Dual Rebirth: Vengeance of the Discarded Daughter

up from t

et. Soft, pristine velvet. It was wrong. A second ago, her skin was tearing apart, her magic being siphoned from her vei

oat clicking. Sweat stung her eyes. She bl

ver-trimmed vanity. The silk curtain

dilla estate. The room she had

n the hallway outs

ced her jaw to unclench. She took a sharp breath in through her nose, held it for two seconds, and le

ng open. Kar

arina's voice pitched hig

eached out, aiming t

e shifted her weight, pulling her hands back

cticed panic on her face faltering into genuine surprise. Then, as if rem

Karina asked, her lower lip t

r life, had stood over her bleeding body and smiled

adache. Don'

ay. The sound vibrated through the heavy wooden bed frame,

didn't ask if she was well. His sharp eyes immediately dropped to t

at usually commanded absolute silence in the household. "The academy board is q

Order is taking exchange students, Father. Maybe Alina

e slight tightening of Karina's cheek

na k

ves to steal Alina's resources by shipping her off t

stion as his own. "For the honor of the Padilla nam

up. They were waiting for the tears. They were waiting for Alina to drop to he

didn

ung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her bare f

m his chest. She tilted her head up and looked him

in

d slightly, the long speech he

Alina. They don't have servants. They don't c

her sister. The temperature

?" Alina asked. Her voice was barely a whis

recoiled, stumblin

, stepping between them. He reached into his tailo

aper glowed with hars

. "It also legally separates your resource al

a transfer. It

ory clauses. She lifted her right hand. She brought her th

er. The metallic taste of

thumb directly onto the

d into the magical weave. The contract was sealed.

jaw twitched. He looked at his eldest daughter, a sudden,

She had done it. She had pushed the

t," Ali

oody finger towa

d to c

urning on his heel. "You will regret thi

p pity, but Alina's eyes were completely dead. Black, empty voids.

ood clicked

rop. A cold, sharp smile

reflection showed a pale, sickly fifteen

she whispered

flickered in her palm-the Prismatic Core. The world called it a defect. A dud

r fist. The l

and corsets. She pulled out a pair of dark, heavy-duty t

bag from the bottom drawer and shoved a few basic

her shoulder, opened th