DARIAN
The moment I step out of my father’s study, I inhale deeply, relieved to be out of that suffocating room. The meeting dragged longer than it should have. Talk of rogue threats, territory security, political alignments… And then, the inevitable.
Adira.
They never miss an opportunity to remind me of the life I didn’t choose. The girl I didn’t ask for. “Spend time with her,” they said. “She’s your future.” My father looked at me like I owed him enthusiasm. But I said nothing. I always say nothing.
Because it’s better than admitting I’d rather spend the rest of my life alone than bind myself to Adira.
I make my way toward my study when a familiar scent stops me dead in my tracks.
Iris.
It clings to the air like a ghost. Soft, warm. Floral and maddening. But it’s not coming from n
