to murder the entire council to end this threat against you, I will do it without hesitation.” “And yet, you haven’t, so how am I to believe anything you promise me? I can’t, which is how I know that when they vote for your new bride, you will bend to their whim. You’ll stand at the altar and speak the vows to love, cherish, and obey your new queen. Because a king’s only as powerful as those who stand behind him, right?” The irony was thick enough to choke on. “And if you refuse, they’ll remove you and place someone else on your throne because you allowed them that power. You handed them power to control and wield you in your need for vengeance. You’re their weapon, King Karnavious, merely a blade they swing to ensure they hold power over everyone. Even if you willingly abdicated your throne, you still wouldn’t get me.” “Don’t think for one moment that you’re not mine, because you are. If I have to rip this world down to nothing more than ruins to prove it to you, I’ll do it with my fucking hands. I’ll destroy it and fuck you in the ruins and ashes of everyone who thought to destroy us.” His hands had balled into tight fists he pressed against the barrier, while he smiled. “You’re right. We weren’t written in the stars. Stars die out, but we’ll never burn out. I won’t ever stop fighting for you, Little Monster. I’ll be in every shadow and every corner of this world, watching you, protecting you. Do you hear me? I’ll always come for you. I choose you, Aria Primrose.” “Choose me for what? To fuck? To abuse while you beat your chest like some fucking caveman?” I snarled, ripping my tattered dress off and then tearing the slip down the middle until I was naked, heaving with anger. “Is this what you want from me? For me to allow you to use me like some pathetic whore? Come on then. Come fucking use me and then declare how worthless I am before the sweat cools from my flesh.” I snorted, cupping my breasts in my hands as I backed up. “I know. How about you push my face into the table, spread my legs, and fuck me like a dirty little slut? You can tell me how good my pussy smells and that it’s the only reason I’m worth a damn. Or maybe you can just beat me while you fuck me? That way, I won’t have the chance to forget where I stand with you.” I rocked on my feet, waiting for him to answer. Knox’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t look at my body. Not until I released the stranglehold Ember had on my scent, ensuring he could smell the
perfume of my coming heat cycle. His eyes narrowed to slits, and he rattled, which had my nipples hardening. I slammed down my emotions and stared at him. “You are coming into a heat cycle.” “So what if I am? You don’t need to worry yourself over my needs. When it hits, I’ll find someone who doesn’t loathe themselves when they fuck me. I’m sure that, by then, you’ll already be married to someone else and I’ll be free to do as my body demands with whomever I choose.” “That isn’t happening,” he hissed through clenched teeth, anger pulsing in a furious cadence through the barrier. “I assure you, it will,” I stated firmly, bending to grab the dress from the floor. “I don’t need your permission, nor do I care about your opinion. I finally figured out that it doesn’t matter what you or anyone thinks about what I do.” I turned back to hold his stare. “No one really wanted me or saw beyond what I could do for them. No one cared that I was real or that I only ever wanted to be loved. The second I stopped allowing myself to be used, every single one of you abandoned me. Now, I’m hunted for sport. Ember says we’re created to hunt, but they’re not even on our level, and I’m inclined to believe her. It won’t be us who rot on the wall of one of their castles. So, you can run back to your little pity party council and tell them I’m coming for them all. The moment they get brave enough to come for me, their clock will start counting down until they take their last breath of air.” I turned on my heel, pulled the dress over my head as he watched me, and left him to join the others. The heavy weight of his stare burned down my spine, but I didn’t stop or care that I’d left him with the threat. I had meant every word I’d whispered, and if I so much as caught the scent of someone hunting me, I would unleash Ember on them. Knox had repeatedly pushed me away. And right now, I didn’t care if he married Celia and lived happily fucking ever after with the spineless bitch. If he was too weak to prevent the council from pushing him into it, then he was of no use to me. I didn’t want someone who’d blindly do as others demanded just to save his political position. “I’ll fight for you, Aria,” he uttered so softly that I’d thought I’d imagined it. “I’ll always fight for you, wife.” Knox and the others had broken the wrong parts of me. They all had taken a turn beating me down. I’d learned to wear my pain as armor, and I
wore it well. They’d beaten me, abandoned me, and betrayed me until they stripped me to mere bones. But sometimes you had to fall and get bruised before you rose stronger so that you knew how to fight harder. I would secure a safe future for the witches and then never think about any of them again. I’d dig deeper than the roots which had created me, and I would rip them out until I freed myself of their hold. I’d become the queen the world didn’t know it needed. If they thought they could hunt me down and end my life, I’d show them what broken things could do when cornered. I would teach them what a reign of terror actually looked like when you fucked with a monster and the bitch bit back. Aria Primrose Hecate Karnavious had died the day she’d discovered what she’d been born to do. I was the monster that had dug from the ashes that she intended to force down their throats. This version was what they’d created, and I had no loyalty to any kingdom or any breed. It was rather freeing, and I’d found it at my lowest point, which meant I could only go up from here.
