arged air of the top floor. Aria leaned against the cool me

ell had ju

her touch. And that moment - that spark between them. It wasn't jus

nder her breath. "Lightbea

onto the lobby, but it might as

checked his watch. A woman typed on a tablet. The receptionist gave her a polite nod

rain, it was as if the city

rm had

it sideways. Rain soaked her hair in seconds, plas

d gold and the look in Darian Va

eady. She pressed her back to the brick wall, trying to ground herself. The city sounds faded in

had h

aken... the Dragon wi

her eyes at in college. But she'd seen that fire. Felt the heat. And th

ran thr

Had her mot

shaped like a teardrop. Her mother's. The only piece she had left. She opened

u really?" s

clang sta

movement at the edge of the alley. A shadow s

she cal

ans

hum, like static electricity thickening

kled. Every inst

ed - and

violet eyes in the

en it

th skin like charred stone and claws like obsidian. It swiped at her, missing

e hissed, t

heart hammering, ha

closed aroun

lo

th

gh

he creature with a crack like thunder. It shrieked and flew ba

red at h

d from her palm - soft a

. the h

arled, staggeri

again, a wave of golden fi

t the heat. The creature shr

re van

of the alley, drenched and

yes glowed i

ttacked this soon," he said,

at him. "You

ou. There's

head. "What wa

est your power. Or kill y

rian was at her side in

u," he said,

red. "Like... like a f

brushing wet hair from

an to- I did

t knows how to protect

fear slowly melting into

ptic half-truths. If I'm really in the middle of somethin

her for a momen

come w

wh

torm rolled above them, lightn

that can tell you

d, venomous hiss of its breath as it lunged at her. The way her body had reacted. H

st afraid. Sh

e air between them, crackl

d her to her feet. "You're still in shock," he

, though her hands still trembled. "No.

expression unreadable. "But right

seful. The rain drenched him, but it didn't seem to touch his skin. It on

at she'd seen. The alley was quiet now. The remnants of the shadowspawn

suddenly, her voice firm, though

impossibly intense golden eyes. For a moment, he said nothin

d is changing. You felt it tonight. And there are those who

ide

, the faint shimmer still g

betraying the fear she was trying to keep buried.

despite his calm demeanor. "Because of your bloodline. Your mother's bloodline. I

hadn't known much about her - only that she had been beautiful, strong, and tragically lost to an illness when Aria was still a b

railed off, not wanting to hear the words,

one of the last true Lightbearers. A rare, almos

earer? That's some kin

"It's not a fairy tale. It's real. Your power, Aria, has

felt the blood drain from her face. "That thing... t

here are others who will seek you out. Those

the way the locket had reacted to her touch. She wanted to say something - to tell him that she didn't believe him, that it co

ia demanded, her voice rising. "Why let me walk into t

in? "Because it was never supposed to happen this way. You were supposed to be protected.

"What does that mea

th me. I'll take you to the only place that can help you understand wh

oing to let m

ul smile. "You're

ng. She had questions - so many questions. But one t

hough her mind was still racing. "Tak

le widened.

firm but gentle. And this time, when he touched her, the warmth tha

. It was a step into a world she had never kno

: Aria Monroe was no long

ething much