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“Stable?” she echoed. “I didn’t even try.”

He met her gaze, voice reverent. “That’s the thing about chaos magic—it doesn’t always wait for permission. Sometimes it justknows.”

She swallowed. “You think… last night, I…?”

“You did this in your sleep, Lyra.”

His thumb brushed a swirl of script along her hipbone. “You protectedyourself. And me. I felt them wake up around us when I was in between sleep.”

She breathed in, then out. “So what does that mean?”

“It means you’re stronger than you think.”

She blinked back sudden emotion.

He leaned in, pressing a kiss to her temple, then her cheek, and finally the corner of her mouth. “And it means you’re not just some chaos witch with a little mischief in her blood.”

Her lips quirked, amused despite the swirl of emotions in her chest. “That’s blasphemy. I live for mischief.”

“I know.” He smiled. “But I think you were meant for more than even you realize.”

She looked back at the mirror, touching the glowing marks again. “I don’t want to be a weapon.”

“You’re not,” he said. “You’re a force.”

She turned to face him fully. “And you’re not scared of that anymore?”

“I’m not scared ofyou,” he said, brushing her hair behind her ear. “I never was. I was scared of failing you. But I’m done letting fear dictate how I love you.”

Her heart clenched.

He said it so easily now,love—like he finally understood that love wasn’t weakness.

It waseverything.

She kissed him, slow and soft, curling her fingers into the hem of his shirt.

And for once she felt whole. Not because he was there to fix her.

But because he saw her,all of her—and stayed anyway.

35

JACE

The sun had barely cleared the edge of the pines, but Jace was already dressed and pacing the floor of the Keep’s war room, buttoning the cuffs of his black shirt with slow, deliberate movements.

He wasn’t usually the type to fuss.

But this morning?

His hands needed something to do.

Behind him, Logan leaned against the doorway, arms crossed and grinning like a jackal who’d just discovered fresh meat.

“You’re smiling,” Logan said.

Jace didn’t bother denying it.