Chapter 17
Annalise
The clang of metal and the sound of heavy breathing filled the training grounds as Lucien and I sparred. My focus should’ve been razor-sharp, but how could it be when Dane had been invading my mind for three days straight? His constant attempts to enter my thoughts, coupled with his overbearing demands, had become a suffocating presence.
“Losing focus today, Anna,” Lucien teased as he lunged toward me, a short weapon in his hand.
I dodged just in time, gritting my teeth. “Focus is overrated,” I shot back, charging at him with renewed determination.
Dane had stopped training with me, thinking it would rattle me. And it had—for a while. But Lucien had stepped up to be my sparring partner, and I was grateful. He was more than capable, his skill in combat as sharp as h
