The following takes place after 6.0. May be a little long.

"Just a wee more," James yells from below as if the rafters were above the clouds.

I extend my arm to reach for the prosthetic leg, careful to not break the wooden beam that creaked under my weight. You try hanging upside down from a roof in need of repair. As no one gave a fuck about the prank pulled on him during the "TwiWorld" brawl, I became the sole volunteer to help him. Dwight and his 1950s ghost gang find me inching towards the leg amusing I suspect they were the ones behind it. They'll get what's coming for them once I inform James and Talia.

One touch and the leg falls off the beam. Judging from the expletives, I have a good idea where it landed. I drop from the rafters and land on my feet, wincing from the hard landing. After recovering, I spy James with his leg attached. I walk over and lend him a hand up.

"You could've used a spell to summon it."

"Ye dinnae think I tried that first?" He stomps both of his feet. "Some ghost or witch with a sick sense of humour prevented me from doing so. I'll send Ramsay to take care of business. If they know what's good for them ..." No need to narrate 'he punches his left fist into the palm of his hand', but I just did.

"So, drink on my tab?"

"I could use one," he replies after wiping his hands.

We arrive at the bar as the last fight participant leaves the Tavern. Even the ghosts who haunt the place are calling it a night. Apart from staff, only ones still here are myself and James.

"Hate to break it to you, but I'm closing early," Talia says while wiping her forehead. "If you have any tabs open, I'll close them now."

"Ye serious? Ye hardly had any problems with rounds of fisticuffs y'need to close the place."

"The Feast of Perun isn't for another week. What's going on?"

Talia taps the computer screen then leans on the bar towards us. "The fight isn't the reason, and the Tavern won't be closed for Perun. I agreed to host my coven's high priestess's daughter's wedding banquet."

A look of embarrassment takes hold of James' face, his cheeks flushing tomato red.

"You didn't sleep with her ahead of a ceremony that requires her to still be a virgin, did you?" She raises her eyebrows as she lowers her head.

James stammers as he raises his shoulders and leans back. "Snezhana's a fine lass, but she doesnae want to go through with it. She wanted something to suppress her nerves and naturally I told her yer the one to see."

"She suspects I'd tell her mother and therefore went to see someone else." Talia turns her head and yells at Bartender, "смешай два виски колы"

Bartender rolls his eyes as he takes a bottle of whiskey off the shelf. I share the sentiment after last call of wanting to leave, but we aren't going anywhere just yet.

Talia fetches two flasks, whips up a potion in each, and places one in front of James after corking them. "You know what to do?" Simultaneously, Bartender serves us the whiskey colas.

"Aye."

Talia turns her attention to me. "That friend of yours and her wolf shifter boyfriend, have you heard from them?"

I hold on to the glass and tap my fingernails. "I can't say that I haven't. Her last InstaPix post was 4 days ago at a cat cafe. Let me show you."

After finding the photo on Zenia's feed, I hand my phone to Talia. The very second she lays eyes, she shoves the phone back into my hand. "I don't think I'll be hosting 'cat cafe' here. Anyway, it's lovely to see them together. Snezhana isn't so lucky."

"You're not suggesting her marriage was —"

"Snezhana and I are PKs, priestess kids," James explains. "Had I been born a lass, I'd be in an arranged marriage whether I have a say in it. Ach, I'd be wedded off to some other PK if not for m'legs."

I understand them well enough. When you're the equivalent of a princess and you need someone of noble birth and blood, it's politics over personal interests. "Sounds like she had no say in selecting the lucky man."

"Oh, she had a say, and I was there when she chose the boy." She picks up a cloth and wipes the counter. "Lucky he is not."

"Then it's a girl she has as a paramour?"

James sips his cocktail. "While my coven encourages relationships between lasses, this isnae true for all."

"I assume your coven, Talia, is one of them?"

She stops wiping and leans forward. "Lena, how well do you know the covens in The Metropolis? You've lived here longer than us, so you must be familiar with the others besides ours."

"To be quite honest, I don't avidly follow the covens. Besides yours, the only other coven I can think of is the all-male one which is technically based in Harbourtown."

Talia places her free hand under her chin. "The boy she chose to wed comes from a Harbourtown coven, and there are only two. Tolik's coven isn't dependent on a bloodline —"

"So it must be Giulietta's," James cuts in. "The two parent covens have been butting heads for generations even before their establishment here."

Blah, blah, blah. There was once a time when I paid attention to witch politics as it mattered to clan matters. I can narrate all the boring details, but there literally is nothing of interest, and it's getting way off topic.

"Wait, what does this have to do with Snezhana seeing you, James, in the first place? What I understand is her mother set her up with one of Giulietta's sons to extend influence into Harbourtown against Tolik's coven. I still believe she has a female paramour or my other guess is she has phallophobia."

