Aria's POV
Damon had been away for a couple of days. He finally returned to Grayson territory that evening, and the exhaustion was evident on his face.
I poured him a drink. He took the glass from me and leaned back in his chair, letting out a quiet breath as though he had been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Then he studied me. "I need to talk to you about something, Aria."
I raised an eyebrow. "What could that be?"
He hesitated for a moment before saying, "I want you and Elona to stay in Hawthorne territory for a while."
I stared at him. "Damon, you know that isn't a good idea. The safest place for Elona right now is Grayson territory. We have already put measures in place to ensure her protection."
"So have I." He held my gaze. "That's what I've been doing thes
