THE DAUGHTERS MET at Serena’s house. It was late and Jimena was still upset about her premonition.
Wally, Serena’s pet raccoon, sat on the kitchen table. He stood up on his hind legs when Catty and Vanessa entered through the back door with a grocery bag. They sat down and opened a quart of chocolate ice cream. Catty took a spoon and dug in, then handed the carton to Vanessa, who dripped a long string of chocolate syrup into the carton.
“What’s wrong with Jimena?” Catty asked.
“She had a premonition,” Serena said. “About Veto.” She didn’t need to add that Jimena had never been able to stop her premonitions from coming true.
Jimena slowly told them what she had seen.
When she finished, Vanessa was the first to speak. “Maybe this premonition isn’t as bad as it seems. Maybe Veto fell into a construction ditch and a rescue team pulls him out.”
“Or maybe it was water,” Catty put in. “Maybe he just falls into dark water that could look like a bottomless pit.”
Jimena shook her head.
Serena shuffled her tarot cards. “Maybe Vanessa is right. There could be another meaning. Let’s look at the cards and see if we get a clue.”
Jimena hesitated. “I don’t know.”
“Let’s try,” Catty put her hand on the deck. “We’ll all put our thoughts into it and see what comes out.”
“Yeah, let’s try.” Vanessa tapped the deck with her knuckles, then dug her spoon into the ice cream.
“Okay,” Jimena reluctantly agreed. Serena shuffled the cards and set them in front of Jimena. Jimena picked one and handed it back to Serena.
Serena gasped. “The death card.”
Vanessa dropped her spoon. It hit the table with a loud clatter.
“Yikes.” Catty looked worried.
They were silent for a long time, each lost in her own thoughts.
Finally, Vanessa spoke softly. “The death card can mean the end of a relationship, right?”
Serena nodded.
Vanessa continued. “Then I think the card is for me. It’s telling me my relationship with Michael is over.”
They looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa bit her bottom lip. “I told him tonight that we should start seeing other people.”
“But I thought you’d worked everything out?” Catty stared at her in disbelief.
“Yeah,” Jimena added. “You were so cozy at Planet Bang.”
Vanessa shrugged. “I know. I like him so much, but he’s going on tour this summer.”
“So?” Catty said.
“So . . . what kind of summer will that be for me? I mean, I like him and I know I’ll miss him, but I can’t allow myself to be defined only as Michael Saratoga’s girlfriend. Besides he’ll meet zillions of girls.”
“You’re crazy.” Catty shook her head. “Michael is perfect for you.”
Serena looked down at the table. “The death card can definitely mean the end of a relationship.” Her words were so mournful that everyone stared at her. “The card isn’t for you, Vanessa.” Serena looked up and her words trailed away.
“Go ahead and tell them,” Jimena urged. “They’ll understand. You’ve kept it a secret too long.”
“What?” Catty and Vanessa said together.
“I have a confession to make.” It took Serena a long time to say the words. “I’ve been seeing Stanton, not just seeing him, but seeing him.”
“Seeing?” Catty’s eyes were wide with disbelief.
“As in, dating?” Vanessa couldn’t hide the shock in her voice.
Serena nodded. “For a long time now we’ve been meeting secretly and . . . I really like him but—”
“But that kind of relationship is forbidden.” Vanessa looked from Serena to Jimena. “You knew about this?”
Jimena nodded.
“And you didn’t tell us?” Catty seemed angry. “You should have told us. Serena could have been putting us all in danger.”
“It’s just that I like him so much,” Serena offered. “And he’s different with me. He treats me nice. He’s so sweet and—”
“What about the Regulators?” Vanessa asked.
“I know.” Serena nervously clicked her tongue piercing against her teeth. “If I stop and think about the Regulators I get terrified because I know the Regulators would destroy us both. That’s why I had to keep it a secret . . . from everyone.”
“And how could the Atrox not know? Since it hasn’t sent Regulators after you, aren’t you concerned that Stanton’s relationship with you is part of a bigger plan?” Catty asked. “Like Cassandra’s plan?”
“I don’t think so,” Jimena defended her. “I’ve seen them together. I think he really cares about Serena.”
“That time he trapped me in his memories,” Vanessa started. “He didn’t seem all bad. I actually felt sorry for him.”
“Please,” Catty interrupted. “This guy has tried to destroy us, and you’re telling me you feel sorry for him?”
“I was deep in his consciousness,” Vanessa argued. “And it just felt like part of him wanted to be free from his bondage to the Atrox.”
A hush fell over them.
Finally, Jimena picked up the death card. “Maybe it’s something else. Maybe the card is warning us about Cassandra. She’s our immediate threat.”
“You’re right,” Vanessa agreed.
“First thing in the morning we should go see Maggie,” Serena added.
Jimena set the death card in the middle of the table and stared at the skeleton dressed in a knight’s armor. End, transformation, change, and loss. Those were the words most commonly associated with the death card. She had heard Serena say them enough. None of those words boded well for their futures. She looked around the table and had a sudden feeling that they were all in inexplicable danger. It wasn’t a premonition, exactly, but the odd feeling carried an inkling of foreboding that made her hands tremble.