The Limus speeds toward its victim. The Earl of Acca firms up his stance, shooting bolt after bolt through the demon’s body. I glance around me. A lantern hangs from one of the posts that hold up the pavilion’s fabric ceiling.

Yeah, that would do it.

The Limus slams into the Earl. Green goo encases the man whole. Inside the demon, the Earl of Acca flails, trying to whack his way out with the crossbow. Next to me, the Scala Heir and Gianna continue chatting. I nudge her in the ribs again.

“Your father’s in big trouble.”

She looks at me and arches her eyebrow. “No, he’s not. And if you keep interrupting me, Gianna’ll put a hex on you.” She turns to face her friend, showing me as much back as possible.

On the tournament grounds, the Earl of Acca feebly kicks and punches from inside the Limus demon. Some thrax stand up in their pavilion seats, their faces twisted with worry. The Earl stops moving altogether.

That’s it.

I rip the lantern off the post and hurl it with all my strength. The fire slams into the demon’s skin. The Limus bursts into emerald flames. The thrax in the pavilions gasp. The fire dies down, leaving the Earl standing alone, wheezing and covered in green goop.

He points at me, slime dripping from his finger. “YOU! How dare you!”

For a few long minutes, there’s a lot of confusion, gasping, and cries of ‘how dare you’ from the Earl. It’s all a big blur until a familiar hand grips mine. I turn to see Cissy standing beside me. She tugs on my arm. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

She pulls me past the tournament field, stopping behind one of the tents. Her eyes grow large with alarm. “What happened back there, Myla?”

“I saved that guy’s life.”

“Everyone said he was doing fine.”

“Everyone’s wrong. A Limus demon was about to digest him whole. He was not doing fine.” I fold my arms over my chest. “He’s just a pompous blowhard who didn’t want to get showed up by a girl, even if that girl saved his life.”

Cissy grinds her teeth. “The House of Acca is freaking out. I need to do some damage control.” She winces. “This could take a while.” Cissy’s forehead creases with concern, the same expression she wears when feeding stray cats or tending her shoebox of moth cocoons. She doesn’t want this blow-up to cause trouble for Zeke and his family. Which, since I’m associated with them and their house, it very well could.

I won’t let her face this alone. “I’ll go with you.”

“No, best if you stay scarce. Every Acca flunky within yelling range is screaming how you dishonored them for a second time.”