Page 4 of House Ignis

Oh, and the mental health problems came free with the crown. Lovely bonus.

But I wasn't useless. I had a knack for lesser magic and potioncraft—a real one. And that was worth something.

"By Ignis' burning wrath, not him again," Aether muttered through the bond.

"Incoming," Ember said under her breath, almost perfectly in sync.

I turned just in time—green eyes, tousled hazelnut hair, that heart-melting smile. My breath caught.

"Ava." Jeremy didn't say anything else. He just pulled me into his arms. At his side, Kora—his silver-furred wolf—watched me with those same green eyes of his, her tail sweeping once across the cobblestones in greeting.

Gods, I had missed his presence.

The solidity of him. The warm, earthy scent that always made the world feel slightly less like it was ending.

He held me like he had all the time in the world, like he wasn't a prince with somewhere better to be.

When he finally pulled back, his thumb brushed my cheek—just once, just briefly.

"Can we talk?" he asked gently.

I nodded, and he led me a few steps from the crowd. Behind us, Ember rolled her eyes. Aether's tail flicked. Even Luna huffed.

"I missed you," he said, voice low. "I barely saw you after the funeral. I kept wanting to come find you, and I didn't know if I should."

Something in my chest pulled tight.

That was very Jeremy—wanting to fix things and holding himself back because he wasn't sure it was his place.

"I needed to disappear for a while," I admitted.

"It wasn't about you."

"I know." He said it simply, without making me feel guilty for it. "I just wanted you to know I'm here. When you're ready.”

He pressed a kiss to my forehead, warm and unhurried. I closed my eyes.

"I love you," he murmured against my hair.

"I love you too," I whispered. And I meant it—even if I didn't know yet what shape that love was supposed to take anymore.

He squeezed my hand once and let go. Kora fell into step beside him as he disappeared back into the crowd, quiet and dignified as always.

I exhaled.

"Gods," I breathed into my hands.

"You okay?" Ember appeared at my shoulder.

"Yeah," I said. "I think so."

"Pyreson!"

The voice barely registered before I was lifted clean off the ground. The world spun, my vision flipping upside down as I was suddenly airborne—slung over a shoulder like a sack of grain.

The scent of rain-washed air filled my lungs, sharp and unmistakable.

"Gods, Ryven! Put me the fuck down—now!" I shrieked as he spun.