I hoped that her question meant what I thought it did—that she wanted to see me again. “I’m guessing you don’t have a curfew.”

“Oh right,” she said. This time, her disappointment was crystal clear. “C’mon. I’ll walk you out.”

She led me back through the maze of corridors and to the front drive. As I walked down the steps, Nyx came striding out of the darkness from the direction of the bluff and the strange noise I’d heard earlier.

Marie cleared her throat loudly and Nyx stopped, dusted something off her jacket, and fastened the buttons.

“Call me. Or I’ll call you,” Marie said. “Oh, and I can take you to see them whenever you want.”

“Who?” I asked as I moved to the car door.

“Selene and Circe. They’re in your family’s plot, not the big cemetery where everyone else is buried. It’s off the beaten path. If you ever want to go, let me know.”

“Oh. Right,” I said. I wasn’t sure that was something I wanted to do, and the topic had caught me off guard.

“It’s completely up to you,” Marie said.

“I’ll think about it.” I turned and Nyx opened the door for me.

I climbed in and Marie retreated into the house. I sat quietly in the back seat as Nyx drove me home. When we pulled up to the house, Mom and Mo were at the door, waiting.

I let myself out and Nyx met me on the passenger side of the car.

“Miss Morris asked me to leave you with this.” She handed me a small card. “It’s my phone number. She said you’re welcome to come up to the house anytime.”

“That’s really nice of her,” I said.

“She’s taken a liking to you,” said Nyx. “I think she’s been without a true friend since Astraea died, and that was a very long time ago.”

“Couldn’t have been that long. She’s only seventeen.”

Nyx burst into a deep, throaty laugh. She took a second to compose herself. “Forgive me. Technically, that’s true.”

“I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean,” I said. “But I know that nobody around here likes to give me straight answers and it’s irritating as hell.”

“She’ll fill you in, I’m sure.” She readjusted her blazer and straightened up. “When Miss Morris thought they—the Colchis family—were gone, she was undone. And when she found out you were related to them . . .” She stared off to the side for a moment. “I’ve never seen her so relieved.”

“Why? What does it matter if I’m related to them? Everybody I’ve met here makes it seem like that’s a big deal. I don’t see it like that.”