Elara’s POV
“Come with me.”
Lucian’s voice cut across the training ground like a command no one dared disobey. It wasn’t loud, but every warrior froze anyway. I felt the weight of his stare on my skin, on the tight leggings and cropped top that suddenly felt a thousand times more revealing than they had five minutes ago.
I considered ignoring him. Just for a second. My pride wanted to plant my feet and keep stretching like he wasn’t even there.
But he didn’t give me the chance.
He crossed the grass in three strides, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me against him. “If you refuse, I’ll have to carry you.”
My stomach flipped. “You wouldn’t—”
He didn’t even let me finish.
In one smooth motion he bent, hooked an arm behind my knees, and lifted me clean off the ground. The next thing I kne
