I fold my arms across my chest. “I’ve heard that one before.” I stare into his liquid-black eyes and, damn, he does look like he wants to tell me everything. My anger quiets. I really do think he’d spill his guts if he could.

Crap. It would be so much easier if I could just yell at him for a while.

“I do have some news I can share with you today.” He points to a large box by his feet. “This is for you, from Verus. She’s taken quite the interest in your welfare.”

I crouch to the floor and tear open the box; smooth black fabric 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 the air 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?”