Bryce's face crumpled as she lurched to her feet, sprinting to the Gate. She didn't care how it was possible as Danika said again, "Light it up" Then Bryce was laughing and sobbing as she screamed, "LIGHT IT UP, DANIKA! LIGHT IT UP, LIGHT IT UP, LIGHT IT UP!" Bryce slammed her palm onto the bronze disk of the Gate. And soul to soul with the friend whom she had not forgotten, the friend who had not forgotten her, even in death, Bryce made the Drop.
And he looked lonely enough that she said, 'If you like, you could be my friend'.
He looked at his friend, perhaps for the last time, and said what he had always known, from the moment theyd met, when hed understood that the prince was his brother in soul. I love you.
Lesson one, don't shit on your friends when you have a bad day.' 'Right.' 'Lesson two. Your true friends won't mind when you do, so long as you own up to it and apologise. Usually in the form of buying them a beer.' Another laugh, softer this time. 'I'll buy you a beer, then.
No issue with the Umbra Mortis being your emotional twin?' But her face grew serious again. 'That's what they call you, but that's not who you are.' 'And who am I?' 'A pain in my ass.' Her smile was brighter than the setting sun on the river. He laughed, but she added. 'You're my friend. Who watches trashy TV with me and puts up with my shit. You're the person I don't need to explain myself to- not when it matters. You see everything I am, and you don't run away from it.