Page 194 of Glutton for Punishment

My mind stutters.

What am I even thinking?

Of course, I can. He’s the love of my life.

I would be grateful for it. Honored, even. The thought of his attention, his approval, his—

NO!

The break is violent.

It isn’t a thought so much as a rupture, like something inside me tears cleanly in half. My knees almost give out. I force myself to stay conscious inside my own mind, grabbing onto that clarity again before it slips away. It burns, holding on, like my own thoughts are resisting me.

I put all my focus into my shield. A plan can come later. I have to fight to get control of my mind.

Piece by piece, I rebuild it, stacking it carefully in my mind the way Atticus taught me—checking for weak points, reinforcing the cracks, sealing the edges where something might slip in. Over and Over. Thicker. Taller.

Focus.

I can do this.

Chapter 62

Maddox

We’re all gathered around the table in my dorm room, the surface already buried beneath half-crumpled intelligence reports. I’ve never let this many people into my space before.

It should prickle, but it doesn’t matter tonight. Not when Arwen is still missing.

“So we know this is a trap,” Holly’s boyfriend says from across the table. Sly. That’s his name. He leans forward, elbows on the wood, eyes tracking the markings I’ve made over the map of The Crumb’s outer districts.

“I’m betting on an ambush.” I force myself to keep my voice even as chaos rages inside me.

Atticus is on my left, rigid in a way I’ve never seen him before, hands clasped so tightly his knuckles have gone pale. Holly is standing, already dressed in her combat training gear. Brix, Cleo, Tabby—faces pulled tight, all of them running on the same thin wire of panic I am.

We’ve been at this for an hour. Longer, maybe. Strategy, routes, contingencies. My siblings. Their powers. Every variation of how this could go down.

We’re losing time.

Atticus drags a hand down his face. He looks miserable, fraying at the edges.

“It’s going to be dangerous,” I breathe. “I don’t know which of my siblings we’ll run into. Definitely Vex. Probably Teeth and Kael. Wicka, Amaya, Riven… who knows, maybe even Paris. We still don’t know whose side she’s on.”

My grip tightens against the edge of the chair. “Arwen will never forgive me if I let her friends go into this mess. She wouldn’t want you in danger.”

The tension in the room grows as multiple heads turn my way.

“It’s not Arwen’s choice,” Holly says, strapping another blade into place. Her tone doesn’t leave room for debate. “We’re going, and that’s final. Standing around arguing about it will only waste more time.”

I breathe out through my nose, forcing myself to stay steady.

I know from Arwen’s stories that these Wraths can hold their own in a fight. That doesn’t make this any less dangerous, but they’re determined and I will not waste another moment arguing.

My gaze drops to Cleo and Tabby.

“It’s definitely too dangerous for you to go,” I say. “If you’re recognized, they could take it out on your families, and I don’t think your abilities will help in a fight.”

Tabby’s shoulders sag, disappointment flashing across her face.