Page 112 of House Ignis

"Those two are constantly fighting or flirting," Asher murmured into my ear, his voice low and smooth as silk. I pointedly ignored him, focusing on the field, but he leaned closer until his breath fanned my neck. "Hated leaving you so wet, darling?"

My spine stiffened, a violent shiver racing through me. My fingers dug into my knees, my knuckles turning white. "Boundaries," I said through clenched teeth.

He chuckled darkly, the sound vibrating against my back.

At the bottom of the stands, Maddy and Ryven sat side-by-side, stiff as statues. Even from here, the tension was a physical weight—whatever had gone down last night clearly hadn't been smoothed over. Ryven looked wretched; Maddy looked ready to commit a felony.

One by one, the girls were called. Zaria was incredible, flipping high into the air with water swirls spiraling around her like sapphire ribbons. Maddy followed, her Ventus grace flawless as she looped glowing air-streams through the cheering crowd. Then Ember strutted out, a literal firecracker, landing a backflip in a split as flames erupted behind her like a supernova.

And then—

"Ava Pyreson."

Gods damn it.

The crowd hushed. I stepped onto the field, my heart thundering like war drums against my ribs. Sweat beaded at my temples, but it wasn't from the heat—it was the bond. It was the magic. It was the absolute chaos screaming inside my veins.

I dipped into the well of flame at my core, reaching for the familiar spark—

And it roared back.

It wasn't a wave; it was a volcanic eruption. Violent. White-hot. Too much. For a heartbeat, I felt like I was being incinerated from the inside out.

My vision blurred, the world turning into a haze of amber and heat.

The music kicked in, and muscle memory took over. I launched into a back handspring, landing with a punch of my fist that sent scarlet and molten orange spiraling around me. But the air cracked too loudly against the flames. It felt like the fire was thrashing, trying to tear its way out of my skin.

"Young one. You're pulling too deep," Aether's voice strained in my mind, sharp with warning.

I couldn't stop. I pushed harder. Twists. Kicks. A handspring into a split. Fire chased every move, but it wasn't dancing anymore—it was hunting. Pain bloomed beneath my ribs, a pressurized heat that made my skin sizzle.

My fingertips sparked white—blinding and terrifying.

When I flung my arms out for the finale, the flames burst across the field like massive, jagged wings. They were too bright, too big, slamming against the stadium's shimmering wards with a force that made the ground tremble.

The crowd erupted. The cheers were deafening.

But I was shaking, my breath coming in scorched hitches. The Core didn't settle when I tried to pull it back. It pulsed, surging against my chest like a trapped animal.

"Get off the field, now," Aether hissed, his panic finally bleeding through the bond. "You're not regulating it—your body cannot hold this much."

Damn this fucking illness. I turned and walked, every step burning from within as my vision swam. The heat wasn't fading—it was radiating outward from my chest like a furnace door left open.

And then—Asher was there.

He pushed through the crowd, reaching for me. "Ava—"

His hand caught my wrist, and he flinched. He hissed, letting go instantly. I looked down and saw his fingertips reddening where they'd touched my skin. My body was literally radiating heat, the air shimmering around my arms.

"What the hell—" he muttered, shaking out his hand, silver eyes blazing. "You're burning up. Your skin is like a godsdamn hearth."

"I'm fine," I said, my voice thin and hoarse. "I just—overdid it."

"You nearly combusted," he snapped, stepping into my space despite the heat. "You think I can't feel it? You're at the edge of burnout—your magic's trying to consume you."

I gulped down water, my hands trembling. "I just need rest."

His voice dropped low, furious. "No. You need control."