The Amulet by Alison Pensy Read Free Book Online Page B

probably came in a set with the table.
Faedra smiled, Zoë was more than likely right, but she thought it
would be good for a giggle, so she decided to stay.
    Rose got up from the table and held her hand
out for Faedra. Faedra had to admit she was slightly surprised
because Rose did not fit the Gypsy Rose Lee stereotype she
had created in her mind. Yes, she was dressed in a gypsy-ish way
with a long floating skirt and billowy white blouse, but she was
younger than Faedra had imagined. She had expected a much older
woman, possibly with her fair share of wrinkles, but the lady
facing her right now didn’t look much older than thirty. She had a
fresh rosy complexion with beautiful green eyes and long, wavy,
dark hair hidden partially by a deep red headscarf.
    “Hello, I’m Rose,” she said brightly as they
shook hands. “Please don’t tell me yours,” she continued as Faedra
opened her mouth to return the greeting.
    Faedra clamped her mouth shut.
    Rose gestured for Faedra to take a seat. She
then picked a small sign off the table that read Reading in
session and hung it on a hook that was on one of the tent
posts. Once she returned to the table, she made herself comfortable
and picked up a small black velvet pouch that was lying in the
center.
    “Now, I want you to think of a question or a
situation you would like guidance on. You must not tell me what it
is; then pick out six Rune stones and hand them to me,” Rose
explained as she opened the pouch and held the open end to
Faedra.
    Faedra thought carefully for a moment before
dipping her fingers into the pouch and pulled out the first stone,
handing it to Rose who placed it onto the crushed velvet
tablecloth. She did this five more times until all six stones had
been extracted from their pouch. Faedra watched as Rose carefully
arranged them in the shape of a cross. Rose then pulled the strings
on the pouch to close it, and placed it to one side.
    Faedra watched as Rose examined the Runes
intently, and stifled a giggle when she thought back to Zoë’s
remark. Rose was certainly putting on a good show, umming and
ahhing for several minutes, but Faedra began feeling a distinct
shift in the once pleasant, if not slightly kooky, atmosphere in
the tent. Suddenly, there was a very tense sensation surrounding
her, and she drew her eyebrows together in a frown.
    Rose’s eyes widened. “No, this can’t be,” she
mumbled to herself, “it’s just a legend.” Then she drew her burning
gaze from the Rune stones to Faedra.
    Faedra shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
    “What do you see? What’s just a legend?” she
asked.
    Rose didn’t speak for a moment.
    She was contemplating something important.
“You,” she stated bluntly.
    Faedra laughed, it escaped before she had a
chance to stifle it. “I’m sorry, but I think my friend was right.
I’ll not waste any more of your time.”
    She started to get up to leave but Rose beat
her to it. Before Faedra even got her butt off the seat, Rose stood
up, rounded the table, and was standing behind her. She let out a
gasp.
    “What?” Faedra demanded, turning in her seat
to see Rose eyeing the back of her neck. “It’s a birthmark, what of
it? Look, this is ridiculous. I’ll give you ten out of ten for the
dramatics, but I was hoping for a serious reading,” she stood up
and spun around so that she was now facing Rose.
    “You have no idea who you are, do you
Faedra?” Rose whispered.
    “I know exactly who I am, thank you very
much,” she stated obstinately, “and I know who you are; you are a
fraud… Hey, how did you know my name? I never told you my name.” An
uneasy feeling started to well up in the pit of her stomach.
    “How old are you?” Rose asked.
    “Seventeen,” Faedra snapped.
    Rose closed her eyes, dropped her head, and
let out a heavy sigh. She had already said too much.
    “Tell me how you know my name,” Faedra
demanded, “and why you’re so interested in my birthmark!”
    “I can’t, you are not