BELLADONNA'S POV
I cursed fate under my breath, wondering how it managed to play games with me at every turn. As I strode out of the army barracks, the weight of the past clung to me, heavy and unshakable. My feet took me toward my old house, a place that was now nothing more than a shadow of what it had once been. The mess inside did not surprise me; I had not set foot there in years. Commander Morris, Drake, and Zhan followed at a distance, their presence barely acknowledged as I pushed open the door and got to work.
Hours passed. Time blurred. By the time I was done cleaning, the sky had long since darkened. I stepped outside, wiping the grime from my hands, and I sensed them. Even from a distance, their presence was unmistakable. A snicker escaped me. "Still babysitting me?" I thought, not bothering to confront them. They knew better than to get too close.
