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CHAPTER 17
~Valerie's POV~
The moment their hands pushed my hair back, I stiffened.
Emerald and Astraea gasped in unison, their eyes widening as they leaned in closer.
"Wait, wait, wait," Emerald blurted out, tilting my head to the side. "Isla, you better not be messing with us. Because this—this looks like—"
"A claim," Astraea finished, her voice barely above a whisper.
My entire body went rigid.
Astraea's fingers ghosted over the faint mark, and I felt a strange warmth spread through me.
"What mark?" I demanded, my voice sharper than intended.
Isla, Astraea, and Emerald exchanged glances before Emerald leaned in, squinting. "It's faint… but definitely there."
My stomach twisted. No. No way. I jerked back, slipping out of their hold as I spun on my heel, rushing toward the nearest mirror. My pulse hammered as I tilted my head, brushing my hair aside.
And then I saw it.