A chill crawls up my spine. “There’s more to the story, isn’t there?” I press my palms to my eyes, feeling my stomach tumble to my feet. “Lay it on me.”

“Well, you know how your thrax underwear had black lines on it this time?”

“Yeeeeeeeeah.”

“When yours were on, they spelled something in Latin.”

“Latin?” That lying, sneaky, backstabby Adair and her doofus father.

“Yeah. I guess all thrax can speak it.”

I open my fingers to look at her out of my left eye. “And what exactly is written on my ass right now?”

“Cunnus. C-U-N-N-U-S. I heard the thrax talking. I guess it means…”

“I know what it means.” I rebury my head in my hands. “Cissy! You should have said something!”

“Okay, it totally looked strange. But you were so twitchy about the underwear. I didn’t want another diplomatic snafu.” Cissy crinkles her bottom lip.

I grip the edge of the bench like I’ll snap it in two. Rage boils through my bloodstream. “I love you Cissy, but you’ve been nothing but a high maintenance nightmare for months now.” I tick off her misdeeds on my fingers. “First, you go crazy with envy that Lincoln’ll get my attention when you’re waaaaaay too into Zekie. Second, you give me the silent treatment for what’s basically no good reason. And third, you neglect to mention that I’m walking out the door with CUNNUS written on my butt. This hurts in a serious way and it’s got to stop.” My eyes flare red. “Not to mention the fact that it’s ruined my last night with Lincoln.”

Cissy’s eyes grow large; she pops her hand over her mouth. “I’m soooo sorry, Myla.” Her bottom lip quivers. “You’re right; I’ve been a really bad friend.” She sits down beside me on the bench. “Talk to me. Please. What can I do to make it up to you?”

I speak through gritted teeth. “Go back to the ball and have Zeke drive you home. I want to be alone for a while.” A weight settles on my chest. Lincoln’s off on demon patrol, somewhere on Earth. We had a fun night planned and now this. Man, do I ever need to kill something.

Cissy gnaws on her thumbnail. “I’m really sorry.”

“I know.” My voice drips with frustration and rage. “I need some time, that’s all.”

“Okay.” She glances toward the mansion’s distant lights. “If I ride home with Zeke, you’re really fine driving Betsy back alone?”

“Yup.” Leave already.

She takes a few hesitant steps away. “Call you tomorrow?”