Chapter 138

VALENTINA The echo of the shattered relic still vibrated in my chest. Its power… its memory… it had left something inside me. Something hungry. Kira growled, low and warning, vibrating in my chest. “Val… do you feel it?” I clenched my fists. “I do.” My voice was low, tight. My nails dug into the palms of my hands until the pain spread heat through my veins. “It’s… inside me.” Andres stepped forward, his golden eyes sharp. “Inside you? What do you mean?” “I mean… it whispers,” I hissed, swaying slightly. “It doesn’t speak with words. It speaks with hunger, with fire. I can feel… power crawling beneath my skin.” His hands shot out, gripping my shoulders. “Valentina, listen to me. That is dangerous. You need to—” “I’m not afraid,” I snapped, jerking away. “I can control it. I can.” My voice was stronger than I felt, but the truth was a jagged blade in my chest. Andres’s eyes narrowed. “You’re shaking. Your pulse—” He reached for my wrist, then froze as my aura flared. A sudden, unnatural