Page 34 of Wrath

“Maximus?”

“He was just Max back then,” he says with a small smile. “There were others too, but I haven’t seen them in a long time. Look, you’re asking for trouble poking around like this.”

I sense his reluctance and offer an easy smile as I push to my feet. “I’m all about trouble, Abe. Don’t worry about me.”

Zeus takes his bread eagerly, biting a large chunk off and closing his eyes. When he opens them and sees me watching, he frowns. “What are you doing here?”

“The guard was sick, so I offered to do the night watch.”

“And you’re bringing food. Why?”

“I’m just being friendly.”

“Why?”

“You’re all so suspicious. Can’t a girl be nice?”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned the hard way, it’s that no one is nice for the sake of being nice.”

“If you all came here so young, how did you learn so much?”

“Who said I came here young?” he asks.

“All the others came here around the age of five, so I just assumed . . .”

“All the others shouldn’t be talking to you,” he snaps. “I remember you.” He narrows his eyes.

I shift uncomfortably before asking, “From?”

“Watching at the ceremonies. You were with the Sanchez family.”

I stiffen slightly at his words. “I’m no longer part of them,” I tell him.

“I don’t trust you,” he says firmly. “Leave.”

Maximus is sleeping, so I take the final chunks of bread in to Wrath. His back is to me, and by the soft sounds coming from his corner, I realise he’s asleep too. I put the bread down and move closer. “Wrath,” I whisper, “wake up.”

He groans in response, and I gently place my hand on his shoulder. His hand dashes out quickly, taking me by surprise. I cry out as he yanks me towards him, and I land on the bed in a heap. He lurches over me, his blue eyes narrowed, making him look more possessed than usual. He inhales deeply and suddenly relaxes, letting go of me immediately and dropping down beside me. “You shouldn’t creep up on me,” he mutters. “Sorry about that.”

I’m shaking as I nod, trying desperately to fight back the tears gathering in my eyes. He props himself up beside me, and his expression softens. He gently rubs his thumb under each eye, smearing my tears over my cheek. He licks his thumb and smiles. “Tears of an angel,” he murmurs.

“You should talk more,” I whisper, remaining beside him. “You have a soothing voice.”

“Sometimes it’s like the words just won’t come,” he admits. “And other times, I just don’t want to speak, so I don’t.”

“Even when you were small?”

He shifts himself to get more comfortable. “What did you mean before? You said you were coming up with a plan.”

I sigh heavily. “Everyone is suddenly counting on me,” I whisper. “What if I let them down?”

“Why are they counting on you?”

“To get them out of here.”

“I dream about it,” he says with a small smile. His eyes glisten, and my heart squeezes. “Not getting out of here,” he adds, “but the world before.” I briefly close my eyes as his fingers play with the ends of my hair. “I used to think it was just a dream. I mean, it is, but she was real, wasn’t she? The woman I dream about.”

“What do you dream, Wrath?”

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