Aria's pov

　　"What—?" Isabella's shock mirrored my own. She tried again, her magic more intense this time, but it didn't even come close. My hand tingled with an unfamiliar heat, and I realized I was the one causing it to fizzle out.

　　Simon's confidence wavered as he exchanged a worried glance with his sister. "Don't just stand there—end this!"

　　He lunged at me, sword raised high. But something in me had shifted. I felt no fear, only certainty. My ...