Page 24

Mel blows an apalled raspberry. “Water?!”

Celeste raises her hand to silence Mel and leans in towards me a little. “Are you sure? Drinks are on me.”

Not ready to confess that I’m worried about money, I nod. “I should probably be sober when making sure you don’t get killed, right?”

With a shrug, she makes her way to the bar, leaving me and Mel behind. I lean back in my chair and force myself to stop looking at Celeste every twenty seconds. Instead, I notice the way people around us look at her: like she’s a very beautiful but incredibly toxic snake, not to be disturbed. Feeling a little in over my head, I look around the room. “So, how do you know who’s a potential threat?”

Mel smiles. “You’re so dutiful! Adorable.”

Ugh.

“Okay.” She takes her chair and scoots closer to me. “See that guy at the bar?”

I follow her gaze to a short man with a neat suit and long coat who looks like he’s here for a business meeting. As Celeste walks up to order, he doesn’t look at her but stops stirring his drink and stares intently at the bar.

“He’s eavesdropping on her,” I note.

“Good. What else?”

I tilt my head. “He’s still wearing his coat? Could be hiding a weapon.”

“Yes. Notice anything else about the coat?”

After staring intently until the bartender sets the drinks down before Celeste, I say, “No, not really.”

“It’sugly.No gay man would wear that.”

I shake my head. “What?”

“Don’t worry.” She pats my arm. “I actually don’t think he’s a threat to you because Celeste usually likes her men tall.”

It takes me a moment to catch up with what she’s saying. Mel shoots me a wide grin as I cross my arms with as much dignity as I can muster. “That’s not what I meant.”

Celeste returns, setting down a glass of water for me and a bizarrely colorful concoction for Mel. She throws a suspicious glance at the siren. “Are you being rude?”

Putting on an innocent expression, Mel says, “I don’t know what gave you that impression.”

Celeste puts her hand on my shoulder, leans down to me, and says in a false whisper, “She actually is a really good shot or I would have fired her a long time ago.”

Mel waves her hand. “Oh, you love it.”

Celeste looks up as another group enters the bar, led by a woman that looks like she’s walked straight off an ad for men’s streetwear. Some of her jewellry is faintly reminiscent of what I’d imagine a witch to wear, with various amulets, necklaces, and bangles, but otherwise she looks like she might as well be in a motorcycle gang. The sides of her head are shaved and tattooed with floral patterns that weave down her neck and shoulders. She gives Celeste a small nod.

Her entourage is composed of two men with similar attire, both bulky and bald, and the third a young woman that has the fox-like features of a shape-shifter.

“Wish me luck,” Celeste says as she heads for another table. “And Mel?”

Mel tilts her head. “Hm?”

“Don’t be a dick, please.”

The siren props her chin on her hand and watches Celeste walk away. With my arms still crossed in front of my chest, I watch the other group split, their leader joining Celeste at a nearby table while the others sit down at the bar, their eyes keenly trained on the pair of witches.

“Fine,” Mel says. “Here’s what I look for: when they came in, did anyone react strangely or take particular notice? It could be that they already have people in the crowd preparing for some kind of ambush. Other than that, it’s mostly common sense.” She crosses her legs and picks up her drink. “Is anyone acting suspiciously? Does anyone look like they could be concealing a weapon?”

She points toward the back of the room. “We chose this place because it has only two entry points, the front entrance and the staff entrance leading up into the courtyard. No windows. There’s less to keep an eye on.”

I scan the room as I listen. Her words make me nervous because to me, it looks like anyone could be concealing a weapon. Everyone seems to be wearing a dress or a lose jacket. And aren’t two entrances just two ways we could get trapped? Maybe my nerves aren’t cut out for this job.