Dinner was lovely. We all sat in the kitchen, eating together. Even though this house had a full dining room, Lila chose for us to eat in the kitchen with her staff. The cook, the maid, and the butler. It felt homey and relaxing. They all had an easy loving relationship with one another.

No meal, in all the years I lived in Della's home had ever been so filled with laughter. Lila treated these people like family. Looked at them as family. That made me cherish our newfound friendship even more.

I wondered if I would ever have that feeling. Family. It was a dull ache. Knowing that the man and woman who raised me had decided they no longer wanted me after I started displaying my "unnatural powers". They had happily taken me in when I was a baby. Unable to have children of their own, they were approached by the women at the local ministry. A newborn babe was left with them; to find, (Me), a good home. So, they took me in. I do remember being little and Della being good to me; treating me like her daughter. It was, however, very short-lived. In comparison to the many years, I spent being disciplined by Andrew for being wicked, short-lived indeed.

I sipped the amber liquid, letting the fire-burn feeling wash over me. We were sitting in the study, Lila standing in front of the bookshelf that lined the wall and I was sitting in a high winged-back chair staring sullenly into my glass.

Lila turned to me; a small ornate wooden box clutched in her arms. "Are you okay, Nova" She asked, frowning slightly. Picking up on my mood.

We had been left alone after dinner. Her staff cleaned up for the night. I heard laughter floating from the kitchen, making me smile.

"They are great, Lila," I said, avoiding the question she had asked; my voice laced with the envy that I felt. Not bitter jealousy, just a wistful longing.

Lila smiled, a blinding smile as she took a seat at the small round table situated across the room. "They are. They are my family. I'm very lucky to have them."

She had the box on the table in front of her. It made that sound when she opened it. Like the crack of the spine on a never opened book, or the quiet creak that wooden stairs always have in those certain spots.

The gas lights that studded the walls were bright enough in the room that I could see the box, and the strange oversized deck of cards she pulled from within it. Some sort of iridescent pattern glimmered on the back of the cards and felt drawn to them. Drawn to the strange pattern that seemed to pulsate in the glowing lamp light. It was almost like the feeling I got whenever I had one of my "episodes", as Della liked to refer to them.

Lila watched me quietly as she began to shuffle the deck. I wanted to question her about the cards, but I was afraid to speak. Afraid that my voice would come out in that strange way that it did during an "episode". So, I remained silent as I made my way to the table.

Her golden eyes followed me as I moved; as I sat in front of her at the table.

"Do you know what these are?" She asked me, placing the deck on the table between us.

I looked down at the cards, studying the intricate pattern on the back of the stacked-up set. "May I?" I questioned, reaching my hand out towards them.

Lila just nodded, staring at me with wide eyes, watching carefully. I ran my fingertips across the very top card, tracing the swirling patterns. I felt like I had seen it before somewhere. Although, I know I have never seen a deck of cards like this. I felt otherworldly energy coming from them. Drawing me in. Like that damned voice.

I don't know what came over me, but I found myself fanning the cards out in front of us. Each card had an intricate design surrounding the symbol. At first glance they appeared to be random loops and swirls, shimmering more as I spread them across the table. Then I noticed it.

The loops and swirls connected each card next to it, and a few different symbols ran through the deck.

I swiped the cards back into a neat stack and started shuffling again. Once I was sure they were mixed up enough I spread them out once again. At that moment I heard a strange noise.

The pattern was still connected but the symbols were no longer the same.

I pulled my hands away from the cards.

I then realized that the strange noise was coming from me.

"What kind of cards are these Lila?" My voice held the strangeness that I had been hoping to avoid.

Lila was staring at me, her face pale, eyes wide. She glanced down at the table at the cards and then back to me.

"Nova," she whispered, "you're the one. You have the gift."

I raised my eyebrow at her. She would have to be the first person ever in my life to call what I was; my affliction; a gift.

And just what the hell did she mean by "the one"?

She must have seen the look on my face and knew what I was thinking.

"You aren't like other people," she said still whispering, " We scare normal people, Nova. People, especially people like Della and Andrew. Those types worried too much about their reputation in society." She raised her eyebrow and tilted her head. "Yes, Nova. You are gifted. More than anyone I have ever met. You are special."

I kept staring at the card. Watched as the design glimmered across them.

"You know they always told me that the devil was trying to take me for his own. To make me his whenever I would have one of my episodes, or my visions or dreams. They would punish me for talking about it. So when it didn't go away I stopped telling them about any of it. After a while though, I couldn't hide it anymore and that's why they sent me here. I had become too much of a burden. More than they signed up for." I laughed bitterly "They made sure I always felt that."

I heard Lila sigh. " Be thankful that in the end all they did was send you away."

Something in her tone made me let the comment go. I didn't ask her to confirm what was burning in my mind. I already had a pretty good idea of what she meant.

She smiled at me then, gathering the cards and putting them back into the box.

"Sometimes I get invited to parties. To do readings and such with the cards." She closed the lid carefully, standing to return the box to its place on the bookshelf. "It's always a good way to make extra money."

I refilled my glass, contemplating her words. "Don't the people think it odd when what you tell them is true?"

Lila shrugged, "Not here sweetheart. But I do limit the truth I give."

My mouth formed a little "O".

"As a matter of fact, I'm invited to a gathering tomorrow," Lila said slipping into her chair smiling at me mischievously, "you will come as my guest, of course."

I must have made a face. Lila laughed.

"I promise it will be fun. Nothing like dinner on the ship. And who knows, you might even meet someone very interesting."