shines inside.“A real combat suit!” I turn the garment over in my hands, it’s like a unitard made of flexible steel that’s topped with a mesh hood. “This thing is amazing.”
Walker rocks on his heels, grinning ear to ear. “Do you want to try it on?”
I grip the suit to my chest. “Are you kidding?” I leap to my feet. “You didn’t tell Mom about this thing, right?”
“Nope.”
“Then don’t say a word. I want to surprise her.”
“As you wish.”
I rush into the bathroom and slip on my new garment of awesomeness. The mesh hood is especially badass. My heart thumps happily in my chest as I tiptoe down the hallway and peep around the doorway to the kitchen. Mom’s back is to me as she rattles around the cabinets. Walker sips java at the table.
Perfect. Neither of them sees me.
Taking a deep breath, I pause outside the kitchen doorway, my back flattened to the wall for optimum stealthy-ness.
“Hey, Mom. Don’t move, okay?”
Mom’s voice sounds from inside the kitchen. “Why, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I swear. Can you close your eyes?”
“Sure, honey.”
I creep to her side. “You can look now.” Her chocolate eyes pop open. “Ta-daaaaa!” I whip the off the mesh hood for extra drama.
Mom’s hand leaps to her mouth. “My word!”
“Isn’t it awesome?” I twirl around. “It’s a gift from the angels.” I karate kick theair to demonstrate the suit in action. A bubble of new-garment happiness surrounds me.
Stepping to my side, Mom runs her hands over the fabric on my arm. “This isn’t Kevlar, it’s something else. Maybe–”
Walker finishes her thought. “Dragon scales.”
“Hells bells, what do they think you’ll be doing?” A muscle twitches along her jaw. “Is it safe?”
My happy-bubble bursts with a vengeance. Oh no, we’re back to the ‘what’s safe for Myla’ conversation. I stop mid-karate kick. “It’s totally safe-rrrr, Mom. This suit is the bomb.”
Mom rubs her neck with one hand. “Don’t you worry why they’re giving you this thing?”
“No, I don’t.” Anger lathers up my throat, turning my voice harsh. “I’m sure they have their sneaky reasons, and honestly, I don’t care.” I step up to her, wrapping my hands around hers. Her fingers tremble beneath mine. “Whatever it is, I can handle it.” My anger tightens into desperation. “I need you to have a little faith in me. Please. ”
Mom sucks in a few deep breaths. “Have a good match, Myla.” I can tell it’s taking everything she has not to lose it.
I let out a long breath. Not-losing-it is as good a start as any. The knot of emotion in my throat loosens ever so slightly.
“Thanks, Mom.” We share an awkward smile. After that, I release her hands and step over to Walker. “Ready?”
His button-eyes twinkle. “Always. You?”
“Battling an evil soul?” My inner demon roars to life inside my belly. Excitement zings through my nervous system. “Bring it on.” Reaching out, I wrap my hand around his.
Together, he and I disappear from the kitchen, tumble through empty space, and emerge on the Arena floor.
***
I blink my eyes, adjusting to the stadium’s brighter light and my now-woozy stomach. I so hate portal travel. Around me, there stands Walker, Sharkie, and XP-22. A new face skulks nearby as well: a Crini demon, which is basically a seven-foot tall monster octopus. I shrug; I’ve killed my share of Crini in my time. This one has stumpy tentacles; Cissy could even take it out pretty easily.
Sheila must be out sick.
As the angels and demons enter the Arena, I practice lunges, spins, and kicks in my new suit. The rest of the world melts away. Pulling down the hood, I leap in front of XP-22 and growl. He almost jumps out of his robes. It’s beyond awesome.
Sharkie thumps his staff, snapping me out of my garment love-fest. I glance around the Arena; all the angels and demons are in their seats and ready to go.
Our emcee raises his staff. “To
Walker rocks on his heels, grinning ear to ear. “Do you want to try it on?”
I grip the suit to my chest. “Are you kidding?” I leap to my feet. “You didn’t tell Mom about this thing, right?”
“Nope.”
“Then don’t say a word. I want to surprise her.”
“As you wish.”
I rush into the bathroom and slip on my new garment of awesomeness. The mesh hood is especially badass. My heart thumps happily in my chest as I tiptoe down the hallway and peep around the doorway to the kitchen. Mom’s back is to me as she rattles around the cabinets. Walker sips java at the table.
Perfect. Neither of them sees me.
Taking a deep breath, I pause outside the kitchen doorway, my back flattened to the wall for optimum stealthy-ness.
“Hey, Mom. Don’t move, okay?”
Mom’s voice sounds from inside the kitchen. “Why, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I swear. Can you close your eyes?”
“Sure, honey.”
I creep to her side. “You can look now.” Her chocolate eyes pop open. “Ta-daaaaa!” I whip the off the mesh hood for extra drama.
Mom’s hand leaps to her mouth. “My word!”
“Isn’t it awesome?” I twirl around. “It’s a gift from the angels.” I karate kick theair to demonstrate the suit in action. A bubble of new-garment happiness surrounds me.
Stepping to my side, Mom runs her hands over the fabric on my arm. “This isn’t Kevlar, it’s something else. Maybe–”
Walker finishes her thought. “Dragon scales.”
“Hells bells, what do they think you’ll be doing?” A muscle twitches along her jaw. “Is it safe?”
My happy-bubble bursts with a vengeance. Oh no, we’re back to the ‘what’s safe for Myla’ conversation. I stop mid-karate kick. “It’s totally safe-rrrr, Mom. This suit is the bomb.”
Mom rubs her neck with one hand. “Don’t you worry why they’re giving you this thing?”
“No, I don’t.” Anger lathers up my throat, turning my voice harsh. “I’m sure they have their sneaky reasons, and honestly, I don’t care.” I step up to her, wrapping my hands around hers. Her fingers tremble beneath mine. “Whatever it is, I can handle it.” My anger tightens into desperation. “I need you to have a little faith in me. Please. ”
Mom sucks in a few deep breaths. “Have a good match, Myla.” I can tell it’s taking everything she has not to lose it.
I let out a long breath. Not-losing-it is as good a start as any. The knot of emotion in my throat loosens ever so slightly.
“Thanks, Mom.” We share an awkward smile. After that, I release her hands and step over to Walker. “Ready?”
His button-eyes twinkle. “Always. You?”
“Battling an evil soul?” My inner demon roars to life inside my belly. Excitement zings through my nervous system. “Bring it on.” Reaching out, I wrap my hand around his.
Together, he and I disappear from the kitchen, tumble through empty space, and emerge on the Arena floor.
***
I blink my eyes, adjusting to the stadium’s brighter light and my now-woozy stomach. I so hate portal travel. Around me, there stands Walker, Sharkie, and XP-22. A new face skulks nearby as well: a Crini demon, which is basically a seven-foot tall monster octopus. I shrug; I’ve killed my share of Crini in my time. This one has stumpy tentacles; Cissy could even take it out pretty easily.
Sheila must be out sick.
As the angels and demons enter the Arena, I practice lunges, spins, and kicks in my new suit. The rest of the world melts away. Pulling down the hood, I leap in front of XP-22 and growl. He almost jumps out of his robes. It’s beyond awesome.
Sharkie thumps his staff, snapping me out of my garment love-fest. I glance around the Arena; all the angels and demons are in their seats and ready to go.
Our emcee raises his staff. “To
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