The ledger in Darius's hand felt like a physical manifestation of the chaos I had unleashed. His silver eyes, which could so often be a source of quiet amusement, were now narrowed with a weary intensity that had nothing to do with coldness and everything to do with the bone-deep exhaustion of a man who had just returned from a grueling journey only to find his home in flames. I had expected a shout, an explosion of fury. Instead, I got this quiet, heavy stillness that was somehow far more terrifying.
"You just got back from a joining," I said, my voice softer than I intended, a mix of defiance and a deep, aching concern. "And all you can say to me is that?"
