Semua Bab The Heiress' Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call: Bab 2151 - Bab 2160

Fiona said, "Aria, Elijah, come have some soup." After setting the two bowls on the coffee table, Fiona pushed one toward each of them. Her eyes crinkled with warmth. "I made this myself. It's slow-cooked chicken soup, so it's good for your blood. "Elijah, you're still weak since you just woke up, so drink up. And Aria, you must be exhausted after running around doing all that work. You need this too. Go on, have it while it's hot." Aria looked at the ceramic bowl before her. The soup had cooked down to a rich, creamy white, dotted with plump berries and glossy dates. Steam curled up from the surface, carrying a deep, savory smell. She looked up at Fiona. "Mom, you didn't have to." "Don't be silly." Fiona smiled and ruffled her hair. "When Elijah collapsed and the doctors couldn't do anything, I had no choice but to call you. You did all the hard work. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be awake right now." She turned to Elijah with eyes full of love. "Go ahead and try it.

Warmth spread through Aria's fingertips when she touched Landon, and they both went still. Landon's breath caught before growing harder. He looked down at her, something dark stirring in his gaze. His voice came out rough. "Aria..." That was all it took to snap the last thread of her self-control. She could handle this kind of temptation once or even twice. But with him dangling his neck right in front of her like this, who could blame her for caving? She shot upright. Hooking her arm around his neck, she sank her teeth into that pale stretch of skin without a second thought. She knew exactly how much pressure to use. "Argh." His brow creased. With her soft lips against his cool skin, he felt a shiver racing down his spine. It spread through his whole body until he felt it in his bones. He tensed, his arm snaking around her waist on pure instinct. The faint tang of copper hit Aria's tongue. She hesitated, realizing what felt just right to her had been a little too much fo

Just then, a voice drifted over from nearby. "Homer, I'm surprised you still haven't broken through the level of Great Decator." The crowd turned toward the speaker with annoyed looks on their faces, wondering who had the nerve to talk so casually. They then spotted a man standing there in the same Dracotigris Order robes as Homer. Homer looked toward the voice, and his brow furrowed slightly. "Dack, what's that supposed to mean?" "Nothing much." Dack strolled over to the Resonance Stone. Then he continued, and his voice carried a sharp edge. "I'm just going to show you what lies beyond Great Decator. They call it Arcane High Priest." The moment the words left his mouth, he pressed his palm against the stone's center. The stone lit up and climbed from yellow all the way to purple. But it didn't stop there. It kept pushing toward scarlet. Everyone held their breath. If Dack was just talking big, they would have a reason to laugh at him later. But if he actually hit scarlet a

Homer stroked his beard thoughtfully before shaking his head. His gaze swept across the crowd as he announced, "That's not it. Fellow arcane seekers, let me be frank. "This Resonance Stone measures the depth of your power and the strength of your foundation. However, it cannot reveal your true level."Homer paused for a moment. A flicker of admiration flashed in his eyes as he glanced at the purple energy radiating from the Resonance Stone. "This stone exists to guide disciples in their daily practice, not to determine victory or rank."His voice hardened. "A stone was never meant to determine an arcane seeker's true power. Some excel in theory yet falter in practice. Others, though less advanced on paper, prevail through experience, quick reflexes, and sheer courage in the face of danger."After speaking, he turned toward Aria. The latter had a faint smile. Aria knew Homer was trying to cover for her. Even so, she still felt compelled to measure herself against such a rare, once-

Jaleel stuttered, "H-How could this be?"Aria let out a soft chuckle. "Jaleel, you're too slow."Rage exploded in his chest. He glared at her like a trapped predator sizing up its prey, then suddenly bit down hard on his tongue and spat a mouthful of blood onto his blade.This was the first time he had been humiliated so utterly in this lifetime. "Aria, I'll kill you!" he roared.The moment his blood soaked into the sword, it erupted with blinding brilliance. His aura surged violently, climbing until it hovered just shy of an Arcane High Priest's level.He had activated a forbidden Ligotti family art—burning his own life force in exchange for power. He knew the price. He simply didn't care. He could always pay the price, but he had to kill Aria now.If he failed here, Aria would become the greatest obstacle on his path forward.Jaleel charged again. His sword descended toward Aria's head with unstoppable force, the strike powerful enough to cleave a mountain in two. Even Homer