Chapter 91

VALERIA’S POV The heavy bass of the music pounded against my skull, rattling my thoughts until they felt like a tangled mess. I wasn’t sure if it was the overwhelming crowd, the strobe lights flashing in dizzying patterns, or the wolfsbane-laced drinks swirling through the air, but I felt off. It was like my brain was short-circuiting, running in too many directions at once. I wasn’t used to feeling this way. This close. Elijah was my mentor. My friend. So why did I suddenly feel so aware of him? The warmth of his body when he had been pressed against mine, the way his breath had fanned over my face when I had stumbled into him, the intensity in his gaze when he had looked at me just now. No. No. I was thinking too much. It was just the atmosphere messing with my head. That had to be it. I suddenly took a step back, breaking the contact between us. Elijah frowned. “Is everything okay?” I swallowed hard, keeping my eyes trained on the ground. “Um… yes. Everything is fine.” That was a li