Page 29 of Secret Twins for the Alien Dad

He’s right. The bar is a lot better inside than out, and it’s packed. I hope he’s right about the psychic lady, too.

Fin leads me to a door on the far side. Two bouncers stand guard on either side of it, but Fin confidently gives them the password and they let us through.

The room inside is large. It must be some kind of VIP lounge. There are holographic dancing girls lining the walls, and the air is thick with smoke. Scattered around are sofas and lounge chairs all occupied with buzzed-out people of every race imaginable.

In a booth on the other side of the room, I get my first glimpse of Clary. She is a small white-haired human woman with a coarse laugh. She is animatedly telling a story to the surrounding motley crew of pirates and thugs. Every now and then, she pauses to take a drag on her long-stemmed pipe.

“And then she fell out of the bed!” Clary says with glee.

Her assembled audience erupts into laughter. “Nice one, Clary,” says a large Dragonian with tattered wings and a missing eye, slapping the table.

Clary glances in our direction. “Go on, get out of here, you lot. I need to speak with these gentlemen.”

The crowd disperses, still laughing at whatever tale Clary had regaled them with.

“Sit down, gentlemen,” she says when the table has emptied. “Good to see you again, Fin! This must be your ‘love lost’ friend Zair, is it?” She offers me her hand, and I am amazed at the grip she has.

“Fin says you might be able to help me find my fated mate?” I say without much hope.

“Oh, yes. Our Fin has been telling me all about you and Myra. Do you have a picture of her, by any chance?”

Reluctantly, I show her the image on my comm. She stares at it for a moment, and then I jump as she throws her head back and starts making strange crooning noises in the back of her throat.

“I can see her!” she says in a strange voice. “She is residing in Mairg. You must arrive there at fifteen hundred hours tomorrow and walk south. There you will find her!”

I’m pretty sure I have my mouth hanging open at the strange display.

Her head snaps forward, and she opens her eyes. “Did something come through?” she asks, her voice perfectly normal again. “Did I give you the information you need?”

I nod mutely.

“Great!” she exclaims with a toothy grin. “Being psychic is thirsty work. Are you boys going to buy me a drink?”

It is hours later that we leave the bar, completely blasted. I’m still not sure what to make of the strange old lady. At first, I was totally skeptical. I thought it had to be some kind of a scam. But she never once mentioned payment, except for the vast quantity of alcohol she managed to consume. And everyone loved her. Even the proprietor of the bar held her in high esteem.

“So you met her here and thought she could help?” I quiz Fin on the cab ride home.

“Yep,” he slurs. “Isn’t she great?”

I laugh, thinking of one of her tall tales. “Yes, she’s pretty cool,” I reply. “I’m just not sure I want to go chasing off to Mairg on the strength of one of her visions. When did you meet her?”

“Oh, I guess I first told her about you and Myra about a month ago. Maybe two. She told me she was really good and that all of her visions came true,” Fin assures me earnestly.

“I’m sure she did.” I laugh. “I’m sure she’d be pretty convincing at telling you water wasn’t wet, too.”

“Yeah, maybe, but I believe her.”

“That’s because you’re a gullible fool,” I retort. “So you told her all about me when you met her before?”

“Yes, of course. She was really interested in all the details. She said she has a soft spot for fated mates.”

“So, she could have just got hold of the information and simply been good at tracing people? All that clairvoyant mumbo jumbo could be just because she’s a bit cracked?”

Fin thinks for a moment. “Yeah, maybe,” he says. “But if you get to find Myra, what difference does it make?”

Now it’s my turn to think. “So, you reckon I should go?”

“Sure, why not? What’s the worst that can happen? If she’s not there, you just come home again.”

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