Aria’s POV
The words on the parchment seemed to burn into my skin.
The fever is the Vaelor brothers trying to lock your power away.
The realization hit me harder than the sickness had. Everything they’d told me, Noah’s protective distance, Cassian’s desperate jealousy, it wasn't just about my safety. It was about containment. They didn't want me to die; they wanted me to stay small, quiet, and powerless.
I looked toward my bedroom door, listening. The house was unnervingly still, save for the muffled, rhythmic thud of guards’ boots patrolling the hall. Noah and Cassian were likely still downstairs, trapped in the web of lies spun by their mother and Elena.
I stood up, my legs feeling steadier than they had in days. The vibration in my veins wasn't painful anymore; it felt like a
