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“Definitely,” Ariana said, brimming with excitement at the thought of it. She gestured at Kai. “Go on. Show him.”

“I was about to get right down to it, until you all veered the conversation off track.”

“He was excited about the fireworks,” Vorzyr said, giving me one of his sweet, adoring looks that warmed me down to the bone.

Kai tutted at us, but there was definite humor sparkling in his eyes as he did so.

And then he winked at me and stepped up close.

Vorzyr and Ariana drew in around me too.

“This is from all of us,” Kai told me, his tone becoming serious, but in an earnest way. “Forgedby all of us, to be more precise.”

I looked between them. “Forged? What do you—”

Kai opened his hand and my words, along with my breath, caught in my throat.

Because there on his palm was a stunning, shimmering ring. I could feel the magic emanating off it.

It had a dual-metal design, made from two different, yet blended materials. One aspect was the black that had faint crimson veins pulsing like lava beneath its surface—Vorzyr’s dragon flame. The other aspect was a silvery-white platinum that I could feel was infused with Ariana’s Celestial magic.

As Kai turned it so I could see all aspects of it, I saw his rose-gold magic inside the inner band of the ring glowing with an inscription.

Our initials in runic script.

“We call it the Soulweld Ring,” Vorzyr informed me.

“It’s incredible,” I breathed. “I can’t believe you made this for me.” I looked at Kai. “Is that why you had to run off after class? To get this?”

“I had to put the finishing touch to it, fusing the separate magical elements as one and binding them permanently.”

“Wait… magical elements? This isn’t purely ornamental with you guys using your magic as decoration?”

“Like a fireworks situation?” Ariana chuckled, getting where my mind had gone. “No, cutie pie. Far from it.” She traced her fingers reverently over the ring. “It’s special.”

Kai explained, “The ability I use to counter your allure when we get carnal is essentially imbued into this ring. It’s also been enhanced with a perpetual sustainment spell fueled by Ari’s Celestial magic, which gives it a permanent energy source to draw from. No draining on us. No recharging needed.”

Ariana added, “It was forged in Vorzyr’s dragon fire, so it can’t be destroyed. It’s also bonded to your essence, so it will only work for you, and it can only be removed by you.”

“Shit… I… I don’t know what to say,” I choked, emotion taking me over oh-so quickly.

How could it not?

Them doing this, creating something this incredible, something that would help me on a soul-deep level and take away that fear that had cut into me for years ever since I’d been made into… this… I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

Tears spilled down my cheeks and I tugged at my hair in a bid to get a handle on it.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Ariana crooned, softly stroking my face. “It’s all okay. You can let it all out.”

“In more ways than one,” Vorzyr said, tucking me into his side protectively.

I did it then, I let the tears fall, I let the emotion run free.

I bled it out.

And, fuck, I’d needed it for so long.

Kai’s voice reached me through it all, calm and strong, guiding.