Page 76 of Silent Night, Savage Heart

“But I’m the smartest.”

“That’s never been proven.”

“My class valedictorian speech proves it. They barely have a picture of you in the damn yearbook.”

“Goodbye, Talia,” I grin to myself.

"I'll come to you after I’m done running some errands and bring you some of John’s spy goodies." She hangs up.

Peyton's watching me with those eyes that see too much. "She's worried about you."

"She's always worried about me. Comes with being my sister."

“The way you talk, I didn’t think you had anything good going for you in Wintervale, but I can tell you love your sister.”

Uh oh, she’s trying to figure me out.

“I have lots of shit here, good and bad. But, yeah, Talia is some of the good.”

"Blake." She moves closer, frames my face with her hands. "I need you to promise me something."

“Depends.”

"If tonight goes wrong, if Silas's plan works and we can't stop it, promise me you won't do anything heroic. Don't throw yourself in front of bullets meant for board members who wouldn't do the same for you." Her voice cracks. "I can't lose you. Not now. Not when I've just found you."

I pull her close, bury my face in her hair. "We're both walking out of that gala alive. That's the only acceptable outcome."

We stand like that for a long moment, holding each other, knowing that tonight changes everything.

For me.

For us.

For Wintervale.

"We should go," I finally say. “Talia’s coming by to get you ready.”

“I already have a dress.”

“This isn’t a dress, but just as important.”

We leave Frost & Flame hand in hand, walking toward a night that will either make us or destroy us.

The gala. The threat. The confrontation with Silas, Edmund, and everyone else who wants Peyton dead or controlled.

It's all coming to a head.

And I'm going to fight like hell to make sure we both survive it.

Because, to echo her words, whether I deserve it or not.

We just found it.

Chapter 11

Peyton

I glance at myself in the mirror and have to smile. My mother's dress serves as a weapon disguised as evening wear. I knew I picked it for a reason.