“Uh-oh,” Wyatt sang. “Someone’s going to be in trouble.”
I pinched his earlobe. “Not unless someone opens his mouth and stirs the pot.”
He twirled around in his chair. “Buttercup, I was born to stir pots.”
Chapter 9
“How didyour bet go with Christian last night?” Niko gripped the armrest on the passenger side and tried to pretend he wasn’t scared out of his wits by my erratic driving.
“Let’s just say that in the end, I slid into home plate and the crowd went wild.”
Niko’s long hair veiled his face. “I’ve always wondered what baseball was like.”
“I bet you’d be good at it. I’ve seen you handle a sword. Speaking of which, do you always carry those around with you?”
“And what of your daggers?”
“They’re fashionable and easily hidden. I can’t imagine wearing a cloak in summer.”
“It’s not so bad. I’m a Thermal, and I also own sleeveless cloaks.”
After a silent minute, I parked the car and shut off the engine. “Okay, I really don’t want to sound like an idiot since I was hoping you’d explain, but exactly what’s a Thermal?”
He unhooked his seat belt, and when he spoke, his voice was as smooth as always. “Every Mage has at least one rare gift. Being a Thermal allows me to control my body temperature.”
“That’s a pretty nifty talent.”
“Yes, especially when stranded in a blizzard. But it’s not something I use all the time. Where are we? I didn’t recognize the turns.”
“I don’t feel like going home just yet. Since we’re done with my errand, I thought we could pay a visit to this little diner I used to go to.”
“It’s special to you,” he said, looking toward but not at me.
“Don’t worry, I never killed anyone here.” I grabbed the keys. “It’s just a place I used to go when there wasn’t anyplace else. They’d let me sit at a table even when I didn’t have money to buy food, which was almost all the time. Some places will call the cops or kick you out for loitering.”
We got out of the car, the sun warming my back despite the brisk wind. A few leaves scudded across the parking lot as if they were in a hurry. I’d left my coat at home since my beige sweater and jeans were warm enough.
He took my arm. “Is this a human place?”
“It’s actually not so bad for a—”
Niko stumbled forward, and I caught him just in time.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, looking regretfully at the curb where he’d tripped. “I should have been paying attention.”
Niko regained his composure. “I’ll take it as a compliment that you forgot I was blind. The food smells good,” he said, switching topics.
I reached the glass door and sighed.
Niko touched my arm. “Shame isn’t a good color on you. Before we go in, can you do me a favor?”
A gust of wind blew my hair back, and I fought with it for a minute. “Sure.”
“Tell me the layout. Blue usually does this when we go somewhere new.”
I glanced inside. “Well, when you walk in, the register is about ten or fifteen feet ahead. It’s kind of a backward-L-shaped diner. There are a few booths to the left when you walk in, but the main seating area is to the right and all the way to the back of the diner. Booths are alongside the windows, tables are in the middle, and stools by the counter, which curves all around but doesn’t go all the way to the far wall since the bathrooms are back there. Do you need exact measurements?”
Niko chuckled. “No, that’s detailed enough. Once I put a place to memory, I don’t rely on others to help me navigate. Are there any obstacles, such as trash cans or marketing displays?”