Chapter Thirty-Two Not too long after I’d made the decision to stay in the library for a bit longer, it was as if the library opened its proverbial arms and welcomed us deeper into its sphere of protection. Then I discovered an entire new wing within it. There were hundreds of levels and just as many staircases that led up farther than my eyes could see. The shelves were lined with tomes and scrolls that dated back to the birth of the Nine Realms. There were huge, sprawling wards that opened into landscapes that I’d spent hours within. One was laden with black roses, and another had frost fire that covered the walls and forced me to back out of it rather rapidly. Then there were the endless rooms full of unimaginable surprises. In one room, flames had burned in every color imaginable. After I’d made certain they wouldn’t burn the flesh from my bones, I’d soaked within them for hours. In another, books floated from shelf to shelf, as if it was writing them while I observed in wonderment. Pages were sewn together and then secured inside leather-bound covers. Tiles were added and intricate patterns were embossed on the spines. In my assumption of the library, and what it was capable of, I’d never imagined it recorded history as it happened. Great white oak trees grew in the hallways, and small, fairy like creatures collected the tree sap, added ink and something else into it, and then used it to fill the pages of new books. One room projected battles, dictating every detail onto the pages of a singular volume that was thicker than I was tall. Other rooms looked to be some sort of smithy, where swords were forged and then tested even though no one held them. Some rooms had ancient-looking dresses that were labeled with names scrawled in Norvallan. My fingertips had slid over the fabric, wondering if they’d once belonged to queens, or Knox’s mother, maybe? The room I’d just walked into held orchards of different fruit trees and fields of vegetables. Picking up a large pineapple, I smiled before setting it back down. That explained more than I cared to admit. My eyes fell to the raspberries and apples ripe for picking, and I frowned. It wasn’t filled with the fruit I’d
come to except within the Nine Realms. It was sustenance from the Tenth Realm, which explained how Knox had knowledge of such things. Heading back through the corridor, I paused, watching a shimmering image moving through the passageway. Silently, I edged closer to where he strolled through the space like an apparition. His arms, chest, and back were covered in symbols, scrawling script and runes. The script was Norvallan, exposing his heritage, but the symbols and runes were much, much older than the soil Norvalla had been built upon. The markings mirrored the ones Avyanna had discovered in, and copied from, the tomb she explored before I’d confronted Aurora and the others. I’d spelled the ink with the magic from the Nine Realms and asked her to place them permanently on my skin. They concealed my presence and prevented me from being detected by magic or scent unless I allowed it. I’d mainly wanted the incantation and symbol of uterine protection, safeguarding any children I would have from being tainted as my daughters had been. Knox’s name was within the small, intricate wispy ink. By including him in the spell, I’d directed my path, and chosen who would sire my offspring. The ink was spelled and enhanced to ensure no one else impregnated me. Knox was who I’d chosen to father my child. But, if he continued on his path, I’d burn his name from my flesh. Avyanna had added to my flesh, and while I’d been optimistic, I’d been realistic as well. If I couldn’t have him or his children, I didn’t want any. The male vanished into the wall, and I moved my thoughts back to what was needed now. We had to find a place safe enough to move the multitude of children, and witches we’d gathered in our travels. Life didn’t wait for anyone, and with our swelling numbers, I needed to find a place that was large enough for everyone to be comfortable while also being easily defendable. I’d begun marking a map in my spare time with places that appeared vacant because staying in the library wasn’t a long-term solution. Today we were all gathering in the crystal room, which housed so many different types that we’d spent hours in there without identifying them all. Entering the room, I silently surveyed the children as they read books or braided each other’s hair. The women were learning what fantasy romance and epic fantasy were, which was kind of funny to watch. Most of them had a hard time grasping that it wasn’t real or hadn’t actually happened. I’d considered allowing them to assume it was, but I wasn’t that mean.
