Page 106 of House Ignis

But me? I was shit at it.

I was a mess of wildfire, anxiety, and lust. I couldn't hide—not from him. And now, as I ground my hips into Jeremy under that silver stare, Asher wasn't hiding either.

His walls dropped.

And gods, I felt it. It was a physical blow to my senses. Jealousy like black smoke—thick, coiling, and suffocating. Desire like a cold dagger pressed against my spine. And the lust—it was hot and sharp, crashing into me like a tide of molten shadow.

He was turned on. By this. By me dancing like I was someone else, being touched like I was his.

When the full, jagged force of his emotion tangled into mine across the bond, I moaned. It was low, unintended, and raw. I bit my lip hard, the copper taste of blood grounding me for a split second.

Jeremy didn't notice. He was too far gone, lost in the scent of my skin as he nuzzled the curve of my neck.

But Asher? Oh, he noticed. His silver eyes burned like lightning storms trapped behind glass. He didn't move, but the shadows around his chair surged, devouring the light in a five-foot radius.

"Air?" Jeremy breathed against my skin, pulling me from the trance.

I nodded, my cheeks flushed and my lungs feeling two sizes too small. My eyes stayed locked on Asher's for a beat too long—a silent, vibrating challenge—before Jeremy took my hand and led me away.

We moved out the door, weaving past the sweating crowd and into the gardens. The cool moonlight hit us instantly, but it did nothing to chill the fever in my blood or the heavy, dark pulse of the male I'd left behind in the dark.

The music faded into a dull hum behind us as we weaved through the gardens. I caught a glimpse of Maddy and Ryven mid-argument—she looked furious, arms crossed, while he looked like he was desperately trying to de-escalate. I made a mental note to check on her later, but the thought evaporated as Jeremy pulled me under the silver canopy of a mooncherry tree. Its blossoms glowed like fallen stars above us.

"Romantic," I teased, though the weight in my chest made the word feel heavy.

"When am I not?" he shot back with that crooked, effortless grin. He sat back against the trunk and pulled me gently onto his lap. "Gods, you look hot, Ava," he murmured, the alcohol softening his usual royal composure. He brushed a stray curl behind my ear with such aching care that my heart squeezed.

I tried to keep the smile on my face, but it faltered the second his eyes dropped to my collarbone. To the mark. He reached up, grazing the golden-black sigil with his thumb, and my breath hitched as the skin there prickled.

"How does it feel?" he asked quietly.

I blinked, the cool night air suddenly feeling too thin. "I…"

"How does it feel to be bonded?" he asked again. His beautiful green eyes searched mine, thoughtful and heavy with a grief he was trying to hide.

"It's…" I struggled, the bond vibrating beneath his touch. "It's different. To have someone tethered to your soul like that. To feel their emotions. Their thoughts. It's… it's—"

"Intoxicating," he finished for me.

My heart stopped. "Jer…"

He dropped his head into his hands, fingers threading through his hair, his shoulders slumped under a weight no prince should have to carry. I sat perfectly still, terrified that even a breath would shatter this fragile moment.

Across the distance, the bond stirred. Worry—cold and sharp—pulsed from the house. Shadows began to coil protectively around my spine like a silent warning, but I slammed my internal walls up, shoving Asher's influence down. I didn't need him storming out here like some shadow-drenched avenger. Not now.

"Jer," I whispered, "we're still… together. We're truly friends—"

"I know," he interrupted, lifting his gaze. The restraint was written in every hard line of his face. "It's not your fault, love." He reached out to cradle my face, his thumbs brushing my cheeks with a softness that finally broke me. "I thought I would be the only one bonded to you. My future queen and mate."

My eyes stung, the guilt tasted like ash in my mouth.

"But Ava, please, when the bond becomes too much—when you feel yourself slipping into him—promise me something."

I blinked, my vision blurring.

"Come to me first," he said, his voice dropping into a solemn vow. "Before the bond takes you completely. Come to me."

His eyes were full of a love that was unshakeable and entirely unselfish. Gods, I didn't deserve a soul like his.