Page 18 of The Sin Binders Ascent

She snorts. “Gods, Silas.”

“Technically, yes,” I smirk. “But only on weekends.”

And for a moment, just one small moment, the storm eases. She’s still fire. Still, chaos waiting to be unleashed. But now she knows, she’s not burning alone.

I’m about to offer to burn Theo’s toothbrush before he ever gets one when I hear it, sharp, brutal,delicious.

Riven’s voice. Low, edged in steel, rising fast from somewhere near the entry hall.

“Take one more step and Iswear, I’ll drag your spine out through your fucking mouth.”

My head snaps toward the hallway like I’ve been summoned by the gods of chaos themselves. I don’t even try to hide the grin that slices across my face.

“Oh no,” I whisper, reverent. “He found him.”

Luna stiffens beside me. I reach for her hand automatically, more to anchormyselfthan her.

“You should stay here,” I say, already moving. “Riven’s in amood,and I need to see if he goes for the throat or groin first.”

“Silas,” she warns.

“I’ll narrate,” I promise, backing out of the kitchen. “Formorale.”

I bolt down the hallway barefoot, round the corner, and, oh,gods above.

Riven’s standing six inches from Theo, fists clenched, jaw sharp enough to cut glass. His gray eyes are lit up withviolence. That perfect fury he’s always worn.

Theo, of course, looks entirely unfazed. He’s leaned against the archway like he’s bored in a museum, one hand tucked intothe pocket of those expensive-looking pants like wrath incarnateisn’tthreatening to dismember him.

I lean against the banister, watching, grinning wide.

“Please hit him,” I murmur. “Just a little. For me. For morale.”

Riven jerks his chin toward Theo. “Why the fuck is he here?”

“Housewarming,” Theo says, deadpan. “I brought sin. You got punch?”

“Oh mygods,” I moan. “He’s asking to die. This is better than the Lust-Orin slap fight of ‘07.”

Riven’s voice drops lower. He doesn’t shout now.Worse. He steps closer, and when he speaks, it’s ice wrapped around a blade.

“If you come near her, if you so much asbreathein her direction with that rot dripping off you, I will end you. Bond or no bond. Legacy or no legacy. I will drag you back into the pit you crawled out of.”

Theo’s lips twitch. Not fear. Not anger. Something darker. Amused.

“Touching,” he murmurs. “Does she let you say that before or after you two play with fire?”

Riven lunges.

Oh,fuck yes.

I clap once, delighted. “Riven, if you crack a rib, call me. I’ll bring snacks.”

Lucien appears at the top of the stairs, cold and unreadable, his voice cutting through the hallway like a sword. “Riven. Stand down.”

That gets Luna there. She rounds the corner fast, fury storming off her.

Theo looks at her like she’s the whole fucking story.

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