“Those four, let’s just say they don’t like facing unpleasant realities.”
I fidget. “If the demons ever do attack, what would we do?”
Mom looks around the room for a time, then she nods. “Back when I was Senator, we built a series of bunkers where the government could hide out. In there, we had everything we needed to keep working: food, water, armor, communications equipment, and even Senate robes. The bunkers were top secret and built so that no pure demon could get in or out.”
“That sounds great, only they didn’t really work last time, right?”
“The Senate thought it would be ghouls or demons who attacked, never that they’d team up into a single demon-and-ghoul-army. But they did unite. The ghouls created portals to bring in the demon army. It was all over before anyone reached the bunkers. The Angels and thrax came to fight for us, but in the end there wasn’t too much they could do. All we got were slightly better terms in the final peace treaty.”
“You know what, Mom?” I rest my head on her shoulder. “I think we may need one of those bunkers soon.” Anxiety prickles over my skin.
Mom pats my hand. “I think so too, Myla-la.”
Chapter Nineteen
Cissy rushes through the opened door of her lavish bedroom, two huge garment bags gripped in her left hand. In her right, she holds a pair of boxes wrapped in string. “Our gowns are finally here!” She gently sets the packages onto her pink bedspread. “The Great Ladies dropped them off.”
I check my watch. Only a few hours to go before Lincoln’s farewell ball begins. Good thing I’m not one of those types who needs a million years to get ready. I glance at the gowns and frown. “That’s strange. You’d think they’d have something better to do.”
Cissy hangs the gowns side-by-side in her closet. Hers is green and black, mine’s red and gold. “How do you know? Maybe it’s an ancient thrax tradition.”
“Maybe.” With the thrax, you never know. I wouldn’t be shocked if they had a tradition for which way toilet paper falls off the roll.
Cissy claps her hands. “Let’s get dressed!” She quickly shuts the bedroom door, then she and I peel down to our underwear.
A portal appears by Cissy’s closet; Walker steps through. “Good evening, Myla. You have been called to serve.”
Cissy yelps, quickly grabbing her clothes and holding them over her front. I do the same.
“Walker!” I roll my eyes. “There’s a new fad called knocking. Ever heard of it?”
Walker shifts his weight from foot to foot. “You were, um, concerned that I haven’t given you advance warning before a match. You have one this Saturday morning, 5 AM. Since it’s Thursday night, I thought you’d be pleased to know.”
“That’s nice, Walker. You can go now.”
If Walker had blood, he’d be blushing at this point. “I must, um, apologize for the intrusion. I will go inform your mother of the match.”
Cissy nods toward the stack of boxes. “Be sure to say the gowns arrived in time.”
“No!” I try to kick Cissy in the shins and miss. “She thinks we’re hanging out at Zeke’s again, she doesn’t know about the ball.” I turn to Walker, my eyes pleading. “Please don’t say a word to Mom. You know how she gets.”
Walker scans the gowns with an expert eye. “Lincoln invited you to the ball tonight.” It’s not a question.
“They’re friends,” says Cissy quickly. I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time convincing her of that fact. No point awakening her envy demon when Lincoln leaves in a few days.
“I’ll keep your secret.” Walker pulls up his hood. “I only wish I had an invitation to this evening’s festivities.” He closes his eyes; another portal appears by Cissy’s closet. Walker starts to leave, then pauses. He angles toward me, his eyes glowing red under his hood. “You two will cause a lot of trouble, you know.”
“One can only hope.” I stick out my tongue at him. “I’m not worried about a certain dopey Earl ruining my life.”
“Only you, Myla.” Stepping through the portal, Walker disappears.
Cissy tosses her clothes back onto the floor, her focus moving laser-style in my direction. “What was that all about?”
“Do you promise to keep a lid on your envy demon?”
Cissy grits her teeth. “Yes.”
I hold my pointer finger and thumb before my nose in the hand signal for ‘little.’ “There may be a wee bit of sexual tension between me and Lincoln.” Best to ease her gently into reality. “And that Earl guy still hates me because I doused him in green demon goop.”
“Oh.” Cissy screws her mouth onto one side of her face. “But Lincoln’s going back to Antrum, isn’t he?”
“Yup. Saturday.” Normally this fact would be incredibly depressing. But since I’m seeing Lincoln in minutes? Couldn’t care less.