Studying the book Esme held, I smirked, knowing it was filled with naughty stuff and was the reason for her pink cheeks. “I don’t want to give up this place,” Esme admitted, her eyes slowly feasting on a stone that pulsed with energy. She placed the book she’d been reading aside and smiled at me. “I vote we never leave. I don’t even care if it means being celibate forever.” “If we could figure out a way to keep that barrier up, that would be one thing. However, I don’t have a few thousand extra souls handy, so we’re out of luck.” I picked up a smokey quartz sphere that projected rainbow prisms when the light touched it just right. “I need to check it again and make sure it’s still holding. For all we know, the library is trying to keep us here so that Knox can catch me.” “Maybe, but look at this place.” Soraya snorted, moving her arms in a wide circle to indicate the beauty we were within. “It’s like the most amazing place in the Nine Realms, and we’re standing inside it right now. We’ll never find anything like it anywhere else. It’s perfect, and amazingly safe for the children. Plus, there are thousands of books on protection and barrier spells. There are even spells on how to create a kingdom and prevent anyone from finding it. We don’t need a realm anymore. We can build a kingdom and hide within it forever.” “Yeah, but will it keep Hecate and Knox from finding it?” I asked pointedly. After placing the sphere back on to the round holder, I rubbed my eyes. “I’m going to go check to see if Avyanna needs any help with the little imps before I check the barrier. They’re growing more comfortable and getting harder to corral.” “That’s what kids do, and it’s actually a good sign,” Siobhan admitted. “It means they’re settling in. This is the first place that hasn’t felt like we were just passing through. They’re not hungry or exhausted. You even look better, Aria. If we can discover a way to remain here, it’s worth looking into.” I just smiled, not wanting to squash their hopes. “See what you can find, but if I end up mounted on his wall, you’ll carry that guilt. We’re also not done trying to stop the shit happening within the realms. I have to collect the remaining elements because if Hecate gets them and holds them, we’re all fucked.” I headed out of the new wing and made my way to the room where the younger children were. The sound of their soft giggles made me smile as I
peeked into the large sleeping room where Avyanna read stories to the children. At some point, they had built a giant blanket fort, and they were all piled inside it, listening to her every whispered word. In the past couple of days, they’d blossomed, and I hated that this wouldn’t last. I didn’t believe that we’d get lucky enough to remain here much longer. My luck never lasted, and even now, I felt the pull to the wind elemental I’d been searching for. More than that, though, I had to locate Aden, and ask him to take me to my father. It was time to learn who he— and what—he was. Avyanna glanced over to me, smiling with genuine joy in her soft green eyes. The kids weren’t the only ones blossoming. Shaking out of the dire thought of having to tell them we needed to leave, I stepped back quietly. Not wanting to disturb the children, I offered her a small wave before ducking out of the doorway to head toward the main area. My mind whirled with what I had to do. There were things we’d need to collect from within the library and supplies we could take with us, including the maps I’d been marking. I was lost in the memory of the Wendigo, as I wandered into the main room and froze when need slammed into me. I groaned softly, and slowly, I slid my stare to Knox. He was sprawled out on his back, sleeping restlessly in the oversized bed. Frowning, I moved behind one of the large shelves, not wanting to get caught eye-fucking the male who slept. If anyone found out this had become my favorite pastime, they would label me a creeper. In my defense, I’d begun innocently enough, with me watching the man sleeping undisturbed. It was the only time I could be around him and free from the vitriol of his words or barbs that he’d unleash when the mood changed. Knox shifted again, putting his naked body on full display for my hungry gaze to feast on. My skin heated with the need to feel him, but I refused to react. Ember, on the other hand, wanted to push through to the forefront and see what popped up if we touched him. Thankfully, she’d remained silent and allowed me to cope in my own way these days. It would only be a matter of time before she took control because the heat cycle was coming, whether or not we wanted it to. I could fight a lot of things, but my genetic make-up and body’s needs were things that refused to be ignored.
It was basic math, and no matter how many times I claimed I would pick someone new to see me through it, I knew I would seek him out if I were still here when things slipped my control. I had to heal and find myself again, and that wouldn’t happen if I was riding his cock. Plus, I didn’t have time to play Knox’s captive again. There were things I needed to finish and then I had to find Aden and my father. Knox made a soft sound in his sleep, and I settled my focus back on him. He looked tortured, and I wondered if his ghost haunted him or if he was unsettled by what was coming for us all. There was no way of escaping the war, and it seemed the powerful creatures were standing on one side, Hecate on the other, and I was the idiot flailing between the two.
