Page 22 of Mantle

Nyx was whimpering quietly, obviously reading her. Kai ruffled his hair, though, in a bid to distract him from zoning in on the intensity of it.

Finally, I felt it click into place, the spell complete.

It had a lock on Ketheron’s blood and magic in her body, creating a targeting system essentially that Vorzyr could lock onto with his Primal Celestial Resonance and draw out of her. Just that along with some residual blood from the act of the feeding itself that couldn’t be helped.

I released Ari’s shoulder and eyed Vorzyr. “Do you feel it? Kai explained how your ability works. You should feel the targeted aspect calling to you.”

He growled. “Taunting me, is more like it. But, yeah. I’ve got it.”

“Good. It’s time, then.”

Ari held her wrist out to him.

Lucian readied himself.

I indicated for everybody to be silent now, except for Lucian if he needed to issue instructions.

And then Vorzyr called one of his talons forth and scraped it across Ari’s wrist, blood trickling and starting to flow.

He steadied himself, then brought her wrist to his mouth and began the draw.

I could feel the collective tensing of the family around us, Kai tightening his grip on Nyx, even as he held himself together throughout it.

“Ease the pressure at the point of contact and draw a little harder instead. It’ll make it smoother and cause her less aggravation at the site of the wound,” Lucian instructed him.

Vorzyr took the instruction well, and then we watched as a white glow emanated from him, his ability activating, as he drew more and more of her blood into his mouth—of Ketheron’s blood and magic. As it hit, the black toxicity of it turned a deep red, indicating he was doing it well, cleansing it before he ingested it.

I gestured at Kai and Nyx and invited them to move in then.

Nyx stroked her knees, while Kai stroked her hair.

She smiled and kept her focus on that, rather than the unsettling nature of the very clinical blood draw.

“Her pulse is slowing. Careful,” Lucian informed Vorzyr.

Vorzyr lifted his head. “There’s a little more still remaining.”

“I’m fine. Do it,” Ari assured him.

Vorzyr hesitated for a moment, before resuming the process.

After a few moments, he pulled away again. “It’s done,” he announced. “It’s all gone. Neutralized.” He stroked his fingers over Ari’s wrist wound, then Kai was there, healing it with a flick of his magic.

Ariana smiled in relief, thanked him, then collapsed into Kai and Nyx.

“She’s all right,” Lucian assured everyone. “Just sleepy. She requires a little rest is all.”

Vorzyr gathered her into his arms and rose to his feet with Kai and Nyx, all of them moving as one.

“You’re coming with us,” Mia proclaimed, stepping forward.

“Where?” Kai asked.

She smiled. “Home.”

5

~Nyx~

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