1. THE BLACK TENT
If I still had faith in anything in this life, I would’ve been sure that ravens could sense death.
The sound of my boots hitting the pavement echoed through the darkness of the night. As I walked down the empty street without haste, a damned raven perched atop a streetlamp let out a croak, as if it had been watching me all along. Maybe people weren’t entirely wrong when they said ravens were harbingers of death. With their pitch-black feathers, these creatures were a clear symbol of death, curiosity, and intellect. As its small, smug eyes seemed to follow me, I slowly approached the grey luxury car waiting up ahead. With the click of the lock, I climbed into the tinted vehicle, leaving the chill of the night outside, sealed off from the world.
“Did you take care of it, Albora?”
I gave him a nod without turning my head. When had I ever left a job unfinished? I reached into the glove compartment, grabbed a cigarette and a lighter, then shut it again. I placed the cigarette between my lips and lit the end. Leaning back, I asked, “Did they pay up?” before taking a drag. The payment mattered. I hadn’t gone through all this trouble for nothing.
The smoke filling the car made Güney wrinkle his nose. He nodded. “They transferred it to the account last night.” He was waiting without starting the engine. It was clear he had something he was reluctant to say. After a sidelong glance, I took another drag and turned to him. My tone was sharp. “Spit it out, Güney.”
He pressed his lips together, then began speaking carefully, trying not to piss me off. “It’s not really my place to say. Acar will tell you when the time’s right, but… I figured I’d give you a heads-up, Albora.” I narrowed my eyes. He’d better get to the point soon. Otherwise, I might just drive the blade in my boot into his throat. Apparently, the blood I’d seen earlier hadn’t been enough. My hands were still trembling—and I had no idea why.
“There’s a new job. They’ve put a huge price on the guy’s head. They want him eliminated.” I rolled my eyes and turned to the window. Same old story. Someone wanted another person wiped off the face of the earth, threw piles of money at Acar, and the job made its way to me. Then I, like any good hitwoman who’s been paid, would pull the trigger.
Hooray! What a perfectly normal life.
I stubbed out the cigarette, which still held the mark of my red lipstick. Güney noticed how my attention lingered more on that lip print than anything he was saying—and quickly realized I didn’t care much.
I hope you shut up, Güney.
He searched desperately for something else to say, anything to hold my attention. If he wanted it that badly, he’d have to offer better bait. Running a hand through his hair, he hovered between telling me something he clearly knew—and holding it back. Then, suddenly, he murmured, “They want you to kill Çelik Karan.”
My eyes snapped back to him and I shot upright.
Okay. That was bait good enough to catch my interest.
As he started driving without another word, I kept my gaze on his face, focused on the road ahead. He knew I was staring, but didn’t take his eyes off the street. Idiot. This was the moment he should’ve been talking.
Çelik Karan was an agent no one had been able to catch for a long time. As far as I knew, he had retired two years ago. The people who wanted him dead were mostly old mafia members or the high-profile criminals he’d put behind bars. Still, the man wasn’t some noble hero who only took down the bad guys. Everyone knew that—he just had powerful friends covering for his messes.
“When did this job come in?”
He shrugged. “Last week, Friday. I don’t know why Acar didn’t tell you. But I don’t want you to be in danger, Albora. That’s why I told you.”
When the car stopped in front of the house, I opened the door without waiting and stepped out. I ignored Güney calling after me and stormed into the old apartment building with angry steps. When I reached the door of the first-floor flat, I pulled out the key I’d hidden in the corner. The damn thing refused to fit into the lock, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming in frustration. For some reason, things always got harder when I was angry. On the second try, it worked. I stepped inside and slammed the door shut behind me. With quick movements, I pulled the curtains closed and turned on the lights. The heavy dark fabric didn’t let any of the light escape to the outside. It made me feel safer—and reduced the chance of an ambush.
I took off my clothes and tossed them into the bin I used for decontamination. Then I removed my underwear and dropped them into a separate bin, setting it aside. Technically, I should’ve been burning or disposing of everything after a hit, but I didn’t exactly have time to shop for new clothes all the time. Even though I loved it, I rarely had time to go shopping. Mornings were spent planning the jobs that brought in big money, or killing time at Ozoğlu’s company. Nights were for carrying out those plans—vanishing into the dark.
And all those gorgeous heels, dresses, and jewels? They were still in the stores, waiting for my days off.
