Ink Magic (Ink Sorceress Chronicles) by Erika Gilbert Read Free Book Online Page B

problems.
    Nick was kind enough to help me clear up the mess, sweeping the broken china into a rubbish bag and even bringing out a mop to clean up the spilt liquid.
    While he took care of the mess I rushed to the bathroom to sponge the muck out of my hair and clothes. After that I manned the cash register, thankful that Nick had showed me how to make simple transactions. It didn’t scream at me once. By the time I made several coffees without burning myself or breaking any more cups, I started to feel better.
    For the next few hours things ran smoothly. I actually thought I’d finish the shift without any more dramas.
    “ My coffee is cold.” I knew that voice.
    I grabbed the cup, avoiding Leeza’s eye because I couldn’t keep my temper if I saw the gloating look she undoubtedly wore on her smug face.
    “ No, get me a new cup. I’m not having microwave coffee.”
    The cup shook in my hand and the thought of dashing it in her face crossed my mind. “You should have drunk it more quickly.” Like straight away instead of waiting ten minutes for it to go cold, I thought.
    “ Am I going to have to speak to your boss?”
    I couldn’t believe it. Carrie’s dad asked me to make him money, and at this rate he’d be lucky to break even, what with the broken mugs. I couldn’t stand the thought of throwing the coffee away. The cup grew hot beneath my hand, and steam poured out of the drinking hole in the lid.
    “ What’s happening?” Leeza asked. “Are you doing that?”
    “ I’m not doing anything,” I replied. The cup got so hot I had to put it on the counter.
    Okay, so my powers were changing. Or rather, they were appearing more readily now.
    “ You made it hot,” Leeza said in disbelief. She started to back up.
    I grinned. “Don’t you want your hot coffee?”
    “ No,” Leeza said, scrambling to get back to her table. “I’ll pass.”
    She gathered up her jacket and urged her confused friends out of the coffee shop.
    “ Yes, can I help you?” I said to a customer approaching the counter, as I hurried to wipe it clean of spilt coffee.
    When they didn’t answer I finally looked up.
    “ Daniel.”
    He stared at me wordless.
    “ About the coffee, I don’t know how it happened.”
    He remained deadly silent.
    The silence went from uncomfortable to downright harsh.
    “ I didn’t know you worked here,” he sad, ignoring my comment about the coffee, though I knew he saw it. I could see it in his eyes; that same horrified look he gave me when I nearly suffocated Leeza. Clearly being able to heat up coffee wasn’t an every day occurrence for Ink Mages. In fact, any sort of magic, outside of transforming into dangerous creatures, seemed to be unusual.
    “ I didn’t mean to use magic,” I said. My tattoo still burned blue, the way it did when I used magic. Daniel’s attempts not to look at it merely highlighted it more.
    “ It’s not the intent that concerns me,” he replied.
    “ Well, what then?”
    “ You can’t control yourself.” He turned and walked back to the table.
    Right. Well, if he didn’t want to give me his order, I’d go to him. As soon as Nick returned from clean up duties I strode toward the table where Daniel and his cronies sat, noting, with annoyance, the pretty brunette sitting next to him.
    “ Hey, Lucy,” Nick said. “You forgot the order for table four.”
    I headed back, grabbed the tray of coffee and went straight for Daniel’s table. “Hi, can I take your order?” I asked Daniel.
    He continued on his quest to perpetually ignore me.
    “ He’ll have a latte and a plate of hot fries, to share.” The Brunette was taking food orders for him? How sweet?
    “ Is that my order?” the customer from table four inquired.
    “ Yeah, hang on a second,” I said over my shoulder, before turning my attention back to Daniel. “Is that right, Daniel? Do you want a latte?” I’d refuse to take his order until he spoke to me.
    We both remained resolutely silent, Daniel