Chapter 141

VALENTINA The bracelet burned in my palm, a pulse of black-gold light snaking up my wrist, curling into my veins. It throbbed with a rhythm that seemed almost alive, echoing through my blood. Kira growled softly inside me, her claws digging at my ribs as if warning me to be careful. “Careful?” I hissed under my breath, though the word felt laughable. How could I be careful when everything inside me—the fire, the shadows, the hunger throbbed in sync with this cursed piece of jewelry? It was like holding a living fragment of my mother’s soul. A surge of power lanced through me, sudden and uncontrollable. Shadows spilled from my fingertips, curling into the air like smoke, while golden sparks flickered in counterpoint. The air grew thick with tension, every noble’s whisper in the court amplifying the storm coiling in my veins. “Valentina…” Andres’s voice was low but edged with steel as he appeared at my side. His golden eyes reflected concern, admiration, and fear, all at once. “You need