I took a deep breath and stepped out onto the back porch. The cold air hit me like a slap in the face, and I shivered, pulling my jacket closer around me.
As I made my way down to the bonfire, their voices got louder, and the smell of whiskey mingled with the woodsmoke.
“Hey, guys,” I said softly, taking a seat next to War.
“Have a good five-hour nap?” War asked, sliding an arm around my shoulders. I chuckled, unable to contain a yawn. “What are you doing up so late?”
“I couldn’t sleep anymore,” I said, taking a sip of the whiskey Thane handed me. “What are you guys gossiping about?”
“Just politics,” Gareth said, his voice cool and detached.
I raised an eyebrow at him. I never took him as political.
“Anything interesting?” I asked, taking another sip of the whiskey.
“Not really,” Thane said with a shrug. “Just bullshitting. Arguing the merits of doing away with the system entirely and going back to the dark days."
"Dark days?" I asked skeptically.
Thane grinned. "Back when humans were in the dark about us. When we were fairy tales. Sometimes, I miss it." He stared wistfully into the fire.
I nodded, understanding completely. Although I wasn't alive back when humanity first discovered that their world was occupied by Darklings, I'd read about the before world. When humans believed they were at the top of the food chain. It sounded like a fantasy to me now.
"I always hated politics," I said bitterly. "Growing up with a radical senator for an uncle is kind of polarizing." The memory of Ryan and how he ensnared millions with his rhetoric made me ill. "I hated him. I still hate him."
"He was a piece of work," Gareth grumbled. "He put Serenity through hell. "August wanted to burn down the whole of Noc City on the off chance that Ryan Harker was collateral damage."
I could picture that. August was a hard man. A warrior. He protected his mate fiercely. Serenity was a lucky woman.
"I would have lit the fuse," Gareth added after a moment before locking eyes with me. "I still will if it ever comes to it."
I could see the conviction in his eyes, and warmth spread through me at the declaration. I believed him. I believed he would burn it all down for me if he had to.
My throat tightened with emotion. I sipped on my drink, tearing my eyes away and watching the bonfire as it sent sparks up into the dark sky.
The following morning,I awoke to the scent of bacon and coffee. Rubbing my tired eyes, I got out of bed and threw on a sweater before padding into the kitchen.
There, War stood at the stove, cooking up a storm, whileThane and Gareth were perched on stools around the kitchen island, cups of coffee in their hands.
“Morning,” I said groggily, making my way over to the coffee pot and pouring myself a cup.
“Morning,” War said with a grin, turning to hand me a plate of bacon and eggs.
“Thanks,” I said, taking the plate and sitting down next to Gareth.
We ate in comfortable silence; the only sounds were the clink of utensils against plates and the occasional slurp of coffee. Our minds were elsewhere.
After breakfast, we got straight to work, poring over the lists of potential suspects and trying to find any connections between them and Estelle. It was slow going, and by the time lunch rolled around, we were all feeling a little frazzled.
“Let’s take a break,” Thane said, pushing back from the table. “We’ve been at this for hours, and I need a change of scenery.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, and we quickly bundled up in coats and hats before heading outside. The crisp air was invigorating, and we all took deep breaths, feeling the tension in our shoulders ease a little bit.
“Let’s take a walk,” War said, gesturing toward the woods. “I want to show you guys something.”
Without waiting for a response, he led the way, with the rest of us following in his wake.
As we walked, the sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. A sense of peace filled me, and I felt the weight of the world lifting off my shoulders. For the first time in a long time, I was able to let my guard down and allow myself to simply enjoy the moment.
