Aria’s POV

The first thing I felt was pain. Not sharp, but deep a dull, heavy ache that throbbed through every part of me. My eyes fluttered open to the soft flicker of lamplight. The smell of herbs, smoke, and blood filled the air. For a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was.

Then I heard the steady rhythm of breathing beside me.

Damon.

He lay peacefully on the bed beside mine, his chest gently rising and falling. His bare skin was wrapped in bandages that were stained with silver ...