I turned on the music playing softly in the background and slowly slipped into the tub I’d filled with warm water. I hadn’t wiped the makeup off my face, but I didn’t care. With my nails painted in a deep shade of burgundy, I tapped out an odd rhythm on the edge of the bathtub. Humming along to the music, I pulled a cigarette from the pack and lit it. I closed my eyes and began to savor the moment. The old bathroom was my favorite place in this entire house. It was where I washed off the filth left behind by the dirty murders I carried out. As for the filth clinging to my soul… Well, I’d long since learned to live with it.
When the sound of the front door opening reached my ears, I rolled my eyes. I pressed the cigarette to my lips and listened to the footsteps moving through the house. They stopped right in front of the bathroom. Then the door opened. I didn’t need to open my eyes to know who it was. “If you stopped coming to my place whenever you felt like it, I’d really appreciate it,” I said coolly. “Ever heard of a private life?”
Acar began rolling up the cuffs of his shirt with his bony hands. Smiling, he walked a few small steps closer to the tub. He knelt down slowly, resting his arms on the edge of the tub. I let my eyes travel over his handsome face. He tilted his head slightly. “Is there anything in this life you actually keep from me, Albora?” he asked.
I shifted closer to the edge of the tub. The water, just high enough to cover my breasts, was perfectly clear. His gaze wandered over my body before meeting my eyes again. I traced my finger along the line of his jaw. “I don’t know about me,” I said, “but you’ve got plenty, Acar.”
“Why am I hearing about my own mission from your rookie instead of you?” When he chuckled and started to rise, I grabbed him by the collar of his black shirt and yanked him toward me. I was furious with him. I wanted to kill him—with my bare hands.
He smiled, a dimple flashing through the stubble on his face. “Don’t be like that. The kid really likes you.”
His smug tone only made me angrier. I locked my killer glare on his gray-blue eyes. Normally, he’d inform me of high-profile jobs in advance and wait for me to plan. Sometimes, like now, he’d even come over to plan with me directly. But this job—it had come in long ago. And I was hearing about it from someone else. While he just stood there smiling like it was nothing.
I wondered… If I kill little Ozoğlu, what kind of punishment would I get?
I pulled my hands back from his jacket and dipped them into the water. My expression twisted into a smile—one that didn’t reach my eyes. My lips curved, but my gaze burned with fury. “You didn’t think I was good enough for the job.” It felt like anger, not blood, was rushing through my veins. My fingers tingled with the urge to leap on him and tear him apart.
“Who the hell are you to say I’m not enough, you bastard? You think you can—”
My words were cut off by his mouth. Without hesitation, I kissed him back, hard. I bit his lower lip. He pulled away just slightly and looked at me. “Bastard.” I grabbed his collar and yanked him into the water. He didn’t even flinch at soaking his suit—just let himself sink into the tub with me. His hands roamed over my bare body as I kissed him, rough and hungry. His lips moved down my neck, and I tilted my head back. The scratch of his beard tickled my skin. He kissed my chin, then looked into my eyes. “It’s not that I didn’t think you were good enough, Albora,” he said quietly. “I was waiting for the right moment.” He kissed me once more—quick, intense—then pulled back again. “I don’t know anyone who could underestimate your mind or your strength, wild woman.” I grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. He grinned. “Or your body.” One arm tightened around my waist. The other moved down between my thighs, gripping, claiming. I wrapped my legs around him, pressing myself closer. He kissed me again, deeper this time, his hands in my hair. There was barely anything left between us now. Just the soaked fabric of his pants and the sharp heat building between our bodies. His lips trailed back to my neck, fingers slid lower.
That was enough.
I pushed him back and stood up in the tub, water cascading off my body. He watched me in silence as I slipped on my red bathrobe, unbothered by his gaze. With an exaggerated sigh, he said, “You’re always going to get your revenge, aren’t you, Albora?” I left the bathroom without looking back, a victorious smile on my lips.
This wasn’t something I did to him. It was something his own desires did to him.
That was the nature of our relationship. He was my employer, and I was his hitwoman. If I wanted to sleep with him, I did. And he welcomed it. But words like love or affection were far removed from whatever we had. His heart was made of stone, and mine was too dark to hold such things. It was the desire between our bodies that kept us bound. He craved me—deeply. But as a man who valued his work above all else, he rarely had time for desire. He was usually cold and serious, which made it hard for any woman to get close. Women deserved men who placed them above everything. Otherwise, those men were nothing more than a fleeting night—decorations in bed, returning to business by morning.