Chapter Thirty-Three I’d been standing in the shadows for over an hour, unable to move. Absently, I feasted on the sight of the sleek, toned, muscular body tossing and turning in his sleep. Watching Knox sleep was like watching a turbulent storm churning. You knew it was deadly and that, eventually, it would reach you, yet you couldn’t look away from the beautiful, chaotic nature of it. I slid my fingertips over the mark he’d left on my throat. I counted myself lucky that he hadn’t ripped it out when he’d first claimed me. That time had terrified me, but the second time, it had been life altering, likely because he’d discovered the truth and changed by that point. The mark that had scarred wasn’t Lennox’s, though. It was Knox’s, which meant more to me. He’d surrendered to what could have been for a moment, and it had been everything I’d thought it could be. If I closed my eyes, I could still feel him embedded in my flesh, driving deep enough that he’d touched my soul. He’d been gentle with me, and for once, I’d gotten to bask in the afterglow. There’d been no angry taunts or whiplash from him hating himself for feeling too much with me. No ghosts had been in our nest, and his words were promises I’d clung to, even after he’d turned against me. I considered his promise to protect me and pondered if I could trust it. When it came down to it, I knew I could trust him, but only where it would be life and death on the line. Knox had stood beside me, not leaving my side while I lost our daughters. He’d walked away when he’d realized I needed more help than he could give me. I knew I meant something to him, but he’d done things which left me questioning that, too. His council had ordered I be hunted and put down. Knox had also told them of what I’d done, and hadn’t stood up for me with them, either. He’d done a lot of things to prove he was able to change, but he’d done more that made me hesitant to believe him. If it was only my life on the line, it wouldn’t be such a precarious thing to test that trust out. “Aria!” He screamed my name, and I snapped my attention to him. I swallowed past the need to rush to him, to chase away his demons. His breathing had become labored and ragged. Sweat covered his slick flesh, and I swallowed the internal fight I waged daily, ignoring the mating call to be near him. It
was a visceral need. The deep, penetrating mark he’d created in me had altered me irrevocably, and I wouldn’t ever be able to eradicate it from my soul. He lifted from the bed, wholly focused on the shelves, as if he’d felt me here and knew I watched him. Slowly, I tiptoed deeper into the shadows. I’d remained out of sight for days, hoping he would think we’d all abandoned the library, and I had no intention of ruining all that work. Knox had used me as a punching bag, and I’d allowed it for a while. He was learning, though, but it was a little too late. Why couldn’t he do as I’d done and just eat at least a quarter of the population of the Nine Realms? Luckily, they weren’t sticking to my hips like donuts. “Snuff” by Slipknot started playing throughout the library as he stood. My hungry gaze followed his sleek, sinewy muscular back as they flexed as he moved to retrieve his gray sweatpants. Everything about this bastard was sexy, right down the way his thighs curved up around his waist, dipping into the V-line that lowered to his thickly hung cock. My body trembled, which had him shifting to face the pocket of shadows I followed his movement from. His attention shifted to the books as if he could will them to move and reveal me. He pushed his fingers through his messy hair. His heavy exhale slid through me, and I wondered if it disappointed him that he hadn’t found me there, waiting for him. The tic in his jawline tightened, jumping as his rattle ripped free. Lennox sounded from within his host, as if echoing his own regret. My teeth captured my bottom lip while my arms wrapped around my stomach. He bent, and I drank in the way the muscles of his stomach clenched and bunched before he stood, pulling the sweats into place and covering his cock. A moan of regret almost found purchase in my throat. I wished to pout at having his magnificent body shielded from me. Returning to his bed, he never once stopped looking for me, which made me think it was something he did often. There was pain in his expression that tightened a vise around my heart, clenching the link between us. He lowered his head into his palms, cradling it with his fingers spread apart as if my absence pained him. It almost made me want to believe that he struggled with regret over the choices he’d made. Only, Knox didn’t suffer from such useless emotions. No, he couldn’t understand the pain he’d inflicted when he’d given me a sip
of home and then slit my wrists to get it back. One day, I would show him what that felt like so he would understand the consequences of his actions. Knox’s head lifted and turned to the crackling fire in the large, eloquent fireplace. Rising, he moved toward it but paused in front of the decorative trunk Celia had fixed for him months ago. Knox glared at it before lowering to click open the latch and push the lid up. His hand moved, skimming over Sven’s image, but his eyes weren’t on the boy he’d cherished. They were on the woman he’d fallen in love with. The woman wasn’t what he’d thought her to be. Knox stood, slamming the lid down with a snarl. Then he picked up the box as if it weighed nothing and threw it against the wall. I slammed my hands over my mouth, muffling my gasp as the chest splintered into a million pieces. He screamed out his pain, and I fought Ember, who sought to purr and ease the anguish she heard in his voice. It built in my throat, forcing my hands to lift, holding my lips closed while I silenced Ember. His body trembled, and he grabbed a chair, sending it toward the same wall the chest had disintegrated against. Then he wrecked the room until it mirrored the pain churning through both of us. The song restarted, playing