We stared at each other, the quiet punctuated by our shared, nervous laughter—a sound both comforting and utterly inadequate.
Neither of us spoke. Neither of us moved. There was a strange comfort in just standing together, the silence softening the edges of our fear, yet sharpening our anticipation.
Finally, I forced myself to break the quiet. "Are we really going to do this?"
Velka's eyes flickered to mine, the faintest smirk teasing her lips. "Now you're asking?"
"I thought I'd at least pretend to be cautious," I admitted, lips quirking despite myself.
"You're terrible at it," she remarked dryly.
"I know," I sighed. "It's one of my many charms."
Velka rolled her eyes, but she smiled, and the tight coil of tension in my chest loosened slightly. Her fingers brushed gently against mine a silent reassurance, grounding me in the moment.
"Alright, princess," Velka said softly, tipping her head toward the mirror. "Let's see just how doomed we really are."
