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The Cartomancer's Last Hand

fantasy◐ Teen
5 contributors · 4 paragraphs deep

They play three quick hands. Mireille wins two with careful, cold bets. The Queen's painted skin cracks at the edges, and Mireille suddenly feels stronger, younger. 'You're good,' the Queen admits. 'But I have played this game for two hundred years.'

On the final hand, Mireille lays down a perfect run. The Queen screams as her painted body crumbles into wet paper and river water. Mireille is left alone, young and whole, the cards plain again. She gathers her coppers and never reads under that bridge again.

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