Page 19 of Before the Bond Breaks
“She’d eat it anyway,” Kyley said with a crooked smile. “Remember? She’d always sneak extra rolls.”
“She hated wasting food,” Rina whispered, voice muffled against me. “Said it was bad luck.”
I swallowed hard. Jessica’s voice echoed in memory, teasing me about my over-seriousness, while stealing rolls from Sybil’s plate with a grin. My hand tightened around the plate in my lap.
“She was fearless,” Candra said suddenly, eyes glassy. “Always the first to leap. Even when it was reckless. Especially when it was reckless.”
A heavy silence fell then.
“She should still be here,” Rina whispered.
I wrapped my arms tighter around her, forcing my voice steady. “Jessica’s with us. Always.”
The words sounded hollow even as I spoke them. But my sisters leaned into me, anyway.
Talon’s gaze caught mine from the kitchen. There were no judgments there. Only understanding. I itched to lean into him, but I stayed rooted between my sisters.
We stayed like that for what felt like hours, grief pouring out in stories and laughter that broke too quickly into tears.
“Remember when Jess dyed her hair red?” Kyley finally said, wiping her eyes.
Sybil snorted. “Looked like fire had attacked her head.”
“She made me do it,” Rina added miserably. “Said blond was boring.”
“She carried it like a crown,” Candra said, her voice softening.
I closed my eyes. Gods, I could still see it—the defiance in her smile, the fire in her step. Jessica had always burned brighter than the rest of us. And like all flames, she had gone too quickly.
The door opened behind us, and Winter stepped through with Quil at her side.
He froze instantly at the six of us with grief raw in the air. Every gaze locked on him. His usual easy grin faltered.
For once, he looked utterly lost. I didn’t blame him because it wasn’t often that you saw emotions pour out of Valkyries.
His eyes flicked to Talon at the kitchen counter, then back to us. He cleared his throat, shifting on his feet. “So. Uh. You know what would help right now?”
We stared, waiting.
His smile morphed into a cat-like grin. “The Steele Claw. Music. Drinks. Somewhere that isn’t soaked in sorrow. Trust me.”
Kyley choked on her wine. Rina blinked at him. Candra muttered something about men and their solutions. But a spark flickered in all my sisters’ eyes. They needed a release. A distraction. Anything.
I met Talon’s gaze across the room. He inclined his head once, solid and sure.
I turned back to Quil. “Fine. We’ll go.”
The room shifted, energy lifting as if we’d finally taken a breath. My sisters stirred, laughing too loudly, and fussing over clothes and shoes as they got ready.
For tonight, we’ll take the night off and celebrate our fallen sister’s life. If anything, my sister would drink themselves stupid. Either way, it was good for them to enjoy downtime, even if grief lives in our hearts.
12
TALON
The Steele Clawpulsed with life the moment we stepped through the double doors. Bass thrummed through the walls and vibrated in my chest. The scent of sweat, alcohol, and layered magic hung heavy in the air, woven together in a tapestry that felt both familiar and dangerous. Strobes of violet and crimson cut across the floor, painting the crowd in jagged light.
The Valkyries that stayed with my clan when Maze and her sisters left flocked here like moths to a flame. On the drive over, I’d warned Maze that the Valkyries would most likely flock around her when we got there. Maze suggested they sit out in the open for a while before going into the private VIP room my brothers and I used for meetings.
