Page 232 of House Ignis

Blood.

My scream tore out of me before I even realized I was making a sound.

“Asher!”

His eyes widened—shock flashing through the silver. Pain. Confusion. And then something a thousand times worse.

Betrayal.

He dropped to his knees.

Shadows exploded outward from him, writhing across the white stone like wounded, living things.

His hands clawed weakly at his chest as more blood poured between his fingers, staining the starlight of my dress.

I stumbled forward, reaching for him—but my father’s hand clamped around my wrist.

Hard. Too hard.

I gasped, looking down at the sudden weight in my hand.

Something heavy had appeared in my grip. A sword.

I hadn’t felt it before.

I hadn’t seen it.

But now it was there—the blade gleaming pale and unfamiliar, the hilt carved from twisted dark wood that looked grown instead of forged.

My breath hitched. The steel was slick. Red. Covered in blood.

His blood.

My hands began to shake so hard the blade rattled.

“No…” I whispered, the word a broken sob.

Asher was staring at me now. Not in anger. Not in hatred. In devastation.

As if I was the one who had finally succeeded in breaking him beyond repair.

Behind me, I felt my father lean closer, his breath cold against my ear. I could feel his smile without even turning.

“You must always be afraid of the dark, Ava,” he murmured softly.

The world split apart.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

A voice dragged me back. Distant at first. Muffled. Like I was surfacing through leagues of dark, heavy water.

“Ava!”

My body jolted violently as I sucked in air, my lungs burning as if they’d forgotten how to function.

Orange eyes met mine. Ezra.

He was sitting on the edge of the mattress, one hand braced hard against my shoulder as if he’d been holding me down to keep me from thrashing.