10

Dominique watches eagerly as you turn over the card.

Next

It's the Six of Coins. This deck depicts a field of wheat; in the foreground, six golden ears of wheat drift to the ground, while rabbits and finches await the field's bounty.

"This is interesting!" Dominique says. "It's a bit about equity, and a bit about sharing largesse and treasures. Maybe you'll do that this year!"

You study the card for a moment.

Dominique shrugs. "The good thing about the cards is that you can learn more about yourself, even if it doesn't exactly match," he says.

He takes back the card.

He Shuffles

Dominique shrugs and raises an eyebrow at Beaumont. "Your turn."

Beaumont sighs heavily and theatrically. "You're ridiculous," he tells him, though not without faint amusement. He picks a card from the pile without a trace of ceremony and turns it over.

Next

It's the Dove. The card depicts the Dove as a ghost rising from the corpse of a bird beneath a dark forest. The sunrise glows behind the trees. Beaumont stares at it for a moment, lip curled. "Marvelous," he says in a brittle tone.

Dominique looks stricken. "It's not actually about ghosts," he says, scrambling to reassure him. "It's saying you'll have a revelatory experience this year. There's the sky in the backdrop, see?"

"Yes, I can see it, thank you," Beaumont snaps.

Dominique takes the card and shuffles it into his pile. "Asher now?" he says.

Next

Asher looks nervous as they take a card from near the bottom of the pile. "This doesn't control the future, though, does it?" they say.

"Of course it doesn't," Beaumont says, just as Dominique says, "No one can tell such a thing."

Asher turns over the card.

Next

It's the Ten of Hearts, representing joyful family, blood or chosen. The card depicts a herd of elephants at a waterhole, a rainbow spread over the tableau. Asher grins. "Oh, that looks nice," they say.

"It is!" Dominique says. "Joyful family, blood or chosen. It suggests that this year, you'll find a place that's perfect for you."

Asher grins. "I have that anyway," they say.

Dominique slides the card across the desk, and shuffles it into the deck.

"And now," he says, "I'll…"

The door opens, and he breaks off. Javi strides in, having finished her unpacking.

Next

Javi pauses in the doorway, illuminated dramatically. The soft glow of the lamplight shines on her dark curls, and highlights the golden shimmer on her brown cheekbones. Dominique smiles eagerly at her; Beaumont uncurls in his chair, watching with interest.

Javi's lips press together. "It's a shame these old buildings aren't better insulated," she says.

It's not the wittiest of retorts, and there's a frustration in her tone that makes it clear you've aggravated her.

"Actually," she says, sweeping into the room with head held high, "I was wondering about performing a little test."

Behind her, her bodyguard Ibarra looks briefly irritated, then goes to sit unobtrusively in the reading corner, watchful and ready.

"What sort of test?" Dominique says brightly.

"A sparring match," Javi says, and points at Asher. "Between me and them. To see how Hugoz's bodyguard holds up during an attack."

Asher sits up very straight, looking entirely alarmed. "Prince Hugoz," they start to say uncertainly.

Javi claps Asher jovially on the shoulder. "You're not scared, are you?"

Asher looks to you desperately. They clearly do not want to do anything of the sort—and yet. If Asher trounced Javi, it would ruin Javi's day, and perhaps raise Asher's spirits in the end.

Asher gasps. "Prince Hugoz, you shouldn't—"

"No, he absolutely should," Javi says, eyes alight. "Come, then."

She shrugs off her jacket and leaves it pooled on the floor. You hang yours on the back of your chair and roll up your sleeves.

You've sparred before, of course; with Asher, and with the athletics trainers at the palace. But a fight in a common room, in front of your peers, with someone who clearly dislikes you—this is different. You raise your fists while Javi lowers into a fighting crouch. Then she lunges for you.

You dart sideways, keeping your gaze on Javi at every moment as she barrels past you.

Before she can regain her balance, you turn smoothly on your heel. It's the work of a moment to wrench her arm up behind her back into an armlock.

Dominique cheers nervously. You have the upper hand: it's your choice how you proceed.

We're done," you say firmly, and release Javi. She surges to her feet, but you refuse to engage.

"Fine," she snarls.

You face Javi. Her face is bright with emotion and exertion, and she's breathing hard. Rather than speaking, she stalks out of the room without a word.

Asher looks stricken. "I should have sparred with her like she wanted," they say.

Ibarra rises from her vantage point and claps Asher on the shoulder without rancor. "It's not you," she says. As she goes to follow Javi out, she adds, "Maybe it's time to turn in."

You are inclined to agree.

Next

As soon as you're in your rooms and the door is safely closed, Asher bursts out, "I'm sorry. I should have sparred with her instead of letting you do it. Now I've made everything worse."

They're hugging their jacket to their chest. You remember, suddenly, the moment they swore into your service. You were both ten; even kneeling to kiss your hand, they seemed like they were about twice your height. Then, their face was radiant with excitement. Now, they look absolutely miserable.

Asher gives a rueful grimace. "You're right," they say.

They're quiet for a moment, looking down at the jacket in their arms, and when they look up, there's an uncertain, but warm, expression in their blue eyes.

"You were very heroic," they confess. "Fighting so I didn't have to. You did well."

They stumble over the words. They've always treated you with care, but there's a kind of affection in their tone that you hadn't noticed before. But you're certain they wouldn't dream of saying something outright unless you were to do so.

You've always been a good bodyguard," you say, with a faint emphasis on "bodyguard," and Asher nods happily.

"I appreciate that," they say cheerfully. "All right. I'll do the rounds and check the building. You turn in—you don't want to be tired tomorrow."