my mouth; it spattered her face.

Acid? As in my dreams. Her flesh sizzled, her eyes and features disintegrating. Her shriek pierced the night.

Wrongness.

The Hanged Man (XII)

[Inactivated card]*

Redacted Redacted , Our Lord Uncanny

“Never redacted redacted I readacted redacted. ”

A.k.a.: Redacted Redacted

Powers: Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted

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Tableau: Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted Redacted

Icon: Redacted Redacted Redacted

Unique Arcana Characteristics: Redacted Redacted Redacted

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Day 0

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*Details hidden by the Fool.

The Tower (XVI)

Joules, Lord of Lightning

“Eyes to the skies, lads, I strike from above!”

A.k.a.: Master of Electricity

Powers: Can generate and control electrical energy. Can electrify his skin and create javelins that transform into lightning bolts.

Special Skills: Precise aiming and superhuman throwing. Singing.

Weapons: Silver javelins engraved with esoteric symbols.

Tableau: Lightning striking a turret, sending people falling.

Icon: Lightning bolt.

Unique Arcana Characteristics: Sparking skin.

Before Flash: A choirboy from Ireland in New York for a singing competition.

Temperance (XIV)

Calanthe, Collectress of Sins

“Crush you with the Weight of Sins.”

A.k.a.: Sin, Collectress of Evils

Powers: Sin detection and pathokinesis (emotion manipulation). Her Weight of Sins power can magnify another’s guilt and horror over past deeds. Is immune to the Empress’s poisons. Enhanced senses, healing, throwing, and precise aiming.

Special Skills: Guile, social adaption.

Weapons: A pair of sai, handheld martial-arts weapons with three prongs.

Tableau: Androgynous robed figure standing on a pedestal, pouring water from one chalice to another; the sun and a bolt of lightning glow in the background.

Icon: A gold chalice.

Unique Arcana Characteristics: When she utilizes her power, a haze erupts around her and ripples of energy seem to flow from her, bombarding her target.

Before Flash: High school student from India, living in the States with her older sister, a chronicler.

New York subway platform

Day 0

“What were you thinking not to sleep with that boy?”

I sat on a bench, flinching as Diya railed at me on the phone. I could picture my sister pacing in our apartment, narrowed eyes flashing with anger.

“I thought I’d convinced him to stay,” I told her.

Yet with his shoulders back and face stoic, Joules had left me, boarding the train to head to the airport for his flight home.

“You gave him no reason to stay, Calanthe.” Diya made a frustrated sound. “You could have locked down an alliance with the Tower!”

My card’s MO was to seek out a stronger player in the beginning of the game, exchanging the knowledge from my chronicles for that card’s strength.

Until I could do away with him or her.

As with most Arcana, my ability grew as the game stretched on. The majority of players didn’t want to harm others, at least not until the heat of battle was upon them, and the guilt was debilitating; my Weight of Sins power was directly proportional to their sense of guilt.

No matter what, I needed the Tower’s help to challenge Death. As long as the Reaper lived, we were all just walking corpses anyway.

“Joules told me he loved me,” I said. But he’d loved his large family back in Ireland more.

“Naturally. Because he wanted to sleep with you.”