“Violet Eden!" Steph said sternly, sucking me out of my trance. "We have your dad's Amex, a green light and no specified limit." Her mock rebuke morphed into a devious grin. "What more could a girl want as a birthday present?”

“Violet!' Lincoln said, then sighed. 'You don't love him. This isn't real. You know what's real and it's hard and it hurts and we can't...Damn it, Vi--we're real!”

“You're incredible. I can feel your power and it's more than anything I...Violet," he swallowed, watching me in awe. "It's like...It's like you're as powerful as an angel."-Lincoln”

“Linc?""Yeah.""About the other thing my dad said to you," I cringed."What else is he supposed to think?" he asked, a smile in his tone. "You're over here all the time. If not training, we're hanging out. I'm surprised he hasn't warned me off sooner. It's good to see he's paying attention.”

“It's like he's training you for battle or something." Her eyes lit up. "Hey, maybe he has some underground fight club and he's grooming you!""That's it, Steph. Definitely.”

“I'm tipsy." I corrected, "and it's my birthday and I want to dance. Come one, Linc, it won't kill you.”

“Nothing is endlessI know that nowLet me goV-Violet's letter”