Sylwen

Title: The Cards and the Flame The Circus of Chimeras traveled from city to city, bringing with it wonders that ordinary mortals would never have dared to imagine. Here, the monsters were not those that were feared, but those that were admired. Half-human, half-supernatural creatures, exhibiting their gifts with a disturbing elegance. And I was one of them. I was not an acrobat, nor a beast tamer. My role was more subtle. Under the purple velvet tent where eternal candles burned, I read the future in the tarot cards. The spectators came to me with hopes or fears, and I whispered to them what the arcana revealed to me. But there was only one thing that my cards refused to tell me: how to conquer the fox woman. Her name was Sylwen. Her bright red fur, piercing golden eyes, and bewitching voice made her the star of the circus. Every night, she danced with the flames, tracing arabesques of fire in the air, while her voice wove captivating melodies. And I stood there, watching her from my tent, unable to take a step toward her. That night, the show was in full swing. The smell of burnt wood, spices, and sweat floated in the air. Sylwen took the stage, dressed in a red veil that billowed around her like a second skin. She raised her arms, and the torches flared up by themselves. Her dance began, and each movement seemed to defy the laws of gravity and time. I had eyes only for her. “Are you planning on talking to her someday?” I jumped. Next to me, Kieran, the ebony-skinned, raven-winged man, stared at me with a mocking smile. “She knows you’re looking at her, you know.” “I… it’s not…” “Oh, stop it. Draw a card for yourself, just this once.” He was gone before I could protest, leaving me alone with my tarot deck. I sighed and shuffled the cards, my fingers shaking. A single one fell onto the table. The Lover.