Two pools welcomed me, and as I slipped into the first, every ache and pain seemed to vanish from my body. Exhaling, I let the troubles of the world slip away. The water was so much more comforting than what I would get if I went to the fortress. Sure, the spa in the fortress was topnotch with massage chairs and oils, but no matter how much we tried to mimic it, nothing beat nature.

“Thought I’d find you here.” Nikolai’s voice bounced off the cave walls, startling me. Instinct took over as my hand balled into a fist and sliced through the air. Before I could restrain the punch,...