Page 232 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

This was all wrong—it’s allwrong.Alora’s throat constricted. She stood of her own will as Silas paced, face carrying perfect calm as those crimson sunset eyes watched Jade’s hand.

There was no way out of this. No way to?—

Jade released a desperate cry. Her fist barreled into the arrow lodged in Alora’s shoulder.

Emotion clawed Alora’s throat, and instead of swallowing it, she channeled it into a sharp gasp. Stumbling backward, Aloraclasped where that rod had been, willing her voice to soften as Jade advanced, and cried, “I love you, Jade. No matter what happens. I love you.”

Her sister’s throat bobbed. Jade was quivering, desperately trying to hold herself back as that emerald ring twisted. “I love you,” Jade cried, too.

Another swing.

Alora arched her spine, dropping her head back before Jade could land the blow. One. Two. Five more. Alora jabbed half-heartedly. Jade countered with a kick to her gut, sending her flying nearly to the unmoving wolf caged under the tree.

Within a heartbeat, Jade’s gouged knee was at Alora’s throat.

Silas—where the hell was Silas?

As if by command, Alora’s collar burned as red as Jade’s. Her hand clamped Jade’s raised fist, ignoring the pain in her wrist. Stabbing Jade’s starfire ring into her palm while Jade pushed and pushed and pushed.

“Alora.” That was panic. Pure, unadulterated panic.

Jade’s other hand dug into Alora’s cheek like dragon claws.

It took Alora another heartbeat to hear Silas’s words.

‘Consider reclaiming yourclaw, Dragon… Might prove useful.’

Jade’s ring caught the sunlight between her fingers. Her dragon ring of starfire … shaped like …

‘Release your claw yet, Dragon?’

Release your claw. Release your claw.

Release … your …

Claw.Not more than one.Only one.

Alora wrapped her arms around Jade’s waist and flipped her with expert skill. She didn’t hesitate and murmured, “I’m sorry.” Before her fist collided with Jade’s jaw.

Jade’s hands dropped to the grass; her head lulled. Blinking as if warring to regain her mind as Alora pulled that starfire ring from her finger.

Crystal shattered beneath her boot.

“Come on.Work!” Alora wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince herself or the magic within the broken stone.But star-kissed flames screamed around her in a fit of chaos. Like an untrained child, a raging hurricane, refusing to be controlled.

Silas leaned his rune-covered forearms on the railing, steepling his fingers hanging over the edge. Jade’s master screamed at her toget up, but no matter how much he twisted that ring, she couldn’t. Jade’s eyes opened to slits as Alora reached into the flames. But she couldn’t control it. The poison still surged inside her veins.

No—no.It should’ve worked. It washerfire.Hermagic.

Alora clamped down on the flames until droplets of blood dripped from the crescents indenting her palms.

This magic was hers. She was fire. She was made from stars.

And this magic wasn’t inside her. Not bound by poison. It was there. Outside.

It. Was.Hers.

Alora screamed to the raging white inferno. Like a dragon. Like a starsdamned lioness. “You areMINE!”

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