Aria Point Of View. “What just happened?” I muttered to myself in disbelief as the attack still felt fresh to me.

The forest was still humming with the echoes of violence.

My heartbeat hadn’t slowed since the ambush, but I held my spine straight as I walked back toward the packhouse ruins of the training ground. My palms were still stained with dirt and blood, some mine, most not, but I forced my face into a calm mask.

Fear would not win today but inside I was unraveling.

Every time I ...