Yvette's creature lets out a rattling breath.

"Until you run out of good questions to ask."

The other creature digs its ragged toenails into Blair's back.

"No. Each is given something: something is taken from each in return. All will take place elsewhere."

Blair hisses a bit at the toenails, but doesn't otherwise let himself be distracted.

"Can we find each other after, in - the elsewhere place?"

"What does that one," she points at one of the tarot cards, "give and take?"

"Yes."

Yvette's creature looks at the card, which depicts a man tied to a tree by his foot.

"The Hanged Man. Stasis. Gives everlasting youth. Takes the chance to grow old."

"Is that it, is there more to it, does the youth start at exactly the age we're at now because that's not a bad deal."

"Do some of the cards offer us an easier ability to find each other?"

The creature atop Yvette rolls its cataract-filled eyes.

"No. Yes. No."

The creature on Blair's back growls.

"Yes."

"What are you leaving out about the Hanged Man card!"

"Which card or cards would help us with finding one another?"

Yvette's creature chuckles. "The majority of it."

The creature atop Blair seems to consider for a moment, then taps each card in turn.

"Hanged Man. Hermit. Fool. Empress. Chariot. All cards can be turned to this end."

"That much is clear. Fuck you. At what age does the Hanged Man stop us at?"

"How could I use the Hanged Man to find my sister?"

"An age from seven to eighteen."

Blair's shadow absently begins to crack all one hundred and twenty of its knuckles in sequence.

"It can grant the ability to walk outside one's body, to be whereever one has been within the City, to fly, and to see one's own past and fate. It will grant you allies who could search for your sister."

"And how likely is it to end up between the ages of fifteen to eighteen?"

Blair ignores the knuckle cracking.

"'Could.' That's an interesting word. Would the allies want to?"

"It depends on what questions you ask."

Blair's creature shrugs.

"Can you convince them?"

"What is the most likely age to end up as if I were to choose the Hanged Man card!"

That sounded more like a yelled demand than a question, but it is certainly worded like one.

"Right. The most literal question answerers of all time. Joy. Okay - new card, Empress, explain it."

"Though I am required to, I cannot answer that question."

The creature on Blair's back perks up a little.

"Empress. Gives magic. Takes safety."

"Right, Hanged Man, will probably turn us into eight year olds, thanks a bunch. And I bet there's no way to reverse it, because that's the kind of fuckers you are."

"What kind of magic does it give, how does it take away safety?"

"Not a question. Stalling."

The creature shifts position, changing which set of hands it's pinning Blair down with.

"It can give many kinds. Always will require mana. Always will give familiar. Always will grant transformation. If you choose this card, we will come for you again. We will mean to kill you."

"Nnnnrgh explain a new fucking card."

"If I take the Empress card, will I be able to kill you right back?"

Yvette's creature smiles, and reaches down to touch the cards. "Not a question."

Blair's creature scowls.
"Yes. But we are many, and you will have to fight us forever. We are exceedingly likely to win in the end."