Calliope froze for a moment. ckhawk was about to walk away when she


    grabbed his arm and pulled him back.


    "What did you just say?"


    "There''s someone on this cruise who''s plotting against me?"


    "Who is it?"


    ckhawk shook his head. "I didn''t catch much, just overheard something about someone targeting you. I''m not sure what they''re nning, or who''s behind it. Just... keep your eyes open, okay?"


    Calliope''s mind raced. After a moment, a name popped up: Blythe.


    Could it really be her? Wouldn''t be the craziest thing.


    "Did you piss anyone off recently?" ckhawk asked.


    Calliope shook her head. She couldn''t think of any other enemies.


    "Anything else? If not, I gotta get going," ckhawk said, ncing at his watch.


    "I''ve got other stuff to take care of."


    "Alright, thanks," Calliope said.


    "No problem. I mean, you paid me, right?" ckhawk shed a grin.


    He disappeared down the hallway.


    Calliope turned, ready to go find Portia, when suddenly a racket erupted ahead— shouting, shrieking, and, unmistakably, Portia''s voice in the mix.


    Portia was arguing with someone!


    Without thinking, Calliope sprinted toward themotion.


    A crowd had gathered, blocking the hallway, and she could hear Portia''s


    unmistakable voice cursing at someone.


    "What''s happening?" Calliope asked, grabbing a bystander''s arm as she tried to elbow her way through.


    "No clue, just two women going at it," the guy said, eyes wide. "It''s wild-they''re pulling each other''s hair out!"


    Calliope groaned inwardly.


    Hair pulling? Seriously?


    She just hoped Portia was winning.


    "Excuse me, that''s my friend in there!" she called, pushing her way through the crowd.


    When she finally broke through, the scene unfolded before her: Portia and another woman were locked in


    a vicious tug of war each with a fistful of the other''s hair, both yelling at the top of their lungs.


    From the looks of it, Portia had the upper hand. She had torn out a big chunk of


    her opponent''s hair, leaving a ring bald patch.


    ncing around, Calliope spotted Damien trying to intervene, but someone was holding him back.


    Another look—and she realized it was Blythe blocking Damien.


    She turned back to the brawl. The woman fighting Portia was Lisette.


    "Lisette, let go of Portia''s hair!" Calliope shouted, stepping in. She looked like she was trying to break it up but honestly she gave Lisette''s hair a hard yank herself.


    Lisette yelped in pain.


    That did the trick; both women released their grip.


    Lisette''s face was flushed with rage. She rubbed her scalp and red at Calliope and Portia. "Calliope, did you tell her to do this?"


    "Callie!" Portia whined, her hair a tangled disaster. She clung to Calliope''s arm, looking pitiful. "She started it!"


    Calliope stepped protectively in front of Portia, like a mama hen shielding her chick.


    She eyed Lisette, then turned to her friend. "Portia, what happened? She pick a fight?"


    "I was just minding my business, ying shuffleboard, when she came over and rammed into me on purpose, Portia huffed. “So I bumped her right back, and the next thing know, this psycho is yanking. on my hair!"


    "She''s vicious. Seriously, it hurt like hell! But I got her back. I''m not someone who just stands there and takes it."


    "She thought I was an easy target? Please."


    "She grabs my hair, I grab hers right back. I wasn''t about to let go. And look, I even got a whole handful!" Portia waved the clump of hair triumphantly.


    "Baldy!" she shot over her shoulder at Lisette, who looked like she''d rather be anywhere else.