Chapter 20
Thou Shalt Not Trip Over Friendship
Arwen
The sun hits my face, warm and lazy, and for a second I feel like I could just dissolve into the bench beneath me. I don’t move. Arms draped over my stomach, head tipped back, eyes shut. Muscles loose.
Up here, tucked between the two towers, it’s like the rest of the academy doesn’t exist. Months ago I found this spot, and it’s still almost always empty, quiet enough that I can pretend it’s mine. Just mine.
Technically, winter’s supposed to be here.
Not that I’d notice. The academy’s magic wards keep the grounds cozy, so cold’s a rumor to me.
Back home in Wrath, it’d be “less hellish” this time of year, but I’ve heard whispers—places in SinVail where the air bites, where it makes your lungs hurt just to breathe. Can’t even picture it.
Classes keep my mind stimulated; watching the other factions train in their power is fascinating in its own right. But this—this quiet—is the real prize. Well… maybe tied with sparring with Holly, so I don’t completely embarrass myself.
Out here, stretched under the sun, I can let my thoughts flop around like they’re on vacation. Forget the chaos the universe dumped on me. Stop panicking about the next disaster waiting in line. Just… breathe. In. Out. Repeat until the world feels a little less like it’s trying to drown me.
Soft, quick pings of my phone shatter the silence. I crack one eye, groaning, then check to see a string of messages.
Holly: Heading to the casting grounds. Brix invented some sort of magical frisbee game. You in?
Holly: It sounds totally insane
Holly: And one of us will probably end up in the infirmary…
Holly: But the weather is perfect to be outside.
A pang of guilt stirs in my chest. I’ve been avoiding the cafeteria ever since the disaster with Atticus and Ryker the other day. Ducking in only when it’s half-empty, pretending I don’t care about the eyes on me. But I miss my friends. Maybe I’ll head down in a minute.
Just… a little more time to myself first. I close my eyes and rest back again.
The sunlight disappears. My body tenses as a shadow falls across me, cool and sudden. I blink my eyes open—only to find Atticus Willshire standing over me.
My guard slams back into place as I sit up. “What are you doing here?”
He tilts his head, jaw tight, shoulders squared like the weight of the entire academy rests on them. Arms crossed over his chest, posture perfect, as if any slip might betray the slightest irritation.
“It’s a public space, Arwen,” he says, voice calm, clipped, each word measured. “I am perfectly entitled to occupy it.”
My eyes narrow. “What could you want? Where’s your little posse?”
He ignores that, his jaw tight. “Look, I’m only here for a moment. To talk. I don’t know what you think you’re doing with Ryker, but it’s obvious you don’t know enough about him—or the factions—to be making smart decisions.”
A scoff escapes before I can stop it. “Excuse me—”
He barrels on. “Honestly, I couldn’t care less what you do with your time. But we both know extreme emotions set us off.”
That makes me falter. So he’s been feeling my emotions and having some sort of reaction? Interesting. I didn’t know it had happened more than once.
“I can’t be running around dealing with my bond exploding every time you lose control or put yourself into a precarious position,” he continues, voice sharp.
“I have important things going on. Hanging out with Ryker is just going to drag you into danger—or worse, destabilize you. I know you think it’s exciting right now, but it’s a bad idea, Arwen. ”
I stare at him, stunned. Broken. Of course, he’s only concerned about himself and his side of the bond.
I feel broken when I look at him. My bond feels it too—displeased, but calm.
For once, it’s not clawing at my chest, begging me to throw myself at him like some lovesick fool. And that… gives me courage.
“Oh, I see.” My voice drips venom as I rise to my feet.
“You’re used to smoke being blown up your ass all day until your head’s ten times its actual size.
However, you might be surprised; not everyone is under your control, and the world does not revolve around you.
My bond is doing just fine, thank you. So if yours is having hissy fits, that’s not my problem.
I’ll spend my time with whoever I damn well please. ”
Brushing past him, satisfaction buzzing in my chest, I picture letting out my inner Wrath rage that is burning me up inside. But I’m not in the best position at this school, and he is a Councilor’s son. Pity.
Pausing my (hopefully) confident stride away from him, I turn back just long enough to catch the leashed fury on his face.
“And if you wouldn’t mind following your own advice and staying the hell away from me,” I add sweetly, “it’d be much appreciated.”
His glare is a storm. Smiling at him, sharp and unbothered, I turn to leave.
