“Either out on their beats or at Furies. It’s trivia night.”
Furies is a local bar run by three Nebula Sea Witch sisters, a staple in Eddo’s daughter Brigid’s social circle. It is a popular spot for Blades to unwind. Eddo’s gaze shifts from me to Gianna. She pushes her sunglasses to rest atop her head, and his strained smile slips entirely.
“Hello,” Gianna greets.
“Miss di Siena, I heard you were coming.” His clipped words are as frigid as a winter’s night.
“Please, just Gianna or Gi. Can you point me to my room? I’d love to freshen up before dinner.”
Eddo’s eyes glint like shards of obsidian. “Your room isn’t ready, and we have already eaten.”
Gianna stiffens, and I fight a wince. I’ve never heard Eddo be so standoffish.
“Gi, you can use my room,” I say. Eddo exhales a hot breath through his nose. “Unless my room isn’t ready either?”
“Your room is exactly how you left it.”
I nod, facing Gianna. “Upstairs, first door on the left, overlooking the street.”
Gi hikes one of her bags over her shoulder, staring between Eddo and me.
“Thank you,” she says to me. To Eddo, she adds, “It’s nice to meet you.” Grabbing only one of her many suitcases, Gianna leaves the room. The wheels rattle as she glances back once before disappearing up the stairs.
When she’s out of earshot, I turn on Eddo. “Was that necessary?”
Eddo shrugs. “That girl doesn’t belong here.”
I blink. I had the same judgmental thoughts outside the train station, but hearing Eddo say it out loud reveals how wrong I was. “Why do I get the sense that neither do I?”
Eddo looks at me, no longer like a son, but an enemy. “Look, Wilder, it’s good to see you, but considering the circumstances, it’s probably best you return to the city. Aurora isn’t safe for Epsilon right now.”
What the actual fuck?
“Gianna isn’t an Epsilon, and neither am I.”
“I’m not trying to cause trouble,” Eddo replies.
I can’t help but laugh. “You could have fooled me.”
“Wilder, we haven’t talked in nearly five months. You left here a wreck, and now you return a bloody commander, dating the queen, and mingling with Elio di Siena’s daughter. Have you forgotten he was one of the Council members who sentenced your dad to life in prison?”
The person across from me is a stranger wearing Eddo’s face. “Eddo, my dad killed someone. Even if he thought it was for the right reasons, he still committed a crime.”
Eddo’s upper lip curls. “Sounds like you’ve seen him.”
“You have no clue what my life has been like since I left.”
“I could say the same thing, especially about you acting as if you own the place.”
I scowl, and Eddo has the decency to look nervous.
“Eddo, respectfully, fuck off. I am here to help, not take your job.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I’m here to assist, and that girl upstairs is searching for her family—herNebulafamily.”
“I don’t need your help. I have everything under control,” he says in a low, dangerous voice.
