Damon’s POV
The air in the clearing was thick with tension, like the calm before a storm. The moonlight cascaded through the trees, illuminating Aria as she stood frozen, staring at the dagger glowing faintly in the skeleton’s grasp. Something about the way it shimmered made my wolf stir uneasily, a low growl rumbling in my chest.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. She looked so calm, so focused, but I knew her better than that. Her calm was like the surface of a lake hiding a storm beneath. Every part of me wanted to grab that dagger, smash it to pieces, and keep her far away from whatever price it came with. But I knew better. If there was one thing Aria wouldn’t do, it was run.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warned Zelda, whose eyes hadn’t left the artifact since we unearthed it.