I walked into my room and pulled out a pair of black underwear from the drawer. I threw on a comfortable pair of tights and a loose t-shirt. I didn’t bother with a bra—my nipples showed through, but I didn’t care. Facing the mirror, I started brushing my blonde hair. As the brush slid through, I caught a smile on the face staring back at me. It was a face too lovely for anyone to suspect. The kind of young, radiant beauty that could fool people with ease. But I couldn’t look at myself much longer. No one could. No one could look into these eyes for too long and walk away untouched.
After finishing brushing my hair, I braided it. When I was done, I walked toward the door to leave my room. Just before I reached the living room, I felt something dripping from my nose toward my lips. I quickly held it with my hand and rushed to the bathroom. Acar stepped aside. I turned on the faucet and washed my face, pressing a tissue to my nose. When I looked up, my gaze met Acar’s reflection in the mirror, watching me. My nosebleeds had been happening more often lately. Despite visiting the hospital multiple times, nothing had changed. The doctor had rambled on about it possibly being from fatigue and stress and suggested I see a psychologist. Acar had insisted on special treatment, but I refused. He didn’t want to lose his only assassin, but once I made up my mind, it was impossible for him to sway me. In the end, where I began, his power ended.
I left the bathroom and walked into the living room. After a while, Acar changed and joined me. He’d bring his clothes here so he could be more comfortable.
It was almost time for us to talk about splitting the rent for the apartment.
He sat on the couch, watching me. Then he pulled out a few papers from the briefcase on the side and placed them on the coffee table. I reached for the papers and started going through them while still listening to Acar. “The job is to kill Çelik Karan. All the details are in the file. Let’s get to the part that concerns you.” He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “The guy retired two years ago. So now he’s living a pretty simple life. He lives on Büyükada with his wife and son. Finding him is very difficult. His name and address are both kept secret. Everything related to him has been erased. No one knows where he is.”
I took a cigarette from the pack and lit it. I hadn’t counted how many cigarettes I had smoked tonight. I shouldn’t be doing this.
I examined the photos in the file. “Of course, we’re talking about everyone except you. Because you must have found it.” He nodded with a half-smile. I hadn’t said it to stroke his ego. He was a highly skilled engineer with hundreds of people working under him. He was running these dirty operations behind the company that would be passed down to him from his family. Up until now, there hadn’t been a single place he couldn’t find.
“The reason I hadn’t told you earlier was because I wanted to corner the man in a good spot. If I’d told you from the start, you would’ve obsessed over it. You would’ve wanted to finish the job quickly. You’d have stopped focusing on your other tasks.” He was right. I couldn’t sleep unless I had finished a job. I’d spend days making a plan and then execute the best one. After that, I’d rest. But after today’s murder, I wouldn’t be able to rest. I had to start planning for Çelik Karan already.
Acar grinned. “There’s an event in Büyükada in two days. A fair will be held. A big circus is also being set up.” I’d killed men in a bar, a bedroom, the woods, and a luxury hotel, but this would be the first time I’d kill someone at a circus. Laughing at what he’d said, I opened the pack of cigarettes to light a new one to replace the one I’d finished, but then quickly tossed the pack aside. I wouldn’t be smoking anymore.
“Don’t laugh, Albora. Çelik’s son really wants to go to that circus. Most people in Büyükada will probably be there. It’s risky, but it’ll be a clean job.”
It was a very risky job. Getting caught was almost inevitable. There was also the chance the child could get hurt. Most of the public would be there. But still, I nodded.
“It’ll be a very profitable job, Albora. With a good plan, it’ll be a piece of cake.”
“The full moon lights up the night. Look how beautiful it is. The big day, sweetheart. Finally, you’re where you belong.”
Suddenly, I opened my eyes and quickly sat up from the couch, my mind still reeling from the strange dream I’d had. To calm my confused thoughts, I rubbed my temples firmly. I tried not to dwell too much on what I had seen. Lately, this was another damn thing. I missed the nights when I slept like a baby.
I stood up and stretched my body. The sun was just rising. I had fallen asleep hunched over on the couch last night because I’d been planning. After a bit of stretching, I entered the kitchen and made myself a protein-rich breakfast. If I was going to go on a mission, I had to be energetic. Besides, I hated being hungry.
