"I didn’t mean to hurt you, Ollivara," he said softly, his voice a gentle murmur. "I may be brutal, even to you, but I’m only being honest. We all have our inner monsters, and they’re both merciless and deadly. But with time and discipline, I’ve learned to control mine. It’s taken centuries." His gaze was intense, sincere. "You’re still so young, and you’re not ready to face that kind of darkness alone."

I took a shaky breath, the weight of his words settling over me like a ...