Page 85 of Obsidian and Frost

“Hey. Same,” he told Ketheron, in a much more pleasant tone than that which he’d used with me. He turned his attention back to me. “Figured I’d bring this conversation to your door, seeing as though you’ve ignored all my other morepeaceableefforts to make it convenient for us both.”

Yes. Definitely Sylas’ influence all over that line.

“Good idea. That’s very proactive,” Ketheron commented, a moment before he swept a glowing gold hand over the doorway, which created a path through the ward, allowing Lazriel passage.

I ground my jaw.

Lazriel smiled at Ketheron again, then stepped into our apartment.

“What can I do for you?” I asked, wanting to move this along and get him out of here as soon as possible.

“You know very well that I’m here about Velra.”

My stomach twisted at the sound of her name, especially with it rolling off his tongue.

And especially because I’d literally felt the sexual liaison between them through our Brand. Now the one who’d touched her like that was right here before me.

“She is not my concern.”

“Bullshit.”

“Check yourself, wolf hybrid,” I commanded.

That only made him seethe at me.

Ketheron turned to me. “He is greatly distressed, yet holding very tightly to his control, trying hard to push past his innate wolf and vampiric instincts to react with aggression or violence.”

Translation: I needed to tone it down.

I shifted my weight and took a moment, annoyed with the situationandmyself for reacting so strongly—and rather emotionally—to this encounter.

The more time that went on while I remained now rooted to this plane, the harder it became to check my emotions, to continue to be able to bury them beneath my polished and stoic exterior.

Especially where anything pertaining to Velra Nox was concerned.

Somehow, I managed to tell the wolf hybrid calmly, “Please continue.”

He folded his arms across his chest, apparently settling in. “Look, Sylas thinks this weird-ass connection between you isn’t as cut and dry as you might be worried about. He thinks it might be a good thing for her to have in her life, something to be furthered and used in a positive way between the two of you.” He muttered under his breath, “As much as it pisses me off, if it can help her, I’ll deal with it.”

“I don’t want her unnecessarily impacted by our Soul Brand. It’s not fair to her.”

“I informed you that the Brand does not impact her free will in the way you were concerned about,” Ketheron spoke.

Hades.

He was merely stating a fact, not liking it when things wereincorrect. He wasn’t trying to undermine me, I knew that. But it really hadn’t helped.

I shoved my hand through my hair. “Ketheron,” I groaned. “May I have a moment with Lazriel—alone?”

He nodded. “If you wish.”

He waved at Lazriel, much like the children at Haven Initiative did when saying goodbye for the day. And then he took off into his room and shut the door.

Lazriel stepped up to me. “Hold up, you already know what Sylas suspected was actually the case, and you’ve still hung back and kept away from her, abandoned her and the connection youknowdamn well she formed with you? A connection that takes great courage for her, that doesn’t come easy to her, and means a fuck of a lot to her when it actually happens for her? Why? Are you nothing but a fucking coward?”

“Why is this of concern to you—and Sylas?”

“Velra is afraid. Afraid of getting close, including sexually.”