Page 56

I don’t really trust anyone lately, or their motivations. “I can try,” I say instead. “I don’t really know how long I’ll be here.”

Nodding tightly, her eyes flit furtively to our instructors. “No, you’re right. When you get a little time is fine. I hear your schedule just got really booked up,” Gracelyn agrees dismissively, making me wonder if people know about the ‘tutoring’ I’m mandated to have.

Blowing out a breath, I shrug. “I go where they tell me,” I murmur, moving away as everyone else leaves.

I still plan to find her later because I can’t risk alienating someone else. It backfired pretty spectacularly last time.

From the bottom of the stairs, I look up at them expectantly. Rolling her eyes, Andrya walks down the stairs with the guys.

“Did the Warden explain that he wants us to share meals from now on?” she asks, and my eyes widen.

“I thought it was more one on one,” I murmur with a shrug. “I figured you all have better things to do with your time than to eat with me.”

My stomach decides to rumble, and I wince, rubbing it as if that’ll help to quiet it.

“Did you not eat this morning?” Ayden asks, surprised.

Shrugging, I struggle not to wrap my arms around myself in defense. The last thing I want is to have a conversation with these psychopaths.

“I haven’t had a normal eating schedule as of late,” I murmur.

Scoffing, Ayden presses. “We’re in a prison camp. You’re given three meals a day, so how are you not eating?”

“Is it the dining hall?” Andrya asks, trying to catch my eye. I studiously stare at Ayden’s chest, and while it’s muscled, it’s really just a better place to look, so they can’t see how uncomfortable and angry I am. It doesn’t even make much sense, except that this entire place grates on my nerves, and the cruelty of these three make me want to scream at the injustice of my life.

“No,” I say simply, refusing to give them anything else.

“Silla,” Sidney says, and out of everything, the way he says my name makes me flinch. “You were very rude to me this morning, insisting on the traitor walking you to your room instead of letting me. Want to explain what that was about?”

“Sidney, why are you provoking her? Silla couldn’t have slept well in the infirmary. I heard you had nightmares…” Andrya says, and I force my eyes to stay where they’re trained.

Dammit, Isaac… How much did he tell her?

“My demons have nothing to do with you, and neither does my eating or not,” I say calmly, swallowing as I take a step back.

“Why won’t you look at us?” Ayden asks, leaning forward to grab my wrist.

I want to ask them why none of them can keep their hands to themselves, but nothing good will come of that.

My breath hitches because I really want to leave.

“If there’s nothing else, I’d like to go,” I tell them softly.

“You may have the Warden insisting that we make amends, but you don’t call the shots—” Sidney snarls.

“And there it is!” I yell, yanking my wrist away, giving them the full force of my glare and wrath. “The three of you are just hurt, fucked up people that enjoy seeing the chaos you create.”

“Holy fuck, kitten,” Ayden mutters, moving his hand toward his pants, but his sister smacks it first.

“You do have claws,” Sidney says, his green eyes gleaming like emeralds. “It may be fun taking my punishment like a good boy, after all. I don’t want you around the Zachary boy. Who knows what else he could do? Clearly you’re very gullible.”

“Unbelievable… you’re the ones who made him choose between his sister and I. Zachary doesn’t really owe me anything,” I complain, realizing that I’m right. I won’t be hanging out with him any time soon, but it was still a no-win situation.

“Kitten… are you going to make me beg for forgiveness?” Ayden croons, his twin sister glancing at him in shock.

“You don’t apologize to anyone,” she says softly, eyes wide.

“And I don’t intend to now. I’m asking if that’s what she expects to happen.” He smirks.