Within their dreams (Reverse Harem)

Chapter 41

Leo's POV

"Put me down!" Ivy squeals, laughing breathlessly. I ignore her, striding through the open palace doors as guards look at me strangely. Ivy hangs from my right shoulder, giggling as Owen pulls faces behind my back. I grin taking my first full breath since before she was taken. I used to love the palace, the feeling of power I had as I sat before my people. But with her gone, I realised how hollow this place is without her, how lonely it can be. Now with her back, everything seems good again.

I swing Ivy down, making sure to steady her as she smiles up at me, eyes bright.

"Welcome home, little one."

She takes a look around, a soft look on her face.

"It doesn't feel real," she whispers.

"Trust me, it's real. And you're staying put this time." Owen grabs me hand, tugging her up the stairs towards our wing of the palace. I follow after them, watching the way her hips sway.

We head towards her bedroom, throwing open the doors. I haven't entered the room since she left, too scared to lose the feeling of her inside. If I kept the room closed, I could pretend that she was in there, reading a book and waiting for us.

Even as we stand inside it now, my chest feels tight. Ivy throws herself on the bed, moaning.

"I've missed how comfortable this bed is." She snuggles further into she sheets, sighing.

"Should we give you a minute? It feels like we're intruding," Owen teases, bouncing onto the bed next to her, making the sheets flutter around her.

"Please," she grins, shrieking as Owen rolls on top of her and begins tickling her.

"Help," she pants, looking at me, but I stay frozen. My throat is tight, my chest squeezing painfully. She frowns, pushing Owen off of her and sitting up to face me, her hand on her chest.

"Come here," she orders and my legs move mechanically, the bond tugging me towards her. My magic soars as I get closer, itching to reach out and surround her like a protective shadow.

Ivy kneels on the bed, cupping my face with a gentleness that makes the tight feeling in my chest even tighter.

"Talk to me," she says softly. I let out a shallow breath, my eyes tracking every movement on her face.

"It's the first time I've been back in here since you left," I confess and her brows shoot up in surprise.

"I didn't want to come inside and face the reality that you were really gone. That I let you go. And seeing you in here..." I sigh. "It makes me realise how much I lost when you walked out those doors. And I'm terrified that someday you will leave again, this time of your own will."

I close my eyes as a heavy weight sinks in my stomach. When I first met her, I wanted desperately for it not to be true and my own arrogance and self-importance made me miss the strength and goodness that radiates from her. And then when I finally realised that Ivy was far better than I could ever be, I let Simon take her away, all because of a crown. A crown that despite spending years dedicating myself to, meant nothing if I had to spend the rest of my life with half a soul. Part of me hopes she'll leave because I'm not the man she deserves, but a greater part of me prays to God that she won't so that I can try to be the man she needs.

"Even if she decided to leave you, there's still me," Owen says, shrugging his shoulders. I glare at him and he holds his hands up in surrender, smiling.

"What? I'm a great boyfriend."

"I'm not going anywhere," she says firmly, looking at both Owen and I. "You're stuck with me. Both of you."