Also by Shannon MacLeod
Arcana Love Series
The Celtic Cup
The Gypsy Ribbon
Rogue on the Rollaway
THE CELTIC KNOT
Suit of Cups: Arcana Love, Book One
By SHANNON MACLEOD
LYRICAL PRESS
KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/
For Taylor and Nolan, the two halves of my heart. And for Richard and Virginia, who love me anyway.
Acknowledgements
Antonia Tiranth for amazing patience with silly questions, and for brilliant suggestions that unfailingly made me smack my head and say “why didn’t I think of that?”
Angela Bird for a lifetime of love and support, for never doubting, and for being my anchor in a sea of constant change.
Tricia Warren for the bestest feedback, unflagging moral support, cat nannying and knowing which finger holds the power of the Universe..0.0
Carrie Clevenger for phenomenal ideas, wisdom that far surpasses her years, and Xan. Yeah, especially Xan.
Nerine Dorman for being awesomely supportive, taking a chance and allowing me to join her select group of minions.
Donna Fuentes for cupcakes, zombie apocalypse survival tips, and being the best bad influence anyone could ask for.
Karen Jensen for the first reading of a dreadfully long manuscript and having the grace to say she liked it.
Melanie Perez for always laughing even when my jokes weren’t funny.
Alisha Fairley for being the Best. Cheerleader. Ever.
Jonathan MacLean-Lambie, the Wizard Paradox for his vast knowledge of all things Celtic. Moran taing!
and last but not least—
Had to shuck a bunch of oysters before finally finding a pearl. Thank you for the smiles, ET.
Forward
Tarot: (ta-roh) n. - a set of seventy-eight cards used for divination and meditation.
Tarot cards are divided into two groups–the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The twenty-two Major Arcana cards represent the archetypes of life. These are the steps all must journey through, the lessons we are to learn. The fifty-six Minor Arcana–forty Pips and sixteen Court cards–are divided into four Suits.
Swords. The element of Air, representing Intellect, Communication, Conflict, and Thought. The Swords are associated with the astrological signs of Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini. Wands. The element of Fire, representing Passion, Creativity, Courage, and Energy. The Wands are associated with the astrological signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Cups. The element of Water, representing Love, Intuition, Psychic Ability, and Dreams. The Cups are associated with the astrological signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Pentacles. The element of Earth, representing Prosperity, Fertility, Security, and Manifestation. The Pentacles are associated with the astrological signs of Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo.
The Tarot Court is divided into four groups.
Kings are mature men, and can represent authority figures or situations where one has to deal with those in positions of power. Queens are mature women, and can represent women in positions of authority, or situations where powerful women are involved. Knights are young adults. While they take on the characteristics of the Kings or Queens, they are not yet mature enough to always reach the correct decisions. Pages are usually children or youths, and are associated with messages and information coming into one’s life.
The Tarot is never carved in stone. It is merely a snapshot–a moment in time showing a possible outcome if the present course is not altered. You are the one in charge of your life, and the master of your own destiny
1
She stole through the dense forest, peering into the dark undergrowth for some semblance of a path and finding none. The curtain of trees overhead allowed for little light to break through and more than once, she hurtled into low hanging branches and stifled the startled scream that would give her location away. She scanned the darkness, knowing she must keep moving.
Fright molded her breath into short, uneven gasps. Hearing leaves and twigs crackle under the feet of her unknown pursuer close behind her, she pushed herself harder. Up ahead she saw a tiny light and scrambled for it, keeping low and to the shadows. The light grew brighter and she realized it might be a way out of her forest dungeon. The piercing cry of a bird of prey ripped through the darkness and with adrenaline fueled wings on her feet, she ran toward it…
* * * *
Lily Evans jerked awake when the alarm went off. Early morning, the mid-October sunlight streamed into her bedroom. Covered in sweat and heart racing, it took her a moment to realize she was safe in her bed. She stretched, displacing the large black cat curled up asleep in the crook of her knees. “Same scary dream again, Bella,” she said, ticking the cat behind the ear.
She fumbled around in her nightstand and tugged out a satin drawstring bag. Closing her eyes, she reached into the bag and pulled a tarot card from her much loved Smith-Waite deck. “The Fool,” she read, placing the card back in the bag. “A new beginning. Sounds like a good start.”
She rolled out of bed and began the getting ready for work routine. Her phone rang at eight forty-five sharp just like Lily expected. Beth’s questions came rapid fire. “Are you ready? Are you close to ready? Are you even awake?”
“Of course I’m awake,” Lily teased, smiling at her best friend’s early morning exuberance. “I’m just sitting around waiting for you.”
“I’ll be there in a jiffy,” Beth promised. True to her word, Lily heard her friend charging up the stairs to the second floor apartment less than ten minutes later and ran to unlock the chain and deadbolt before the hammering on the door commenced. “I’m so excited we’ll finally be working together,” Beth squealed. She paused for a breath, took in Lily’s business attire and frowned. “You’re dressed like you’re going straight to work from the Castle.”
Lily sighed and nodded. “I told Lucas I should be in by eleven thirty at the latest.”
Beth’s mouth tightened at the mention of Lily’s self-appointed boyfriend and Lily gave her a pointed look, knowing what elicited the sour expression. “I know you don’t like him,” she said.
Beth’s response was swift. “Nope. I think I’d have to like him more to just not like him,” she said. “You’re selling yourself short. He doesn’t appreciate you at all, you know.”
“He appreciated me enough to give me a job at his dad’s agency,” Lily replied to the often voiced complaint.
“Only so he could keep you under his thumb,” Beth snapped. “I’m just glad he hasn’t asked you to marry him yet. Otherwise, the two of you would already be off raising a whole new generation of insurance agents. You will go to your grave old, wrinkled and insured to the hilt, but he will never make you happy.”
Beth