*Briella*

Drius cornered me just as I stepped out of the training room, his hazel eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination. The cool stone walls of the hallway seemed to close in around us, making it feel far more intimate than I was comfortable with.

"Please, Briella," he began, his voice low and urgent, "you have to come home with me. It's not safe here anymore."

I could feel my patience wearing thin. This wasn't the first time we'd danced around this ...