“I hate that you’ve made me resort to this,” he says.
I turn to face him, confused as his voice changes. It’s hollow, sharp and threaded with something I can’t name. “You will come back here and listen to me.”
Something flicks at the edges of my mind, light and serpentine, like a memory trying to curl its way inside my skull. My teeth grit. I see why people from Pride need mental shields if it feels like that.
I mentally push the feeling away and turn to glare at him. “Don’t you ever try to use your power on me again, Atticus, or I swear to the universe I will stop holding back my rage.”
His look changes to one of confusion as I turn and jog away down the stairs.
***
Walking out to the casting grounds, I spot my friends gathered under a tree on the edge of the field. Their game must’ve ended early.
As I get closer, I see Sly sporting a fresh black eye while Cleo crouches beside Tabby, carefully wrapping her ankle with an ace bandage as she winces in pain.
“Looks like I missed out on all the fun,” I say, sitting down in the grass.
“Yeah, three whole minutes of fun before chaos ensued,” Holly replies dryly. “Brix is no longer allowed to create games.”
Brix clutches his chest in fake affront. “Hey, it’s not my fault you guys didn’t follow the rules.”
“Games aren’t supposed to have fifty rules, Brix,” Cleo shoots back.
I laugh and sink down onto the grass beside them, so grateful to be back in their orbit, soaking in the messy comfort of their company.
“So…” Holly says, giving me a pointed look, “what have you been up to? Something safer than the rest of us, seeing as you’ve got all your limbs intact and no bruises.”
“I don’t know about that,” I reply, leaning back on my hands. “I just ran into Atticus, and I think he tried to use his power on me.”
“What?!” Everyone gasps, voices overlapping, eyes wide with disbelief and a flicker of horror.
“Yeah, whatever. Not a big deal,” I say fast, shrugging like I can shake it off. “His little trick didn’t stick. Just trying to scare me off from Ryker, I guess. Can’t have his precious little corner of the bond getting all… messy,” I say, rolling my eyes.
Everyone goes quiet, their eyes darting everywhere but at me.
“What?” I demand, looking around at them. “You can’t possibly be worried about him?”
“It’s not him we’re worried about,” Sly mutters under his breath, the first to break the silence.
Holly glares at him, as if he’d just blurted out something he shouldn’t have.
“You’re siding with him on this?” I ask, confused.
“We’re not siding with him at all.” Holly sighs and crosses her arms. “The spoiled prat can walk straight off the edge of the Wastes for all I care. We just think… maybe he has a point.”
“Why is Ryker suddenly in the picture?” Cleo adds, her voice slow and deliberate, like she’s afraid of setting me off.
“Ryker isn’t known for being the best guy.
Or for sticking his neck out for anyone.
It’s just strange he would start now. We’re worried about his ulterior motives—and we don’t want you caught in the crossfire.
I mean… a date with Ryker Blaise is an enormous deal and can have huge implications. ”
I glance around. Tabby’s shaking her head. Brix hunches over, dragging a stick through the dirt like he’d rather dig himself a hole than sit through this conversation.
“Come on, guys,” I say firmly. “You know I’m not an idiot.
I’m not some popular wannabe who thinks I’m going to end up Councilor’s wife.
I know something else is going on here. Maybe Ryker just wants to get under Atticus’s skin, and I’ve been handing him the perfect opportunities to do so. I honestly don’t know.”
I pause, then add more quietly, “But he made a good point. Whatever his motives are, he still might pull some strings for me. He’s a Councilor’s son.
He hates Atticus, and the enemy of my enemy is…
well, maybe not a friend, but useful. I’m nowhere closer to activating my sin power than the day I got here.
And we all agreed—me staying at the academy is priority number one.
This might just be my back door if my powers don’t come in. I need every advantage I can get.”
“I know,” Holly says, the edge in her voice fading. “And we support anything that keeps you here. We just… worry. We don’t want to see you hurt. It’s a strange situation, Arwen. That’s all.”
“If there’s anything you know about me at all, it’s that I’m used to strange situations. You can trust me,” I promise.
I snort, trying to shake off the tightness in my chest. “I’ll be fine.
Look at my life. The universe doesn’t suddenly start handing me convenient little gifts.
” I roll my eyes, tugging my sleeve over my hand.
“I’ll be smart. And I told him—this isn’t a date-date.
Just… friends hanging out. That’s it. Nothing more. ”