Page 94 of Obsidian and Frost
She blew out a breath, shuddering with it. “Right. Yeah. Of course. They’re down. And even if they resurfaced, the Guardian Movement would be all over them.”
“No doubt there. You can count on it, love. This has to be wolf-related. Wolfandvampire-related. My mom suddenly reinserts herself back on the political map, right when there’s thisthreatagainst me out there? Sounds like one plus one is making two, huh?”
“Yes,” she breathed again. “You’re right. That has to be it. We’ll deal with this, then.”
“We?”
“Of course. You’re my friend. You’re under threat. I’m here by your side.”
“That’s a hell of a thing, Velra.”
And I was still trying to get used to it—not acting alone. Having first Sylas at my back and now her as well.
I’d always figured myself a lone wolf.
I mean, I was a lot to take—in many ways—so it wasn’t easy to handle that. Or me.
But with Velra and Sylas, they were different.
It worked.
The friendships, the connections with them, were functional and even thriving.
“Thank you,” I told her.
She smiled. “I had fun tonight.”
“Yeah? Even with the creepy interruption and revelation?”
“Even then.”
“Hmm… could you perhaps be a bit of an adrenaline junkie, like I am?”
“Maybe,” she murmured. “I just hide it better.”
“Hide it? Where’s the fun in that?”
“Living your life out loud, always and forever, huh?” she teased.
“You joke, but it’s freeing as fuck, love. I mean, I’m not perfect with that. Like, the feeding from the vein issue I have that I told you about. But I’m doing all right. Keeping on trying to live and explore.”
“That’s a really nice outlook. Definitely something to aspire to.”
“The goal to life is happiness, right? To see and feel beyond the pain that’s afflicted us? It doesn’t just feel good, it sticks it to those who’ve harmed us and tried to keep us in that pained state.”
Her eyes shone, liking that a whole lot. “Well, maybe tonight will be the beginning of me trying out that bright and hopeful philosophy of yours.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, you’re already well on the way—with the stunts tonight and the new, fun way you’re using your shadow magic.” I winked at her. “Wraithqueen.”
She let out a little laugh again.
It was seriously one of the best sounds I’d ever heard.
And I just knew… I’d never get enough of it.
17
~Sylas~
