Aria…

By the time I stumbled into the house, every bone in my body felt like it was made of stone. Training with Father and Elias had wrung me dry. My arms trembled, my legs shook, and my stomach growled like a wild beast.

“Food first,” I muttered, collapsing at the kitchen table.

Mother had left a pot of stew on the hearth. I didn’t even bother with manners—I ladled a bowl, dipped bread into it, and ate as if I hadn’t seen food in weeks. The warmth filled me, heavy and ...