I took my coffee and plate and went back to the living room. I sat in my usual spot and started eating while also going over the papers. The job was today, and Acar had lied. This job wasn’t easy one. The circus workers had been specially chosen, and it wasn’t easy to get into their circle. They were all highly trained. I’d played the role of an assistant, a prostitute, a pole dancer, and even a cleaner before. The only thing left was being a circus worker, and thanks to Çelik Karan, that was going to happen. Besides all that, security was very tight. It was truly a strange setup. A ton of private guards and police had been hired for the circus. Probably because it was the first time such a big carnival was being held, everyone was being extra cautious. Any terrorist attack could kill thousands of people. I was simply going to kill one person and slip out of there. I had already finished my plan. The rest was just field performance.
I went over my plan one last time. Actually, I didn’t have just one plan. My plans varied depending on the situation. Usually, I played it safe, so I could always find a way out. Being Albora meant this kind of flexibility. I quickly finished my breakfast, put the dishes in the kitchen, and then went to my room to get ready. I wore a white tank top over my black bralette. I put on black tight pants and gathered my hair up in a bun. I slipped on my boots that matched the color of my pants. When I finished packing my bag, I was all set. I was going to enter the carnival like everyone else and carry out my plan inside. I had gone to the island yesterday and memorized the surroundings. I had mapped out all the entrances and exits in my mind.
Without wasting any time, I got into the car waiting in front of the door and headed toward the pier. The ferry was about to depart. Since it was the weekend, I had to pick a time when traffic would be minimal. So, naturally, I was a bit early. There were barely any people around. When I arrived at the pier shortly after, I parked the car and got out. As I approached the ferry with my bag on my back, I noticed that people had already taken their seats. Without rushing, I sat down and began to enjoy the sea. I had loved the sea since I was a child. The orphanage I grew up in was by the shore. Seeing the sea through the window always brought me peace.
My first orphanage headmistress was a very kind woman. She would often call me to her balcony and let me watch the sea from there. Since I never knew my mother and father, the first person I truly lost in life was that headmistress—whom I called “Mother Makbule.” After her death, my whole world fell apart.
I took a deep breath and kept watching the sea over the top of my sunglasses. After a while, I was startled by the voice of a little girl who had sat next to me. “The sea is beautiful, isn’t it? So clear.” I nodded without replying. But just as I was about to pull away from the hand that touched my arm, she suddenly dug her nails into my skin. As I tried to pull away, she fixed her pitch-black eyes on me and spoke.
“Do you think the blood of the men you killed could fill an entire sea, Yudum?”
My heart was racing as I blinked and snapped back to reality. It felt like I had just had a nightmare while standing upright. The elderly lady sitting next to me nudged my arm. “Dear, we’ve arrived at the island. Time to get off.”
I nodded, quickly brushed past her, and stepped off the ferry. Without stopping, I made my way toward the main square. I stopped between the old pier building and the famous Prinkipo Ice Cream Shop on its left. As the sweet scent of vanilla and caramel drifted from inside, I glanced around like a maniac, checking if that little girl was anywhere nearby. At this point, my sanity had pretty much abandoned me.
When I checked the time, I saw that the fair had just opened. I immediately pulled out my phone and accessed the footage from the mini camera I had attached to the streetlamp near Çelik’s house the night before. They were just leaving the house. Considering the fifteen-minute distance between their house and the fair, they would be arriving soon.
I quickly made my way toward the fairground, crossing the slightly uphill streets of Büyükada. Some of the mansions lining the way were well-maintained, while others had surrendered to time — their balcony railings rusted, their doors faded by the sun. Many balconies overflowed with flowers: geraniums, bougainvillea, and countless others whose names I didn’t even know. On the right side of the road, the centuries-old plane trees stood as proudly and aged as the mansions themselves. I tore my attention away from the beauty of the island, reminding myself of the real reason I was here.
Cyclists slowly passed by me. The owner of the corner store was chatting with people at the café across the street. The faces of the islanders were flushed from the sun. Some were laughing, some played backgammon in silence, sipping their coffees and savoring the moment. It was as if the whole island was whispering to me, “There’s no need to rush.”
But unfortunately, Büyükada… This woman has filthy intentions that don’t belong anywhere near your beautiful spirit.
My eyes wandered over the families heading there with excitement, and the children laughing in their fathers’ arms. Memories of the moments I once wished to laugh like that with my father flashed through my mind. But as time passed, imagining anything about the people who left me began to feel pointless. Now, this forced happiness of families just made me sick to my stomach.