louder, and he rattled until my spine ached. Only, the noise wasn’t meant for me. Lennox was echoing the agony of his host and screaming it until the entire library trembled from the pure misery they felt. My heart echoed his agony while Ember continued seeking to ease his pain. This was a show of grief, and it was private. Any comfort I would even be willing to offer him wouldn’t be welcome. He didn’t want, nor need, an audience while he finally allowed his pain to escape the iron clad grip he’d held on to it for so long. I felt his screams to my very soul and wondered if Evelyn and Eleanora were included in this moment of raw, brutal heartbreak. Maybe he was more upset over his declaration of love for the evil bitch he’d declared his mate? I wanted to know who he was thinking of in this moment of pure, unchecked grief and weakness. Finally, Knox ceased thrashing and shredding everything within the library, and he exhaled a broken sound that wrapped around me. He turned toward the barrier, shaking his head as he dropped to his knees and ripped his fingers through his hair. I waited for words, for something that would expose why he was lashing out, but they never came.
He just sat there as the library slowly put itself back to right and the sun rose outside the window, bathing the room in the dawn’s renewing light. Knox pushed off the floor, found the one thing that the library hadn’t fixed, and crept toward it. My attention slid to the chest, to the black sacks sprinkled over the floor, and adrenaline spiked so violently that my head spun. The chest had contained no fewer than a dozen, small hex bags. I wanted to scream at him not to touch them, but he had already bent to pick one up. He looked at it, dropped it, and then grabbed another one as if checking if they were the same as the ones I’d pointed out to Greer all those months ago. His jaw clenched, and he growled deep in his chest, the vibration a promise of death. It promised no mercy. The sound had Ember peering toward the scattered mess of hex bags, herbs, chicken bones, and other contents scatted on the floor. I took in the items, trying to work out what hex had been placed, but I failed to determine what it could have been. How had he never noticed them before if they were inside the chest, though? Blinking slowly, I continued to examine what was left of the chest. Most of it was little more than splinters of wood, but there were a few larger chunks left intact. One of them looked as if it were a section of a larger piece that had been hollowed out, and my eyes narrowed. Sitting inside it were a handful of hex bags that had remained lodged in place when the others scattered. The chest had been built with the secret compartment that was filled with the hex bags. It stood to reason that the same bitch who had taken great pride in making the chest for him had also been the one to add the hexes. She had willingly committed treason against her own fucking king. That would put a damper on their impending wedding date, I’d gander. Knox stood, leaving the bags on the floor, as the music cut off as he strode from the bedroom. The moment he exited, I exhaled and fought the need to chase after him to ensure he wasn’t about to do something stupid. “I need one of those pouches,” I whispered into the library, watching as one hidden beneath the chair disappeared, only to reappear in my hand a split second later. The thunder of footsteps moving through the hallway forced me back to the concealment of the shadows, and it was sad that witches continued to meddle in his life. They’d ruined his life with endless torture, and it still wasn’t good enough for them. They continued to screw with him as if they
had some right to do so. It didn’t make sense, but what the hell did anymore? The poor bastard drew witches to him, and I was one of them. Knox was the flame, and I was the idiot moth that blindly moved toward him. I’d learned that lesson the hard way, and would probably continue to be burned since I craved him, even now. Brander, Killian, Greer, and Lore followed Knox through the door and stopped next to him in front of the mess. No one spoke, but Greer’s attention lifted, settling on me as if he knew exactly where I stood. I sank deeper into them, but I didn’t think I’d fooled him. I only hoped he’d allow me the illusion of not having been noticed. “I need to figure out what these bags are for,” Knox said, drawing Greer’s attention away from me. “If they’re what I think they are, I want Celia stripped of all authority and protections and then removed from my lands before the sun sets. I want it made known that she’s been hexing my people and their king.” “Knox.” Killian exhaled, scrubbing his palms down his face. “I don’t think that’s wise at this point. If she made those hexes to affect you, I’d rather you remove her head. I’ll carry the blemish she’s placed on my family’s name. What are they for?” Greer cleared his throat and cast a brief glance to the where I lingered. “Do you want to know what they are?” he inquired softly, lowering to the ground. He picked up a bone and held it up to the sunlight coming through the window. “Obviously.” Knox snorted, sinking into the chair before he leaned back, watching Greer closely. His long legs stretched out in front of him, and his hands gripped the armrests as he waited. “They’ve been hexed to alter the emotions of the recipient. Specifically, they are spelled to turn carnal emotions, like love and lust, to hate and anger. The chest itself seems to be enchanted, likely to compel you into violence toward who sparked the emotion. Or, it would if the hex was activated when you had felt them. Unfortunately, there really isn’t a way for me to verify that now that the thing is little more than kindling.” Greer picked up the piece of the chest I’d spotted a moment ago and shook it until the remaining hex bags fell out. “No. you’re wrong. That chest was in here when Aria lost the babies, and I never once felt compelled to lash out at her.”