The colour drains from James' face at my speculation.

Talia puts a hand under her chin. "Snezhana is in love with ghost. There is no way she fears —"

"Ye both hit the nail on the head. I cannae say more as it's between me and her, memory potion or nae."

It's a tough situation. What appears to be an arranged marriage, and a celebration of that, is forced consent on both ends. Typically, someone in Snezhana's position would be honoured to take their consort's virginity while he has to put on his big boy pants and feel honoured the Goddess had chosen him to make an offering. Tradition has it if the offering is found unsuitable then everything's annulled and the man walks away unharmed, but someone always finds a way to weaponize it.

"It's sex or death for the boy," Talia sighs. "I've lived longer than the High Priestess to know it's a perverted twist on the ritual."

"The clan may have carried traditions and rituals from our witch ancestors, and thankfully even in our male-dominated culture that didn't catch. Can't say the same for arranged marriages."

Just as I take a sip of my cocktail, James blurts out, "Ye want to create another poster presentation to convince Talia's High Priestess to not kill the lad?"

"Tch. As if that will work."

Talia shakes her head. "I can't believe you stopped that fight between vampires and shifters by lecturing them."

"The poster wasn't what convinced Harant to call it off. Dickhead was betrayed by his haremtourage."

"He certainly deserved that." She lets out a sigh, but as she is about to continue, we all hear laughing.

James makes a quick glance at his legs and slams the bar. "Those bastards!"

Just a few feet from us floats Dwight, who had hidden one of James' legs in the rafters, with his gang snickering. "Didn't expect this dweeb to be a phantom fucker."

James grabs a long spoon from the bar. "Lena, Talia, where are they? I'll show them!"

Talia's face beams and we conclude on who Snezhana is seeing. His sister? Girlfriend? Whoever she is, Dwight pegged James as her paramour. I didn't pay attention to their attire at first, but the jackets they are wearing had a cartoonish turtle. Tuttleman Preparatory School football team of 1959 died in a bus crash. Along for the ride were cheerleaders from the neighbouring girls' school who snuck aboard.

"Dwight, what makes you believe he's sleeping with Amy?"

"What does this concern you, bloodsucking bitch?" He sneers at me.

Ew, manners. "Amy was the head cheerleader. You were the football team captain. Cliché dictates you're supposed to be a power couple, but she didn't take an interest in you. Am I right about him, James?"

"Aye, but where are they? I'm nae gon' let them hide m'legs again."

"You know what? I don't have to deal with this." Dwight looks left and right at his companions. "Take out the phantom fucker."

The ghosts roll up their sleeves as if ready to strike, but within taking that first hovering leap two turn neon pink and evanesce. From the corner of my eye I see Talia holding a muddler, I believe that's what the stick is called, and pointing it at the ghosts.

"I don't have all night. Now leave or else you're looking at centuries of reassembling."

Dwight's remaining friend's eyes widen as his Adam's apple bobs. "We should leave. I've been zapped like Johnny and Hamish, and it's no fun gathering every ectoplasmic bit of yourself."

He points at James. "Not until he confesses."

And like you expect it, Amy, wearing a baggy "Z" sweater and a long skirt, poofs into the room. "Why don't you hear it from me?"

Dwight's aura turns to a mix of red and green. "Amy, I forbid you —"

And SMACK! Amy delivers a blow to his head. They're ghosts. They can touch each other physically. "For the nth time I've told you, we're not a couple! I'm not attracted to men, legs or no legs."

"There's no way you're a lesbian," Dwight says to Amy as his head regains its shape. "It's an excuse for you seeing someone else."

And ZAP! James fires a bolt from the spoon at Dwight but only displaces a few ectoplasmic hairs. "Ye fuckin' mental? When a lass says 'nae interested', she isnae playing hard to get. Did ye nae hear Lena's story about her friend?"

"And what? Is the blood-sucking bitch gonna lecture me to another death?"

This guy can fuck off any moment now, but he's not going away until he gets what he wants. "James, you never mentioned that Snezhana was your ex, did you?"

His eyebrows moved inward as I've asked him not only an uncomfortable question but one that may not have been true. So I mouth the words "play along".

"Aye, I fancied her, but we've moved on. She came to visit me for advice and Amy was with her. I cannae see her, but she introduced me and that was it. Amnae sleeping with Amy. Is that what ye want?"

Dwight looks at Amy and she says, "It's true. I am in a relationship with his ex, Snezhana. No need to haunt him any further."

"Do you want him to drink truth potion?" Talia offers. "I can mix one, but you'll get same answer."

Dwight's surviving friend floats forward to face him. "Be reasonable about this, Dwight. We're outnumbered."

