"Forget the tea," Glint said. "I've got something better!"

He transmatted a set of objects onto the table, and Eido gasped, her heartbeat quickening. "The Deck of Whispers? You stole Eris's cards?!"

"Borrowed," he corrected, twirling around the table to face her.

"Glint!"

"What? I left a note."

Eido shivered as she conjured the image of a Hive-altered Eris in her mind. "It's too dangerous." She quickly pushed the cards away, but Glint nudged them back.

"I heard that Eris consulted the deck to gain information or make decisions. I thought we could use it to inspire your writing! Let's just try," Glint begged. "How hard can it be?"

Eido sighed and picked up the cards, shuffling them with her four hands in the flamboyant style the Drifter taught her. "How many cards?" she asked.

"Try three," Glint said. "And when I watched Eris, she had to ask the cards a question."

Eido thought for a moment. "What kind of danger would be threatening enough for a 'scary' story?" Eido cut the deck in half, and she felt a surge of energy as she selected the first card.

THE HARBINGER

"Wait I've got a better one! What kind of dangerous situation could be happening RIGHT NOW?" Glint exclaimed.

"Glint! I don't think we should—"

"We need to write based on a true story, right? This is exactly how we do it!"

Eido closed her eyes, feeling energy surge again in her hands, and continued.

THE LIE

THREE OF WORMS

She opened her eyes and studied the cards. "Eris can be, well, intimidating," she admitted, pointing to The Harbinger card.

"No, no, the cards aren't literal. It's a metaphor!" Glint said. "The Harbinger and The Lie! That means… the spirits of the dead are lost like leaves on the wind… and wandering the Earth!" Glint gasped.

"But The Lie is upside down. That wouldn't make sense."

"It's right side up to me!"

"Because you're on the opposite side of the table. It's my reading, remember?"

"Oh yeah." He quickly changed position. "Then… they aren't lost. They have purpose. They seek… REVENGE! Against the living! By changing us into Headless Ones. With paracausal worm power! Aaaaahhhh!"

Eido pondered the cards. "Actually, I was thinking that solitude and being isolated can evoke terror in both Humans and Eliksni. Perhaps my scary story could include that?"

Glint shrugged his shell. "Hm, not bad. I still like mine better. Maybe try it again?"

Eido nodded and swept up the cards to shuffle once more.