Aria barely had time to dodge as Elena's shadow-forged blade sliced through the air where her heart had been a second before. Sparks exploded as it struck the stone wall behind her, leaving a smoking gouge.
"Elena!" she screamed. "Stop! It's me—Aria!"
But there was no recognition in Elena's glowing violet eyes. Just cold purpose.
She turned and lunged again.
Aria rolled and shifted mid-air, her spirit wolf bursting forth in a flash of silver. Her claws raked across the floor as she landed, but she didn't strike. She couldn't. Even twisted by dark magic, this was still her sister.
Caleb, now in wolf form, snarled and leapt at Mara, trying to cut off the source of the spell. But Mara merely flicked her wrist and sent him crashing into the wall with a sickening crunch. Solene caught him with a spell just before impact, easing the blow, but Caleb was down.
"You can't win," Mara called over the chaos, her voice echoing with ancient power. "Your circle is broken. The girl is mine."