Dwight clenches his fists and if that vein popping from his forehead is real, it damn sure looks like it's going to explode. "You're right." He glares at James. "This isn't over, phantom fucker." And with a poof he and his friend leave.

Amy floats to the bar and pretends to sit on the stool. "Sorry for the trouble, James. I didn't think he'd follow Snowy and I to your place."

"I dinnae blame ye. Ramsay hasnae been his usual self in watching out for unwelcome visitors. My barrier should be fixed soon."

"I'm grateful to you and Talia for helping us prepare for the wedding. In that case, I should be with her when she wakes up." She shifts her attention to me. "Lena, you are more than welcome to argue on our behalf should the old bag suspect our relationship."

I shake my head. "The wedding's when? Tomorrow night? I may be able to whip up a slideshow presentation, but it'd be you and Snezhana who will have to present it. I have plans."

"Do said plans involve staying locked up in your room playing computer games all night?"

How does she — fucking Draven! "Fine then! All of you e-mail me your arguments and I'll —"

And before I reveal the rest of my unwanted change of plans, in comes my platinum blonde, blue-eyed saviour. "We appreciate the help, but you shouldn't be forced into doing things you don't want to."

Amy does an action. "Snowy, I thought you were sleeping."

"Not when my wedding is literally a few hours from now." Snezhana leans forward against her cane. "Lena, if you want to help that's up to you and not some annoying ghost. Amy knows all too well with Dwight."

Amy plants her palm onto her forehead. "That's right! How could I forget I stayed longer that night? No wonder he was eyeing James and not you."

Snezhana walks up to James, her cane lightly tapping along the wooden floor. "Thanks for obtaining the potion and doing your best to keep our secret. It's not too late to change your mind on attending the reception."

He waves a hand in front of his face. "I'd rather save myself from humiliation. I hae more than enough for one night." He slides off the stool and says, "Speaking of which, I'm gon' head home. Got the early shift at the kiosk."

Talia places Snezhana's potion on the bar. "And you, барышня, head home before someone becomes suspicious."

She takes the potion from James, who hands it to her. "I got in here with a cloaking spell, and I sure can return before dawn rituals. Speaking of cloaking..."

A whisper and a wave of the cane, and James' protheses reappear.

"They were there all along?" He gives each leg a tap and hops off his stool.

"Sorry I had to make you believe Dwight and his cronies stole your legs again. I couldn't let them hide them in the rafters again."

"Fair enough. I wouldn't see them coming at me anyway." After grabbing his potion flask, he asks, "Shall I see ye and Amy out the tavern?"

"Thank you, but we can manage."

Amy nods and she floats to the entrance.

"Since we won't be seeing each other for some time, I wish ye all the best. And, y'know, you can visit me anytime with what's-his-name in tow." He winks at her twice.

Snezhana giggles, and after a brief, awkward exchange of glances with James, she taps her cane against the floor and vanishes.

James sighs and faces me. "Shall I escort ye home, Lena?"

You'd think he'd know by now I could make it to the apartment faster without him. Then again, he may be feeling lonely after seeing his ex. Might as well humour him.

"Are you sure about this? If you're suggesting I carry you while I run to your place in the North —"

"Or Talia can call us a taxi and I'll cover the cost. There's been a spike in vampire hunters and they've been visiting the kiosk more frequently." James places his free hand on my shoulder and continues, "I'd rest easy if you got back safe."

I'm skeptical if he has a special interest in me, or as I'm roommates and friends with Carmen, he cares for my well-being and hers. But as I open my mouth to respond, he buckles forward and I catch him.

"Bloody fuckin' Hell! My right leg fucked up, and it's nae phantom limb."

"Can you stand at least?"

"What part of 'fucked up' ye not getting?" He tries to stand and leans right, only to buckle from the weight.

"Right."

"Any time now you two," Talia warns us, as she hops over the bar. "This bonus episode is running longer that it should be."

And she had a point. We normally don't see the kitchen staff and they are standing outside the entrance to there. Talia means serious business if they're here.

"Forget the taxi, I have a better idea." With one fell swoop, I pick James up and carry him in my arms.

"What the Fuck, Lena?" James sputters as he tries to push himself off as I walk to the exit.

"I hate this, but it saves both of us $50. Either way, I'd have to carry you to your condo."

He folds his arms and puffs. "Fine, but ye better not breathe a word to anyone. Fucking embarrassing."

With the kitchen staff holding the doors open for the exit, I make a dash out of the Tavern towards the North. The first few hundred metres I can't but think I forgot something. Something about a memory potion.

Then it hit me.

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Some translation notes:

смешай два виски колы (Smeshai dva viski koli) --> Mix two whisky colas

барышня (baryshnya) --> An outdated term for call someone "young lady" or "miss". I believe девушка (devushka) is what would be used.