I reached the fairground. When I reached the security checkpoint, I placed my bag on the machine and walked through. After the guard checked me, he smiled and stepped aside. I smiled back with the fake enthusiasm I had practiced and picked up my bag, then started walking through the fair. It was already getting crowded. A circus tent had been set up, with a sign saying shows would take place at 1:30 PM, 6:30 PM, and 11:30 PM. As I searched for Çelik with my eyes, a father and son walking through the entrance came into view. I had arrived just in time. His son, Yiğit, was bouncing with excitement as he held his father’s hand.
Once they began to explore the fair, I decided to take a quick stroll myself to avoid drawing attention. According to my research, Yiğit loved cheese-dipped chips. So first, I headed to the chip stand to carry out the first part of my plan. While the young vendor turned his back, I quickly swapped the cheese sauce with my own bottle. Then I stepped back just as fast. He smiled at me. I gave him an innocent smile and tilted my head.
“Do you happen to know if there’s a photo booth around here? My little sister is so curious about the fair—I want to collect a few memories for her.”
Unable to resist my sweet face, he smiled and gave me directions.
“There’s a yellow tent next to the circus one. It’s behind that. Just so you know, it’s mostly used by couples.”
I picked up on the tone in his voice. I had to hold myself back from rolling my eyes. Instead, I let out a playful giggle and thanked him. As I turned around and walked away, he returned to work. I left the chip stand behind me and approached the one selling hot dogs. Stomach, money, and heels—all of them mattered.
“Can I get a hot dog?” I asked. The young girl smiled and began preparing my order.
“Would you like any sauces?”
“Mustard and ketchup will do.” She nodded, quickly squeezed on the sauces, and handed me the hot dog. After paying, I walked away from the stand. As I wandered a bit more, I started eating it. While aimlessly scanning my surroundings, something caught my eye and made me smirk.
“Yes! Hit the targets and one of these lovely toys could be yours!”
The endlessly repeating mechanical voice was annoying, but I still walked over and handed the vendor my money. He smiled, took it, and handed me the gun.
My first real kill had been with a gun. I was fifteen. The sound of the bullets I fired in rapid succession still echoed in my ears. I still went to the shooting range often. It felt like a calming sport to me.
I raised the gun and nailed the first target dead center. As the others fell one by one, the vendor’s expression gradually soured. He stared at me in disbelief. Without saying a word, I pointed to the robot toy resting on the side. With wide eyes, he handed it to me. I took the toy and walked away from the shooting stall.
Winning a stupid toy or stroking my ego wasn’t the point. These targets were child’s play to me. I was used to hitting ones that were 6’3” and 180 pounds—while they were moving.
With slow steps, I made my way back to the cheese chip stand. As I got in line, the boy in front of me turned around. He glanced at the toy in my hand, then at me. Excitedly, he tugged on his father’s coat and spoke in a voice low enough that he thought I wouldn’t hear.
“Dad, can we get a toy like the one that lady has?”
Çelik turned around and looked at the toy in my hand. In a polite tone, he pointed at the robot and asked, “Excuse me, where did you get that?”
I smiled sweetly and pointed to the game booth behind me. “Just over there. I hit a few targets and won it.”
As Çelik looked in the direction I had pointed, I leaned down toward his son. “If you want, I can give this to you. I don’t really have anyone else to give it to… and I’m a bit too old for it anyway.” Yiğit happily took the toy from my hand, but Çelik immediately objected. “No, really, there’s no need. We’ll play a bit and win one ourselves.”
He didn’t want to accept the toy because he suspected it might have a listening device or a hidden camera inside. He approached every stranger with caution. It seemed his old instincts from his days as an agent were still sharp.
Nice move, Çelik. But don’t think that saved you. You’ve already made it onto Albora’s kill list.
“Really, it’s no problem. He can have it. Like I said, I have no one else to give it to. And that was the only robot at the stand. I doubt a plush toy would hold his interest for long anyway.”
When Yiğit looked up at his father with pleading eyes, the man gave in. It might’ve looked like I was easing my nonexistent conscience by giving Yiğit the toy. But in truth, I was doing something far crueler. Every time he saw that robot, he’d remember his father’s death. Like handing a bird with torn wings and telling it to fly. Painful. Bleeding. Even if his father wasn’t a good man, to him, he was probably a hero.
