Page 246 of House Ignis

Ezra was asleep on the lounge chair across the room, still in his leathers.

His head was tipped back against the cushions, his jaw slack with exhaustion.

His auburn hair fell messily over his forehead, and his bruised knuckles rested in his lap, dark with dried blood he hadn’t even bothered to clean.

Ezra’s massive bloodhound lay at his feet like a sentry, both Ruin and Havoc awake and watching me.

Slowly, I turned my head to the left. Ember was curled beside me in the bed, tucked toward me as if she’d never intended to sleep but had succumbed anyway.

One of her hands was still loosely gripping the sleeve of my robe.

Her eyes were closed, her expression peaceful.

For once.

And then… they flew open.

Green eyes locked onto mine instantly, sharp and full of a worry that made my throat tighten.

“Ava?” she whispered.

That was it.

That was all it took.

Something inside me cracked wide open, the dam finally bursting.

I broke.

Sobs tore out of my chest before I could stop them—ugly, shaking, uncontrollable sounds.

My hands flew to my face as if I could hide from the feeling ripping through me.

“I—” My voice shattered, barely a sound. “I can’t— Ember, I can’t—”

She moved immediately.

No hesitation.

She pulled me into her arms, wrapping herself around me like a shield against the world.

“Hey. Hey. I’ve got you,” she murmured, pressing her cheek to my hair.

I clutched her like I was drowning and she was the only thing afloat. Everything came flooding back in a violent rush: the fight, the dream, the freezing emptiness in the bond.

The way it felt to be touched and realize, with a soul-crushing jolt, that it wasn't him.

“I miss him,” I choked out, the words raw. “Gods, I miss him so much.”

Her grip tightened. “I know,” she whispered. “I know.”

Across the room, I heard the creak of the chair. Ezra.

I didn’t look; I couldn’t. I just kept sobbing into Ember’s shoulder while she rocked us gently, one hand rubbing slow circles down my back, trying to soothe an injury that went much deeper than a hangover.

Aether padded closer at some point.

I felt the mattress dip near my legs, and a surge of feline warmth slipped through the bond.