Candles flickered all around me, dancing along the walls of the darkened room. The orange glow illuminated the woman's face, her eyes wide and brimmed with uncertainty.

"I sense . . .." I paused dramatically, eyeing the cards that I had spread out on the table, mimicking the formation that I had often seen Deacon use. "Great tragedies in your future."

The woman visibly gulped. She shrank back in her seat, hands wringing around each other. If her reaction wasn't so much fun, I may have even felt bad.

"What kind of tragedies?"

I eyed the ring on her left hand, dull and unpolished. I took in her timid composure...