A chill ran down my spine when Cobalt’s deep voice replied, “Enter.”
Keeping my CD player close, I walked into his room. Cobalt sat with his broad back to me as he stared out the long bay windows, watching the ocean waves.
“H-hey, Cobalt,” I said.
It wasn’t that I was afraid of Cobalt. He was my protective older brother, and I knew he loved me. But he was so damned serious all the time, like a robot. I could never tell if he was in a good mood or a shitty one, which made it harder to plead my case.
“What brings you here, Thystle?” Cobalt asked without looking at me. His deep, rumbly voice filled the room like gravel.
My heart thumped. My nerves were so frayed I felt like I might shift out of instinct.
“I need to ask you something,” I said.
Finally, Cobalt turned around to face me. His expression was completely neutral. “Tell me.”
I swallowed the anxious lump in my throat.
Ihadto do this. For Aquila.
“My birthday is next week,” I began.
Cobalt gave a slight nod.
I paused, hoping to put more emphasis on my words. “And, on the exact same day, TalonStorm tickets are going on sale.”
My brother stared at me, stone-faced. I had no clue what he was thinking.
“So... I want to buy—no, I’mgoingto buy one,” I stated. “I’m going to buy a ticket to their next concert.” Cobalt stood up. A shiver ran down my spine.
“You intend to leave the island?” he asked. His tone was the same as it was two seconds ago, but it felt darker now.
But I couldn’t back down. I’d come so far.
“Yes,” I said, meeting his unblinking, dark blue eyes.
Cobalt walked closer, his every step sounding like an earthquake in the silence of his room. He towered over me, broad and tall. I stood my ground.
“You shouldn’t go,” Cobalt said.
My heart plummeted. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.
But I was also furious. He hadn’t even heard me out!
I squared my shoulders. “Cobalt, listen. TalonStorm is my life. Music is myhoard. You know how important that is.”
Cobalt stared, but I seized his silence as an invitation to continue.
“And the lead singer, Aquila—he’s special to me. I’ve never felt like this for anybody before. I need this chance to see him in person,” I pleaded. “He could be my fated mate!”
Cobalt’s eyes flashed at that phrase. “You are young, Thystle. You can’t know that.”
Fury raged in my blood, setting it on fire.
“And you can’t know that he’s not!” I snarled.
We glared at each other. At least, I thought Cobalt was glaring. There was a sharp edge in his gaze that wasn’t there a second ago.
“He is older than you,” Cobalt said.
