Darius’ POV
The scent of blood still clung to my skin. No matter how many times or how hard I scrubbed my hands clean, it did nothing to wash away the smell. It lingered, coiling around me like the damn reminder I didn't need at all. I'd picked up training with the dummies, but it only made it worse. As I punched at the wooden figures until they shattered underneath my feet, it still did nothing to help. The scent didn't leave, instead of grew stronger. And alongside that scent, came the thoughts of a particular rogue too.
I still didn't know her name, but apparently, it didn't stop her from slowly crawling into my mind.
When I'd gotten up for my usual walk in the middle of the night, she was the last person I expected to run into, and just at the door too.
She'd questioned me and my authority, and like all of that wasn't enough, she had also gone ahead to lay her hands on me.
“You.” I snarled at one of the guards in the corner. “Sparring room. Now.”
I didn't so much as wait f
