Page 209 of Glutton for Punishment

Maddox had left almost immediately after we landed to explain everything to Academy leadership. Considering we’d just started a battle that left multiple Council heirs dead, I should probably make sure we weren’t all about to be expelled. Or arrested.

I lean down and squeeze Holly’s hand one last time.

“You better wake up soon,” I murmur. “I still have a lot to yell at you about.”

Atticus reaches for my hand, intertwining our fingers, and together we leave the infirmary.

***

A breeze hits my face the moment we step outside into the quiet. The battle feels far away. Students wander across the courtyard in hushed conversations. The fountains continue flowing as though nothing has happened.

It’s almost enough to make me believe everything is going to be normal.

“Arwen!”

I come to an abrupt stop as a familiar voice cuts across the courtyard.

Ryker pushes himself off one of the stone benches outside the infirmary and strides toward us. Dark circles shadow his eyes, and his clothes are rumpled enough to suggest he hasn’t slept.

Relief floods his face the closer he gets. “Thank the universe.”

He reaches for me, but I step backward before he can touch me. “Don’t touch me.”

His brows pull together as confusion replaces the relief on his face. “I... I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“You have no business being here, Ryker,” Atticus grumbles, pulling me behind him.

He looks genuinely bewildered. “I wanted to go with Maddox and help, but your stupid bonds wouldn’t let me.”

Something inside me snaps.

“Don’t you dare talk about my bonds.”

His mouth closes.

“Stay away from them,” I say, my voice low and steady. “Stay away from my friends. And especially stay away from me.”

He takes a cautious step closer. “Arwen... I thought we had an understanding. We weren’t coming after each other anymore.”

His eyes search mine. “What is this about?”

I close the distance between us until we’re almost nose to nose. “I’ll tell you what this is about.”

The anger that’s been simmering since Brix told me what happened boils over.

“If you ever threaten one of my friends again,”—my voice drops to something dangerously calm—"I will not hesitate to use the full force of my power on you."

Understanding dawns on his face. “Arwen... no. It was a mistake. That was before—”

“Fuck off, Ryker.”

He opens his mouth again. “Please, just let me expl—”

Atticus steps smoothly between us. His posture remains perfectly composed, but something cold settles over his features. “She said,” he replies, “fuck off.”

Footsteps approach us from behind, breaking the tense silence. “What’s going on here?”

Maddox walks toward us, looking as exhausted as the rest of us. Dried blood still stains one side of his shirt.