I look around at them — at Torric’s raised eyebrow, Aspen’s barely-contained amusement, Darian’s aggressively neutral expression, Kieran’s refusal to acknowledge anyone exists.
Mouse has somehow migrated to Finn’s shoulder. The smug little shadow is practically glowing. Patricia hovers near Darian, notebook flickering — probably documenting everyone’s lack of attention for future reference. Finnick does a lazy loop around my head, and I swat at him.
“I hate all of you,” I repeat.
“Still no you don’t,” Finn says.
We walk.
The path climbs steadily, winding along the mountainside in switchbacks that make my thighs burn. The air gets colder. The mist gets thicker. Behind us, the steadythump-thump-thumpof Callum’s sled provides a rhythm that’s almost hypnotic.
I should be paying attention to my surroundings. Watching for danger. Staying alert, like Darian said.
Instead, I’m thinking about last night.
About Finn’s hands. Malrik’s mouth. The way the bond snapped into place like it had been waiting for exactly that moment.
It didn’t confuse anything.
That’s what I keep coming back to. I expected to feel overwhelmed in a bad way — guilty, uncertain, stretched too thin between too many people who want pieces of me I’m not sure I know how to give.
But I don’t feel any of that.
I feel… clarified.
Like puzzle pieces clicking into place. Like the picture was always there, and I’m just now seeing it clearly.
I want all of them.
Not in spite of each other. Not as competition or compromise.
Allof them.
And last night — with Finn inside me and Malrik’s hands on both of us and the bond blazing to life between us — that want finally made sense. Finally felt possible.
Finn glances at me, catching my expression. “You’re thinking loud.”
“Shut up.”
“Your face is doing the thing.”
“What thing?”
“The soft thing. The ‘I’m having feelings’ thing.” He grins. “It’s cute.”
“I’m not cute.”
“You’re a little cute.”
“I will push you off this mountain.”
“Worth it.”
Malrik’s hand brushes the small of my back. Brief. Grounding. A reminder that he’s here. That he sees me, even when I’m spiraling.
The bond with Finn pulses warm. The older bonds, hum steadily beneath my skin.
I want to keep them safe.
