Page 20 of Crown of the Mist

"Stay here," he repeats, leaning forward. "We have the room. You know we do."

"I—" The offer hits me like a physical blow. "I can't."

"Why not?" Theo asks softly.

Because I don't deserve it. Because I'll ruin everything. Because—

"Because I'm scared," I whisper, the truth slipping out before I can stop it.

The word hangs in the air between us—scared. Such a small word for something that feels like it's crushing my chest. I stare down at my untouched plate, waiting for them to laugh, to brush it off, to tell me I'm being ridiculous.

But they don't.

"Of what?" Theo asks gently, his voice soft enough that I have to look up. His blue eyes are steady, patient in a way that makes my throat tight.

"Everything," I whisper, the truth spilling out before I can stop it. "Of letting you down. Of being too much. Of—" I swallow hard, wrappingmy arms tighter around myself. "Of ruining everything."

"Bree." Gray's voice is rougher than usual. When I glance at him, his jaw is tight, like he's fighting back words. "You couldn't ruin anything if you tried."

A bitter laugh escapes me. "You don't know that."

"Actually, we do." Jace sets his fork down, all his usual playfulness gone. "We've known you our whole lives, remember? Through everything. And you've never ruined a single thing."

"That's different," I say, my voice cracking. "This is—living here would be different."

"Why?" Wes asks simply, his dark eyes intent. "Because you couldn't hide from us anymore?"

The question hits like a physical blow. I flinch, but he doesn't back down.

"That's it, isn't it?" he continues, his voice gentle but unwavering. "You're scared because we'd see everything. All the parts you try so hard to keep hidden."

Tears burn behind my eyes. "You don't want that," I whisper. "Trust me."

"Don't tell us what we want." Rhett's voice is quiet but firm. He leans forward, his green eyes burning with an intensity that makes my breath catch. "We want you safe. We want you here,where we can protect you."

"I don't need protecting," I say automatically, but the words sound hollow even to me.

"Bullshit." Gray's response is sharp enough to make me jump. "Phil got close enough to grab you. To hurt you.” His hand shoots out toward the bruise peeking out of the shirt sleeve. “That's not happening again."

"And what about next time?" The words tumble out, bitter and afraid. "What happens when something else goes wrong? When I wake up screaming from nightmares? When I can't—" My voice breaks. "When I can't handle being touched, or when I just need to be alone? When everything becomes too much?"

"Then we'll be there," Rhett says quietly. "However you need us to be."

I shake my head, pressing my palms flat against the table to stop them from shaking. "You don't understand. I don't know how to do this."

"Do what?" Jace asks.

"Let people in. Let you help. I've spent so long trying to keep everything locked away, trying not to be a burden—"

"Stop." Rhett's voice cuts through my spiral. "You're not a burden. You've never been a burden."

"But—"

"No." He reaches across the table, his hand stopping just short of mine. An offer, not a demand. "You're family, Bree. You always have been. Let us be there for you, the way you've always been there for us."

The tears I've been fighting finally spill over. "I don't know how," I whisper again, but this time it's not a refusal. It's a plea.

"Then we'll figure it out together," Theo says softly. "One day at a time."