“Isn’t the King of Pentacles the strongest representation of an artist in the tarot, capturing the struggle between inspiration and criticism?” Amelia suddenly adds.

I shoot her a look: I’m supposed to be the only tarot expert here, remember?

“I might have gotten into the tarot through my bestie here,” Amelia says, winking.

“Don’t worry, I’m a tarot newbie, just like Supriya,” Cleo chimes in to compensate.

“Right, well that take makes sense to me, too,” I say, trying to push us forward past this moment. “Since Perilli was an artist himself, telling the King’s story might really mean telling the artist’s story?”

Click here

Just like objects, I’ve always believed symbols also carry special meaning, coming in many different forms. Like the favorite objects we brought on the trip: my journal, Cleo’s art backpack, Amelia’s locket… Logan’s fidget spinner.

Clearly all the tarot’s symbols course with the same kind of power and significance. They might have different expressions in all their varying contexts, but their core meanings resonate—just like numbers. So now our job is to figure out how these numbers, in the right order, symbolize the King of Pentacles.

“First, should we agree on a definition of the King of Pentacles?” I continue. “From what I know, the King represents the reality of nature and the elements: order and chaos, control and abandon.”

Starting on this tarot flow feels so good, returning to something I have mastery over. Since Logan left, everything I knew about myself has felt unsteady. Getting back to basics like this reminds me who I am, or at least an important part of who I am.

“Yes, the King of Pentacles is the strongest representation of nature in the tarot, capturing how it always changes with the seasons,” Amelia suddenly adds.

I shoot her a look: I’m supposed to be the only tarot expert here, remember?

“I might have gotten into the tarot through my bestie here,” Amelia says, winking.

“Don’t worry, I’m a tarot newbie, just like Supriya,” Cleo chimes in to compensate.

“Right, well that take makes sense to me, too,” I say, trying to push us forward past his moment. “I think the King also warns against the danger of being left out in the wilderness, especially if you try to tame nature.”

Click here

Just then, the door to Chills Coven suddenly clangs closed and a new voice sounds from behind us.

“I think Perilli definitely would have agreed with you, young man. But no one knows the King of Pentacles more intimately than…”

We all turn and I lay eyes on the woman who must be Rosa Resfriado, chosen mother to the coven of chills, looking every bit the part of her tarot expression:

“The Queen of Pentacles.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

AMELIA