Page 325 of House Ignis

His grip tightened, dragging me fully against his chest.

Before I could even take a breath he was kissing me, hard, desperate, nothing gentle about it.

The world tilted as he pulled me in tighter, his mouth moving against mine like he was trying to brand the moment into both of us.

I gasped against him, and he groaned low, the sound vibrating down my spine.

“Gods, you’re my beginning and my end,” he sent through the bond, raw and rough. “My future wife.”

The words detonated inside me just as the warp took hold. The arena, the crowd, the chant, all of it ripped away in a rush of shadow and light as the Veylaith Woods swallowed us whole.

The transition from the roar of the arena to the absolute, crushing silence of the Veylaith Woods was enough to make my head spin. I could never get used to this feeling. Gods, it was the worst.

My eyes were shut tight, my braid whipping side to side. The only thing keeping me from hurling was the hands digging into my waist, strong and unyielding.

"Breathe," he murmured through the bond as the magic spun us, faster and faster, until the ground slammed under my boots.

We hit solid earth tangled together, his arms locked around me. For a second, neither of us moved.

My lungs burned; the world tilted. I let go first, stumbling forward and dropping to my knees.

My palms pressed into damp moss as I tried to steady my breathing. The air was thick and cool, smelling of pine and something ancient.

Behind me, I could hear Asher’s breathing—fast, heavy, uneven. His heartbeat thudded hard enough for me to feel it through the bond.

"Turn around," Aether said, his voice low and rough in my head.

"What?" I rasped.

"Just turn around, flame one,"

I pushed the hair from my face and turned. Asher was on one knee.

My breath caught. "Asher… what are you doing?"

Aether padded closer, his massive black paws silent on the moss, the flame-tipped fur of his tail flicking like a living torch in the gloom.

"The male is trying to ask you," he said dryly.

Zya slunk from the shadows, sleek and massive, her silver eyes bright as she settled beside him.

"Darling," Asher said, grinning now—that dangerous, beautiful grin that always made my pulse trip.

He held out a ring that shimmered faintly, the metal catching the light like liquid moonfire.

Its band was etched with delicate runes that shimmered silver, the unmistakable work of fae starlight.

"I meant it," he said, his voice rough but steady. "You are my everything. I can’t breathe without you. I’d drown the realms in darkness before I let them take you from me. I know I asked before, but I wanted to do it right this time." He swallowed hard, his eyes bright. "So, firecracker… will you marry me?"

A tear slid down his cheek, and gods, that undid me. This male—the brooding, impossible bastard who always kept the world at arm’s length—was mine. My heart stuttered. Tears blurred my vision as I dropped to my knees in front of him, hands cradling his face.

"Yes," I whispered.

For a heartbeat, the Veylaith Woods disappeared.

There was only us, the mist curling around our knees, and the faint shimmer of starlight between our hands.

In an instant, his lips crashed into mine—and gods, I turned molten. The bond purred, hungry and wild.