I raised my voice. “Xtelle. You owe Stina an apology for stealing her product. You’d better make it a good one.”
Xtelle swished three more times, then turned, but I was already stepping back so her hoof missed my foot by an inch.
Xtelle stared at Stina. Stina gazed back with an expression that made it clear a dead gnat would be more threatening than the demon queen posing as a pony-corn holding her breath.
I smiled. Stina knew how to get under Xtelle’s skin.
“Fine!” Xtelle blew out a lungful of air. “Talk, Xtelle. Don’t talk, Xtelle. Pony, Xtelle, don’t pony, Xtelle. Your rules are exhausting and stupid, Delaney Reed.”
“Apologize.”
“I will not be ordered around like a…like a pet!”
“Apologize, or I’ll skip this part and just take you to jail. If Stina decides to press charges, that’s where you’re going anyway.”
Xtelle tossed her head, flipping her mane away from her eyes.
Pan choked. It sounded like he’d swallowed his tongue.
“Stheno,” Xtelle said.
“It’s just Stina here.”
“Fine. Steeeena.”
“Xtelle.”
“Your chocolate was…adequate.”
“Apologize,” I said, “not criticize.”
“I’m sorry your chocolate was only adequate.”
Pan couldn’t wait any longer. He slow-clopped up to us and stood on the opposite side of me, mirroring Xtelle’s pose. He snuck looks at her while trying to make it seem like he was just super-interested in the siding.
“You owe me a debt, Xtelle,” Stina said. “I will collect it when and if I choose.”
“Snake!” Xtelle accused.
“Coward,” Stina replied.
Pan did the high-school you’re-in-trouble-now, “Ooooh.”
Xtelle gasped and clutched at her neck, searching for pearls.
Duct tape, I fantasized. That’d be even stronger than a gag. They call it 100-mile-per-hour tape for a reason. I bet it could keep a lockdown on one demon mouth.
“You are speaking to the queen!” Xtelle announced. “Now you will pay!” She took several steps back, then lowered her head and plowed ahead, ready for a ramming.
“Nope.” I set my stance and yanked on the rope right as she came up to me.
She squawked and twisted awkwardly to the side.
“Terms are set,” I said. “You will abide by them.” I reeled slack, drawing us so close we were eye to eye.
She tried to shake me off, but this wasn’t my first rodeo. Literally.
Bertie had made me work the rodeo once. I’d been eight. For some reason, she had thought I’d make a terrific mule handler.
