She giggles. “No, there’s not.” A Crini lurches past us on its way out of the stadium. “Watch this.” She taps a tentacle with her finger. “Hello!”

The Crini examines me and Adair, its red eyes flaring demon-bright. The monster creeps closer, its long tentacles raised high. I move into battle stance, my tail arching over my shoulder.

Across the stadium floor, the Tinea fights Lincoln, its diamond claws sparring with the Prince’s baculum sword. Angling its head-lump toward the Crini, the Tinea lets out a series of angry chirps. I don’t speak Tinea, but I’m guessing it’s something like ‘back off buddy, I got her.’ The Crini pauses, shivers, and slinks away.

Adair grins. “See, what I mean? They won’t touch the Scala Heir, although this thing–” she kicks the dead Manus demon “–almost crushed me when it fell over.”

“The other demons avoid you because Armageddon sent the Tinea.” I’m careful to whisper every word. “As long as you stand totally still and keep your voice down, the Tinea can’t track you. So stay quiet and don’t move, okay?”

“Sure, whatever.” Adair glances around the stadium floor, her body language screaming ‘she’s not with me.’

Rage coils inside my belly. I’m trying to save Adair’s life and, like her jackass of a father, she’s too stuck-up and stubborn to see it.

Adair speaks in a full voice. “Look, all I’m worried about is a ride home. I should never have agreed to stop by the Arena this morning, only the ghoul asked so nicely.”

Ride home? Is she serious? “Demons are attacking Purgatory, Adair.”

“So?”

I’m about to say ‘so your people probably evacuated,’ but she’s keeping her voice down (sort-of) and not moving. Why push it? “I’m sure someone will be here soon.”

Adair freezes. “Lincoln!” She jumps up and down. “My Prince is here to save me.”

Enough, already. My hands grip her upper arm. “What part of ‘stand still and shut up’ was unclear?”

“Lincoln! Oh, Lincoln!” She tugs us both toward the Prince and the Tinea.

I dig my heels into the Arena floor and hold her arm firm. “Adair, what did I say? Stay quiet and don’t move. Lincoln is fighting a demon right now.”

She squirms harder under my grasp. “Let me go!” She turns to me. “How dare you–” She freezes, her eyes carefully inspecting my face. “Hey, when did you get those blue irises?”

Unholy moley. I can see where this is going, and it’s not a happy place.

“I don’t have blue irises. You’re seeing things.” Not my best lie.