“Don’t worry,” she said. “We got plenty of time to clean. I wouldn’t choose cleaning over a good book either, love. As long as you’re okay, I’ll leave you to it.”

“I’m good,” I said. “I have a question though.”

“Shoot,” she said.

“You know anything about Greek mythology?”

She pursed her lips. “I studied business in college, love. Greek mythology wasn’t something I was really into, but I had a friend who was. She was a curator at the Brooklyn Museum for a few years. I don’t know if she’s still there but I can get you her email.”

“That would be perfect. I found all these old stories. There’s this woman named Medea, and—”

“Like the Tyler Perry ‘Madea’?”

“Uh, no,” I said, grinning. “Not Madea, Medea. She was the daughter of a king, and I think a devotee of a goddess, and Circe has pictures of her all over the place. It’s kind of weird, but I wanna look into it.”

“A lot of things are weird around here,” she said. “That guy out back? Weird. I wonder if they’ll arrest him when he recovers if they haven’t already.”

“He’s kind of old,” I said. “I don’t think we should press charges or anything.”

Mo sighed. “You’re probably right. I’ll talk to Mom. In the meantime, I got pizza and some organic root beer that probably tastes like ass. It’s downstairs.”

The doorbell rang. I heard the front door creak open, and then Mom called out.

“Briseis? There’s someone here for you.”

“Is it young Trevante?” Mo asked, peering into the hallway.

“His name’s Karter,” I said, checking my phone for a missed text or call.

Nothing.

The stab of disappointment I felt caught me off guard. I was looking forward to hanging out with him again. I went downstairs with Mo trailing behind me.

As I peered around my mom, I recognized the person standing there.

It was the girl who’d been in the driveway the other night, the one we’d called the police on. The one who’d vanished right in front of us.

CHAPTER 13

I waited to see if Mom or Mo was going to say anything. Mo had seen someone but was fuzzy on the details. Mom hadn’t seen her at all. Neither of them seemed to recognize her.

In the moment our eyes met, I took in everything about her, like my mind was purposely making sure I couldn’t forget any of the details. She was the most striking person I’d ever seen. Her skin was the deep umber color of autumn leaves, and her silver-gray hair was slicked back, gathered behind her neck in a mass of tight coils. The corner of her mouth drew up as she watched me.

“I’m sorry to bother you,” she said, her gaze fixed on me. She stuck her hands in the pockets of her camo-colored coat. “I know it’s late. I’m Marie, Alec’s granddaughter.”

“Who’s Alec?” Mom asked.

My mind raced to think of a lie that wouldn’t get me in too much trouble. I couldn’t tell Mom or Mo that I’d visited Alec in the hospital. “A guy I met in town,” I said quickly. “Do you want to come in?”

Marie tilted her head and smiled. “Very much. Thank you.”

She stepped into the entryway, and Mom and Mo stood there, waiting for me to explain.

“Follow me,” I said, avoiding their stares. “I’ll get the comfrey for you.”

My parents hung back, but I could feel them watching as Marie followed me down the hall. We turned into the apothecary.

“How’s Alec?” I asked. “They release him yet?”

Marie rolled her eyes. “No. He’s fine, though. Annoying, but fine. He got himself into a mess, and if he suffers while he’s healing . . .” She shrugged like she was saying “oh well.” She put her hand on her hip and looked me over from head to toe so slowly I had to glance away out of embarrassment.

A stirring sense of confusion and, if I was being real, intrigue settled over me. She couldn’t have been older than me, maybe seventeen at the most. I couldn’t tell if her hair was dyed silver or if that was her natural color. She wore a fitted pair of jeans, ripped in a few places at her thigh where her skin showed through, and a white T-shirt under her camo coat. Her chunky black boots clunked across the floor as she circled the shop. There was something about the way she moved, like she was in slow motion, each movement deliberate.

I was suddenly aware that I probably looked a whole mess and quickly tried to find something to check my reflection in. I took out my phone and pretended to read my email as I flipped on the front-facing camera. As soon as I caught sight of myself, I wanted to smash my phone on the ground and disappear into the fuckin’ ether. Of course this beautiful girl showed up right when I was at my most busted. I sighed. It was too late to do anything about it now.

“That was you outside the other night,” I said. I kept my voice low so Mom and Mo wouldn’t hear. “You scared my parents.”

She smiled like it was funny. “Not the reaction I was hoping for.”

“You stand outside of a stranger’s house in the dark, you’re probably gonna scare somebody.”

“I didn’t mean to,” she said softly. “It’s been a while since the shop was open. I heard a new family moved in, so I came to see. But you’re not a new family after all, are you?”

“Wanna tell me what that’s supposed to mean?” I asked. I scanned the shelf and spotted the jar with the comfrey near the top. I slid the ladder in place and climbed up to grab it.

“You’re related to Circe.” She was suddenly at the base of the ladder holding it steady with one hand. “I can see that by looking at you. Do you mind if I ask how?”

“Her sister, Selene, was my birth mother.”

She made a noise like a cough, but when I looked, she stood stoic, thoughtful. I climbed down and set the jar on the counter as she walked to the opposite side.

“Can I ask you something?” I said.

“Of course.”

Again, something about her struck me. She was pretty—no. More than that. She was beautiful. But it wasn’t just that. I shook my head. “Uh, sorry—I lost my train of thought.”

She shrugged. “It happens.”