Page 42 of The Sin Binders Ascent

Riven doesn’t explode. Not right away. That would be too generous. No, he simmers, like something ancient under the surface cracking inch by inch, until the ground finally splits wide and swallows you whole.

He steps closer to Theo, too close, muscles drawn tight beneath the black cotton of his shirt like they’re waiting for permission to be weapons again. The garden lights catch the silver in his eyes, and it’s not a metaphor. Riven doesn’t lookangry. He looks like war itself finally got tired of diplomacy.

“You think you’re clever,” he says low, each syllable carved with restraint, not calm. “You think if you smile enough, act casual enough, throw out your half-truths like candy, we’ll forget who you are.”

Theo doesn’t respond. That infuriating grin is still there, barely tilted now, quieter. Watching. Waiting. Inviting.

“I haven’t forgotten,” Riven says. “I remember youbeforethe cage, and I remember what you did to deserve it.”

“I didn’tdeserveit,” Theo says, voice a drawl that tries for lazy but doesn't quite land. There’s something raw underneath. “You just didn’t want to deal with what I was.”

“You’re not a burden,” Riven snaps. “You’re athreat.”

That lands. Theo’s jaw twitches, but he says nothing. He doesn't need to. The silence says it all: maybe Riven’s right. Maybe that’s exactly the point.

And that’s when guilt hits me. A slow, bitter curl in my stomach that tastes like old shame and new regret.

Because Theo didn’t foam the hot tub. He justwatched.

I step forward.

“Riven.”

He doesn’t turn to me. Still locked on Theo like if he breaks eye contact, he’ll give him space to twist into something worse.

“It wasn’t him.”

Silas’s breath hitches. Theo blinks.

I swallow hard and say it louder.

“It wasn’t him. It was me.”

Now Riven turns. His eyes flash, not with rage, but with disbelief. Hurt. Like I’ve just switched sides in a war we’ve been fighting together for decades.

“You?” he asks.

I nod. “Silas needed help with one of his chaos projects, and I, gods, I needed to breathe, Riv. Just for a second. Everything’s been,”

“Are you helpinghim? ” he cuts in, jerking his chin toward Theo.

“No,” I say, stepping between them now. “I helpedSilas. Theo just happened to catch us mid-bubble.”

Riven’s jaw flexes, but the heat in his eyes dims. Not completely, but enough. Enough to let logic crawl back into the space rage just vacated.

“You lied to protect him.”

“I lied to avoid another fight,” I say, softer now. “And because the second I so much as look in his direction, all of you act like I’m about to fuck him against the nearest surface.”

Theo hums behind me. “Iamavailable.”

“Not the time,” I snap.

He shuts up. But the grin stays.

Riven looks at me for a long moment, something unreadable behind his stare. Then he exhales through his nose and steps back, like it physically costs him to let this go.

“This doesn’t change anything,” he mutters, stalking toward the door. “I still don’t want him here.”

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