After a day with the witches, minus Jade, our bellies rumbled and we decided to go to a restaurant. It probably wasn’t the best idea to go under the influence but we had Nyx watching over us. It didn’t matter how many drinks she had she remained unfazed. Eventually we found ourselves sitting at a place called Mirak.
It was a simple place with booths set up all over the restaurant. It was a korean self-serve barbecue place. They gave free sides and placed our meat onto the hot grill built into the middle of the table. We were then given tongs to flip our meat. I wanted chicken and beef but Clara demanded pork belly and Nyx wanted octopus. I was not looking forward to grilling that up. I told her we could cook it after the other meat was ready.
Inhaling deeply, the mouthwatering smell of grilled meat had drool dripping down the side of my mouth. When the waitress walked up to our table she dropped a couple bottles of fruit bottles on the table. When I looked up at her with a puzzling look she smiled.
“On the house,” she smiled.
“Juice?” I asked.
“No, no,” she laughed as she placed shot glasses on the table. “Sake.”
“Oohh,” I giggle. “Thank you so much!”
“Very strong. Only a little bit,” she warned.
Nyx and I watched her as she walked away. When we turned back to the table, Clara had already popped off the lid and filled up our shots. She lifted her glass and when she felt our eyes on her, she looked up at us.
“What?” Clara asked. I burst into laughter.
“Oh, nothing,” Nyx chuckled.
“We need to do this more often,” I said.
I reach down and pick up my shot glass. I look to Nyx and she reaches for hers. Our glasses clink together and we throw our heads back. Downing it, I drop my chin to my chest. The burn as it goes down is something I was not expecting.
“What is this??? Ninety percent alcohol??” I choked out.
I looked to Clara to find her eyes watering. Nyx’s eyes were round and the smell of burning chicken reminded me that we had food cooking. I grabbed the tongs and flipped our food before it could turn to charcoal.
“That’s some good shit,” Clara choked out. “We have to come here next time.”
“Right? Food and hard liquor?” I asked incredulously.
Clara proceeded to pour our glasses and I threw on some of her pork belly. I grabbed the scissors and cut it up into small pieces. I couldn’t stop wondering about Nyx. It didn’t help that she rarely spoke. I’ve never heard her speak as much as I have today. It was nice that Jade wasn’t here either. It was now or never. I cleared my throat.
“So, Nyx,” I started. Her milky eyes stared at me and I almost lost the confidence I mustered. “Do you hope to find your destined?” I asked.
“I think every witch hopes they’ll find their destined. Very few ever find their forever person. The odds are slim and it’s considered a miracle if you find yours. I wouldn’t say that I’m looking for mine, but I also wouldn’t say that I’ve given up. So, do I hope? Yes, I do, but I have little expectations of finding mine,” Nyx said.
I couldn’t tell how she was feeling from her eyes, the milky whites still gave me the chills, but I could tell from the expression on her face that she was sad. Clara remained quiet while Nyx spoke. I bit down on the inside of my cheek. It probably wasn’t the best question to ask.
“I’ve seen Clara in action and know what she can do. What about you, Nyx? What can you do?” I asked.
Clara froze. She had emptied the soju bottle, the tip of the bottle rested on the rim of the glass. She let go of the bottle but it remained suspended in mid-air. Hurriedly, I stood up and reached over. I grabbed the bottle and put it down before anyone could see. When I sat back in my seat.
“Nyx, you-” Clara started.
Nyx raised her hand to cut her off. Clara turned to me, her eyes never leaving me. Even tipsy, I could tell that Clara was looking at me with worry. Why would she look that way? I turned back to look at Nyx just as she lowered her hand.
“I think it would be easier to show you,” Nyx said.
I audibly heard Clara swallow. Clara. Whatever it was that Nyx could do it made Clara nervous. I should have been worried, maybe even scared, but I couldn’t help but feel excited. The thought that what Nyx could do could possibly frighten Clara was exciting.
“Can I?” Nyx asked.
I nodded and a small smile pulled at the corner of Nyx’s lips. Her face almost glowed. It flickered across her skin before it disappeared. I waited and waited but nothing happened. Was something supposed to be happening. I started to relax when my hand lifted. I looked to my hand as it moved for the table. I tried to put my hand down but I couldn’t get control of it. I stared back at Nyx and she stared back at me.
“I usually only use my gift under certain circumstances,” Nyx said.
“What kind of circumstances?” I asked.
I’m sure I could figure out what kind of circumstances. She could control people? Looking back to my hand, my fingers were wrapped around the scissors. The same ones the waitress had given us to cut up the meat. As my hand came closer to my neck, I reach out with my other hand to stop it but my hand didn’t listen to me. The scissors was pressed against my throat.
“The kind where I need to make people disappear,” Nyx said.
“That’s enough, Nyx,” Clara said.
Nyx looked at her sister and closed her eyes. I regained control over my body and put the scissors back onto the table. Looking at Nyx, she looked back at me, and smiled.
“I figured it would be easier to show you than to tell you,” Nyx said.
“I could have told her,” Clara said.
“But she asked me,” Nyx cooed.
“True,” I said nervously. “You’re a force to be reckoned with, Nyx.”
“Thank you,” she said coolly. “I don’t use it unless I need to.”
“More?” Clara asked.
The nervousness I’d seen on her face was gone and her tipsy smile back on her face. I nodded and watched as she unscrewed the lid off of the second bottle. I thought Clara was the strongest of the three, but now I knew I was wrong. Clara wasn’t the strongest and she definitely wasn’t the scariest of the witches. Knowing now what Nyx could do, I was grateful that she was on our side.