Zoe is Not A Tarot but she is also pretty sure Anemone is not the Devil.

"...let me get another one for her." This time she draws the six of swords.

Magnificence is not SUPER sure what the six of swords means, but it has a normal looking guy paddling a boat on it. This is acceptable.

"Okay. Does it have to do with one of us?" She gestures at the cards on the ground. "Or should I put out more people?" She gestures at the deck.

SIX OF SWORDS. PAT PAT PAT.

"Anemone's gone, Magnificence. She's not going to come back."

SCREAMING NOISES!!!

WHY IS ANEMONE NOT GOING TO COME BACK!!!!!

Zoe is tearing up but forges on. "She was too sick. Lev tried to take her to somewhere she could get better, but they didn't make it there in time."

Zoe tries to find the bit of Anemone's ashes she was given.

SCREAMING!!!

Zoe is increasingly distressed herself. "Lev said. She asked him to burn her body. So this is all I have. But he said she wanted us to go on. And finish the story."

Zoe wants to hug Magnificence but screaming monkeys are kinda scary also. She makes a tentative attempt at a pat.

Has anemone been dead this WHOLE TIME. Did the shifty human from the scary place even TRY to save her. She is NEVER GOING TO SEE THE PRETTY PICTURE HE TOOK.

He curls around the six of swords.

"I'm sorry."

Now that he is not screaming she will reach out to hold him while he holds the card.

"Shhh. I'm sorry. I promised her before she left that I'd look after you. I'll do my best. I know I'm not as good as her. I miss her too."

Araari is coming over.

Not possible that Anemone is dead. Not possible. Not possible. Humans are WRONG. Anemone is going to come back. Anemone is going to come back, Anemone ALWAYS comes back -

He looks up and sees that someone else is coming over! Anemone!!! Anemone IS back!!!!! He KNEW anemone was coming back!!! He should not have doubted her for ONE SECOND!!!

He bounds over to Anemone and crawls up and hugs her and hugs her and hugs her.

Can they leave the awful terrible desert now and never come back.

Araari is..... politely confused.... about the monkey that is now very excitedly on her. "Hello Zoe. Magnificence likes me today, it seems."

"He's been pretty upset about Anemone, I think. I'm not sure if he really understands that she's dead."

Anemone Anemone Anemone he missed her SO MUCH.

"Ah." Araari pets Magnificence gently before addressing Zoe again. "The people here think you should leave, that being too near Dallol is hurting you. I am... worried that they are correct." Gesture at Zoe's hand.

Zoe looks at her hand. "I won't argue with that. I think that... being here has not been good for me."

Petted petted petted he KNEW Anemone would come and get him back.

She is probably doing an important thing now but when she is done they will leave TOGETHER and he will be much more careful about not getting separated.

"I agree. We should--tell the others, when we are reunited, and discuss what to do about it." Pause. "What did you see, in the desert?" Magnificence can be held a bit closer, he seems to like the petting.

Petting!!

It is stupidly hot here but he wants to snuggle as close to Anemone as he can ANYWAY.

"There is a man. He told me his name is Nephren Ka. He came to every performance of mine, when I traveled with the circus. I thought it was odd, but that he might just be -- a fan. In New York, before we came here, I saw him on the street. That was the first time I spoke with him. He warned me about... things. Liars. I forget. He said he was Egyptian. I thought perhaps his strangeness was merely foreignness. I saw him in the desert. He appeared and waved his hand and the desert didn't burn me anymore. He said we were like ants, and he might crush us. He said he might be a figment of my imagination. He said I was lucky, and my friends were not. He said I should not go to Dallol. That I would learn nothing there, and that I was in danger. Then he vanished, and it was hot again. He... never left any footprints, as he walked. He said all places are one, to him."

Nod. “What do you think of it? Do you think it was a vision of the heat, or—more than that?”

"The heat has been playing tricks on me, but... before it was always that I saw water on the horizon, or a city, or a person far in the distance. Never someone who came up to me and spoke to me. But the other vision I had... that didn't speak to me, either. It just -- looked."

“Other vision?”