(Ava’s POV)
The wind had a different bite this morning. It wasn’t the chill of the season, but something heavier—like the air itself knew war was coming.
I stood at the edge of the training yard, overlooking the clearing as faction warriors sparred below. My arms were crossed, jaw clenched, every muscle in my body wound tight. It had been days since the meeting with Caleb. Days since Dominic started pulling away again. Days since Logan refused to speak more than necessary to me.
And yet, none of that compared to the fire building inside my chest.
I was done being the girl caught in the middle. The pawn in other people’s power games. Caleb, Tessa, even Dominic—none of them got to decide who I was or what I would do next.
“You’re going to break your teeth if you keep grinding them like
