“This is Furies?” she questions.
The competitive buzz of trivia night greets my ears, punctuated by cheers and groans with each new question. “Yeah, the Erinye sisters run it,” I yell over the noise. “It was inherited from their dad, a Sea Witch. They’ve kept his tradition alive, occasionally tweaking a recipe.”
Gianna scans the sticky bar menu. “Pomegranate infusion. Sounds yummy.”
“Want one?” I offer. It’s one of the mocktail options. I’ve noticed Gianna abstaining from alcohol since returning from treatment. Though she went to rehab for drugs, not drinking makes sense. It lowers inhibitions, and our brain’s rewardsystem doesn’t discriminate. One substance can easily trigger cravings for another.
Her look turns contemplative. “What are we doing here, though? Aren’t you supposed to be at the power station? And what about Stellan?”
I lean in. “That’s exactly why we’re here. My friends are around somewhere, and with some luck, they’ll help.” Brigid can assist me in convincing Eddo, and he likely knows where to find Stellan—who’s been hard to track since he no longer works as a journalist for mayor’s office and his paper only uses a PO Box.
Gianna hums. “I guess that’s a good idea.”
“It is.”
She points at the menu. “I’ll take one of these.” It’s a soda.
“Coming right up,” I say, then head for the bar.
Squeezing between patrons, I try to catch the bartender’s attention. He’s a young guy with frosted tips and a face I don’t recognize. Suddenly, an earth-shattering screech tears through the bar, causing him to fumble, and drop his shaker. Both of us look toward the source of the commotion, and I break into a smile.
“Hey, Alec,” I yell over whirring blenders.
Alec Erinye, one of the trio who own the place, finishes setting a vat of freshly cleaned glasses on the bar, rounds the corner, and throws herself into my arms. Despite her towering platform boots, she’s tiny, not even hitting the five-foot mark. For fun, I spin her around, almost bumping into a group waiting on their drinks from the fresh-faced bartender.
After setting Alec down, she playfully slaps my arm.“When the hell did you get back?”
“Today. I just ran into Eddo. He mentioned trivia night was still on.”
She puts a hand on her hip. “Hell yeah, it is. The blackout couldn’t stop us. Are you back for good?”
Before I can reply, Megaera or Meg, Alec’s sister, strolls toward us with a guarded expression. Towering at almost six feet tall, she’s almost always in sneakers, regardless of her outfit. The Erinye sisters share striking black hair, tanned skin, and deep, dark eyes. Meg is the eldest, Alec falls somewhere in the middle, and Phe, currently unaccounted for, is the baby.
“Hey, Meg, it’s good to se?—”
Meg’s punch lands squarely on my jaw.
“What the fuck, Meg?” Alec screeches.
I rub my face, reeling from shock more than pain. Meg points an accusing finger at me. “That’s for breaking Brigid’s heart.”
I roll my eyes. Brigid and I were never an official item; it was always casual. After her failed relationships, she wanted to keep things noncommittal. I wanted to forget about Isolde. We were friends, finding solace in each other as we nursed our broken hearts.
When I ended things before returning to Borealis at the end of last summer, she agreed it was for the best—at least, that’s how I remember it. But Meg’s cold shoulder and Eddo’s biting comments suggest a different story. Could I have misread the situation? Brigid always had a knack for making others see her version of events, and if she convinced everyone I broke her heart . . . I push away the unease settling in my stomach. My time in Aurora might be more complicated than I thought.
“Brigid is fine, I promise,” Alec tries to reassure me, but Meg’s worry is written across her lowered brow.
“Where is she?” I ask.
Then Gianna appears, drawing the attention of half the bar.
“I’m thirsty,” she declares, clearly frustrated. “Did you forget my drink?” Alec and Meg fall silent, sizing Gianna up and down.
“Hello, I’m Gianna.”
Alec whistles. “Yeah, we know who you are.” She gives me a questioning look that asks, “Why didn’t you tell us she was here?”
Gianna laughs; it is an uncomfortable sound. A nearby table of refinery workers is watching her and whispering. “I wish people would stop staring at me.”