Çelik Karan had done a lot of so-called good. He’d taken down a prostitution ring, exposed a drug-smuggling ship. But none of that changed the fact that he raped two girls—one ten, the other twelve. One of them took her own life. The other? She locked herself away from the world, unable to bear the weight of what happened to her. She’d been living in a hospital for over ten years now. He might’ve been a hero to his own son, but he was also a monster who crushed the lives and dreams of two innocent children.
His death didn’t matter to me. Let his son mourn him all he wanted. I was going to finish the job—and finally get paid. And as a bonus, another bastard would be wiped off the earth.
Without wiping the sweet smile off my face, I took the chips and began walking. I waved back at Yiğit, who thanked me from behind, then slipped into the spaces between the tents. Beyond the red-and-white circus tent, the area was full of colorful stalls. But one stood out— a black tent, unlike the rest. The sign above it read The Fortune Teller’s Eye. Among the blaring colors of the fair, it was the only thing that caught my eye. I checked my watch again. Still some time left until the kill.
A little fun wouldn’t hurt. With that, I stepped inside the black tent.
Inside the tent, an old woman was sitting at a low table, and a young girl was burning incense nearby. The interior was surprisingly spacious. In front of the old woman sat a ridiculous crystal ball. I rolled my eyes and laughed. Such a cliché move. And yet, foolish people came here pretending they were learning their future.
Without lifting her wrinkled face to look at me, the old woman spoke. “She’s here.” Then she called out to the girl, who had stopped burning incense and was now staring at me. “Afet! Close the tent flap.” I watched the girl as she silently walked to the entrance. Either they didn’t want to be disturbed during their reading—or they were about to try robbing me. Though the latter seemed.
“Come closer. Why are you just standing there?” Still not looking at me, the woman’s voice was sharp. I stood my ground out of spite. I didn’t think she was talking to me. And if she was, she couldn’t give me orders—I had paid to be here.
When the girl called Afet gently pushed me from behind toward the table, I shuffled forward reluctantly.
Alright, I was just going to have a bit of fun and leave. No need to cause trouble.
I sat cross-legged across from the old woman, setting aside the cardboard tray of chips in my hand. I wasn’t going to eat them anyway.
My eyebrows lifted when Afet used sign language to say something to the old woman. Apparently, she couldn’t speak. “I lit the incense. Should I bring the tarot cards?” When the old woman finally turned her eyes to me, I grimaced. I wished she hadn’t. Her terrifying black eyes had almost no visible whites. As I quickly tried to stand up, Afet pressed down on my shoulders, forcing me to sit back down. Then she raised her hands again and signed something else. “You can’t leave without having your fortune read. Don’t be afraid, just say what you want.” The old woman grumbled and fixed her pitch-black gaze on mine. I scrunched up my face like I’d just bitten into something sour and looked around. I was going to pick something quickly and get the hell out of this ridiculous place.
Shit. I was seriously uncomfortable.
Normally, this kind of thing wouldn’t scare me. For someone like me—who had committed chilling murders—this was nothing more than child’s play. But I couldn’t shake the chill creeping over me. And those eyes... they were churning my stomach so badly, I was a second away from throwing up the hot dog I’d eaten.
My eyes scanned the surface of the table. Tarot or any other reading would take too long. Besides, I never really cared about my future. In this hellhole I was breathing in, things could only go further downhill. So I pointed to the crystal ball sitting in the center of the table. “Whatever that ridiculous thing does, I want that. Make it quick.”
My hand kept brushing the small knife I had hidden inside my bralette. I wasn’t taking my eyes off either of them, not for a second. The mute girl, Afet, was now kneeling beside the table.
“A perfect choice for you, Yudum.”
I muttered a heavy curse under my breath. My eyes shifted to Afet. When she smiled at me, I frowned and turned back to the old woman’s wrinkled face. I had never told them my name. But of course, these fortune-telling places were full of tricks like that. I figured they must’ve found out somehow. Maybe the ticket I’d gotten at the entrance had slipped out of my bag. Still, I didn’t turn my head to check. There could be many explanations—there had to be. There was no other way.
When the old woman’s withered fingers grabbed my hand, I flinched and tried to pull back. But she held it firmly and plunged it into the water bowl at the side. I glanced at the mute girl—she was carefully lighting candles. The old woman then lifted my hand from the water, droplets sliding from my fingers, and gently placed it on the crystal ball. A dull ache began to form in my head. Maybe the incense was too strong. As my ears started to ring, my vision slowly began to blur.
