I shrug in an attempt to pretend it's not a big deal, but my pulse races at the thought of being confined. It was years ago, and I thought I’d put it behind me, but it seems the fear is as real now as it was when I was little. Though the fear may linger, I refuse to let it define me. I will continue to shrug it off, playing it off as no big deal, until one day, it truly becomes just that—a distant memory of a time long gone.
“Who did this to you?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not.”
“Not all scars are visible, Everly.”
At his penetrating gaze, I sigh, “Fine. If you must know, my foster brother was an asshole. He would lock me in boxes or cupboards a lot. You’d think I’d get used to it after a while, but I never did. Things got especially worse after I was locked in the dark for two days before anyone realized I was gone. Now you know why I don’t like small spaces.”
The more I speak, the deeper the furrow between Raiden's eyebrows becomes. He looks furious. When he doesn’t speak, just stares at me with those damn silver eyes, I become even more uncomfortable.
“Any chance we can get some food? Otherwise, I’m going to pass out. Preferably something sweet. I need sugar to revive me.”
Raiden looks ready to argue, but my expression turns pleading, silently begging him to drop it. I didn’t want to get into this right now or ever. “Please.”
“Fine. This way.” His arm comes out, and I grin up at him as I loop my arm in his.
“Why, thank you, good sir.”
“Don’t push it.”
“You might be a big scary . . . bat man with horns, but you're just a big old teddy bear, aren’t you?” I tease.
Raiden’s grunt is music to my ears.
“Thanks for finding me,” I whisper, my fingers tightening around his arm.
“You can thank Tristan. He was the one to inform me you’d disappeared AGAIN.”
My eyes drop to the ground. “I just wanted to go down to the gardens. It makes me happy. You guys left me for hours,” I murmur, feeling guilty.
“We have told you that it’s not safe, but you refuse to listen.”
“I know.”
Kian and Tristan round the corner, their eyes widening on my disheveled state. I give them both a weak smile.
“Sorry to worry you both.”
“Seems we had a reason to be worried.” Tristan eyes my creased and sweaty dress.
I wave him off. “Everything turned out fine.”
Raiden snorts, and I elbow him in the side.
But Tristan doesn’t stop. “You aren’t supposed to leave your chambers.”
“I know.”
“So why did you, then?”
“The garden looked too nice to pass up and I was getting agitated waiting.”
“Are all humans as stupid as you?”
