“Good.” She rocks back on her heels, setting her golden ringlets swinging. “There are some thrax horses in the Ryder stables. I guess they’re enchanted or something. I hear they basically ride themselves, if you know what I mean.”

Some little part of me feels guilty for misleading Cissy here when she’s trying to be nice, but my inner demon has that little part of me in a sleeper hold. “Sounds like a plan.”

Cissy and I leave the mansion, hike past the hedgerow maze, and head toward a long and thin building on the outer grounds: the Ryder stables. A great wooden door marks the entrance; Cissy hauls it open. Inside, there’s a long central aisle with about a dozen stalls on either side.

I walk up the main aisle, peeking in the different stalls. Dry hay crunches beneath my feet. “I’ve always wondered. Why do the Ryders have stables anyway? Zeke never talks about riding and his parents only seem to love tennis.”

“It’s for guests. Thrax aren’t the only ones who like to travel by horse. Some ghouls and demons do it too. Normally, there are only a few horses in residence, but with the thrax in town, the stables are almost always full these days.”

I look at the different horses, reading the names printed above the stalls. “Moon Shadow. Firelight. Eugene.”

“That last one is a demon horse. Don’t go near it.”

My brows arch with admiration. “You’re a fountain of diplomatic information, Miss Frederickson.”

Cissy grins. “Zeke’s parents have taught me all sorts of stuff. It’s really interesting.”

A horse with a bluish-gray coat steps out of a nearby stall. She prances up to me and whinnies.

I smile. I’d know this horse anywhere. She’s been a target of the Doxy demons for months. They love to snarl her mane and tail; I love to play her personal demon exterminator. I run my fingers through the horse’s silky black mane. “What’s your name, lovely?”

Cissy steps up to the now-empty stall. “She’s a thrax horse. Her name’s Nightshade.” Cissy peeps inside. “I wonder how she got out of her stall.”

I shrug. “You said the horses were enchanted. Maybe they can do magic.”

Nightshade couches onto the stable floor. Her big black eyes stare at me in a way that says ‘climb on.’

My body buzzes with excitement. I quickly slip onto into Nightshade; her back feels warm and steady below me as she rises to her feet. The next moment, Nightshade begins walking toward the stable doors. A sense of calm and ease washes over me. I feel as if I’ve ridden on her all my life. Grinning, I loop my fingers through her mane and whisper in a low voice. “Take me to the thrax.” She rears on her hind legs.

Cissy frowns. “Not yet, Myla. You’re supposed to wear a gown!”