Blood on her hands.
Too much of it.
Aria dropped to her knees beside Talia, her own pulse a thunderstorm in her ears. Kade held pressure on the wound just above Talia’s ribs, his face ashen, his jaw clenched hard enough to c***k.
“She’s still breathing,” he said.
But barely.
Aria’s throat closed. The wound pulsed with darkness—not just steel, but poisoned steel. Designed to kill fast. Designed for Moonborn.
Talia’s eyes fluttered. Her lips moved.
Aria leaned closer, trembling. “I’m here. You’re okay.”
Talia coughed weakly. “I... told you… love makes you soft.”
“You’re going to be fine,” Aria said, her voice breaking as her hand hovered over the wound.
She whispered a spell—one she’d only seen in ancient texts. Light gathered at her palm, her rune glowing so bright it lit the gras
