*Briella*

I leaned heavily against an ancient oak, my chest heaving with emotion. The argument with Drius still echoed in my ears, his words sharp as thorns.

"Go home, Briella," he had insisted, his hazel eyes hard and unyielding. "It's not safe here. The villain we face… is beyond anything we've encountered. You will be safer at home with your people."

I bit back a sob, frustration welling up inside me. Drius was more than just a friend. He was family, a ...