She wouldn’t have killed them.
That was why we’d done it—so she wouldn’t have to. It was time for us to take care of her. Really pamper her.
I thought about the second promise I’d made to her back at Elite Academy. I’d whispered to her, “I’m the Ignis of the illustrious House of Malum. I’m the twenty-seventh immortal king to serve the sun god since the dawn of time. I don’t deal in shades of gray. I hurt those who hurt what’s mine.”
I squeezed her tighter against my chest and bent my head toward her, inhaling her intoxicating scent—danger and frost.
It mimicked the duality of her personality.
The woman in my arms was both fierce and mellow.
She was a survivor.
In her sleep, she nuzzled her face against my chest, and I swallowed a groan at the feeling of her rubbing against me.
It was divine torture to hold her, the woman of my every fantasy.
She shifted again, and I frowned at how easy it was to readjust her in my arms. She’d lost weight and was too light.
The war had taken its toll.
I mentally made a note to feed her rich cheeses and fruits as much as possible.
My mate would never be malnourished another day in her life. I’d spend my immortal days making sure of it.
She shivered as I continued to climb the many stairs that led to the top of the house. Ice coated her hands like gloves, and flurries of snow drifted inside the warm house.
I hovered a scarlet ball of fire atop her chest, and she reached toward the warmth, even though she was unconscious.
That was another thing I’d make sure of.
My ice queen would never suffer from the cold again.
If I had to stalk her with scarlet balls of fire everywhere she went, then that was what I would do.
After I climbed the last set of winding stairs, I arrived at our A-frame loft bedroom.
Nowhere else was good enough for my Revered to sleep in.
It was the safest space, nestled underneath the v of the roof and farthest from the door in case intruders entered.
I laid her down gently on our custom bed that spanned the entire width of the room.
The feral part of my devil nature loathed putting her down, even for a few seconds. I wanted to hold her and growl at everyone who entered her vicinity, so they knew she belonged to me.
I stood over my Revered.
My soul.
Mine.
There was a reason the Ignises from the House of Malum were renowned for our possessiveness. It ran hot in our blood. We hoarded our mates like a dragon with a priceless treasure because that was exactly what they were to us.
One did not simply neglect one’s soul.
You protected it.
With every fucking breath you took.
It was well known through our society that Ignises from our House would go to extreme measures—like locking their Revereds away and never letting other men so much as look at them. One of my ancestors had cut the tongue out of every person—man or woman—who’d dared to talk to his Revered.
Flames multiplied across my arms as I thought of all the ways I would hurt people who challenged her. No way would she be fighting anyone in the fae realm; I’d kill them all first. I’d tear them to pieces and— Scorpius dug his nails into the back of my neck and yanked me back harshly. “Calm the fuck down,” he snarled into my ear. “You will not ruin this for us with your possessiveness.”
He shook me back and forth.
Flames came out of my mouth as I breathed heavily.
“Calm. Down. Right. Now.” His voice was sharp as glass, and his nails dug deep, drawing blood.
I concentrated on the pain, and it slowly brought me back to reality. The haze of anger lifted from my vision.
“Don’t forget who she is,” Scorpius warned, awe in his voice. “She’s more powerful than all of us—don’t be an idiot.”
Orion patted my arm. “He’s right,” he whispered as he stood on the bed and opened the skylight windows.
A warm breeze filtered in.
Cricket chirps and frog noises filled the space.
Millions of stars glittered above.
“Breathe in,” Scorpius ordered, and I obeyed. I exhaled my Ignis aggression.
I inhaled calm.
Strangers who didn’t know me thought I was unfeeling. I had the opposite problem.
My feelings were too much.
They’d always plagued me.
Scorpius and Orion were the two people who’d always understood that about me. They related.
My world was shades of scarlet; I burned with obsession and rage. Scorpius’s world was shades of black; he yearned for pain. Orion’s world was shades of gold; people were shiny toys for him to play with.