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numbers. The Hall has been told to forward them to us. I’ve had to hook up a few generators in the past.”
    I start laughing, unable to help myself. The image of Liz going in as an electrician--it’s far too easy to imagine. “What’s really bad is when they ask when the male electrician will show up,” she drawls, rolling her eyes. “As if a woman can’t shock herself just as easily as a man can.”
    “You can fix my electricity any time you feel like it,” Taurus says.
    She just looks at him with a raised eyebrow. He gives her a shameless grin. “I’ve patched a few holes, myself,” he admits, changing the subject. “I supposedly specialize in dry-walling and flooring. They even put me through a college course when I first started out, so I could sound professional.”
    “So what are our covers?” I ask, looking over at Emily.
    “High school students,” Emily says. “It’s pretty obvious, right?”
    “She’s right,” Liz says, “and I’m legally your foster mom, it’s on all of our paperwork, complete with your grandfather's signature, Aub. The only one that will get the strange looks will be Devon,” she declares all too cheerfully.
    “You’re a single foster mom, so it’s obvious enough,” Taurus says, “I’m your male companion.”
    “He means boyfriend,” Emily says evilly.
    “Yep,” I agree.
    “My own daughters!” Liz says dramatically. “We’re not even on the plane and they’re already making boyfriend jokes. Listen up, the only reason I didn’t make Nico come instead is because he and Father are constantly arguing. I want this trip to be nice and peaceful. Devon is perfect for that--he’s a Superior fan-boy.”
    “I won’t call it fan-boy’ing, exactly,” Taurus says in protest, “I just admire the things he did in the past. Just because he wasn’t that stellar of a father doesn’t mean he wasn’t admirable as a cape. I’d like to hear the stories how they really went, from him. How many people do you know get a chance to even ask?”
    “Plenty,” Liz says dryly, “almost everyone I know.”
    “You’re exaggerating, and you know it,” he says.
    “I said ‘almost,’” she says. “The girls will keep Tatiana busy, you’ll keep Dad busy, and I’ll have a nice, peaceful vacation. Maybe make a few snowmen!”
    “Is it night time or day time up there?” I ask.
    “Right now it’s day time--and will be for several months,” Liz says. “I brought sleeping masks!”
    “Wait, what?” Taurus asks.
    “They live in the Arctic Circle,” I say. “That means for some six months a year you can always see the sun. For the other six, it’s always night.”
    “Close to around that long, at least,” Liz says. “Not that I’ve actually been that high. But we’ll be landing in an airport below the Arctic Circle. Tatiana and Dad will meet us there and show us how to get to their base. There’s a good chance we’ll have to fly in, considering.”
    A strange look crosses Taurus’s face. “So when you say ‘fly in’ you don’t mean a helicopter, do you?”
    “Don’t worry, Dad can carry you,” Liz says cheerfully.
    “I’d rather he not,” Taurus drawls. “I’ll run. I’m pretty invulnerable to weather in my were-form.”
    “Don’t blame us if you get lost,” Liz says. He gives her a dark look.
    “Keep your phone on,” he says, stubbornly.
    “See, I keep telling people that he’s bull-headed,” she says as the limo pulls to a stop. “Aubrey, did you call your granddad and tell him where you were going?” she asks me as we get out.
    “Yeah,” I say. My granddad is my only living blood relative. “He wants signatures from everyone--including you,” I tell her with amusement. “He’ll probably want pictures, too, actually.”
    “I don’t know if we can get Dad’s, but we’ll see,” she says as we head to the back of the limo to get our things. They’re already being wheeled away by the time we get there.
    “Dad,” Taurus says.