“There was likely some trigger to activate the hex. Had you opened the chest or placed anything inside it?” He looked pensive for a moment and then slowly shook his head. “Before tonight, the only time anyone had touched the thing was when Celia opened it after she had it delivered.” “When you opened it, what were you thinking of?” Clearly unwilling to answer, Knox scowled, which caused Greer to smirk. I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to know the answer. “Fine. What happened after you opened it?” Knox rattled in anger but begrudgingly admitted, “I trashed the room. It wasn’t until the library put it back to rights that I noticed the hex bags.” Brander scoffed. “You had that thing with you when we were traveling, didn’t you?” “And we all know what happened on our happy jaunt through the countryside,” Greer added before steepling his fingers in front of his lips. Greer hummed in thought, and Knox’s eyes burned with rage as he said, “I did.” Knox’s brow furrowed, and he released a heavy sigh. “Are you suggesting that everything that happened in the tent with Aria . . .” Knox paused, and anger tightened his features. He shoved his fingers through his hair, and released a soft rattle while the men waited for him to calm down. “Indeed, Knox. The chest itself seems to be enchanted. Knowing that, and considering the jealous nature of the woman who placed the hex? I’m willing to bet the hex sent you off the rails, and filled you with violence you unleashed on Aria.” Greer sipped from the teacup, glancing at Knox with a resigned look. “It’s a new chest,” Knox pointed out, his mouth tightening into an angry white line. “The one before had a scratch on the side, but this one is a perfect replica, minus the missing scratch I made in my travels. Almost as they made several of them, or created by . . .” “Magic?” Killian snorted, scrubbing his face while tossing Greer, who chuckled, a dry look. “So was it filled with the same enchantment, or did she add shit to this one?” Brander countered, ignoring Killian’s question. “That is the real question, isn’t it? It’s hard to guess at what triggered you in the tent without having those bags present. Not to mention, the enchantment cannot be studied without the thing they cast it on, I’m afraid.” Greer sat back, but the tension in his shoulders didn’t ease.
“I could have hurt her,” Knox muttered, closing his eyes before he opened and aimed them at Greer. “I held her through the pain of losing our babes, and that fucking thing was at the end of the bed throughout it all.” “Not necessarily, Knox. The chest doesn’t simply activate when near you. Something has to create a trigger, which then releases the hex. Once that happens, you turn into a psychotic prick,” Greer stated, and the others near him nodded in silent agreement. “All that time with Aria on our way here . . .” Knox paused, rubbing his hands over his face before he swore violently beneath his breath. “I hurt her and should’ve known that wasn’t me. I don’t hurt women needlessly. She drives me insane, but that never should have driven me to violence. The only time I actually desired to give her pain was when she was in heat. Of course, that was a different sort of hurt, and I merely wished to murder that woman’s pussy.” He smirked, but it dropped as grimness tightened around his eyes. “It brings enlightenment to why you hurt Aria after they had attacked her at camp or why you reacted as you did after she revealed what she’d learned from Lord Anders. The stronger the emotion that triggered the hex was, the stronger the hex and enchantment would have responded,” he softly informed the room without taking his eyes off where I hid. It was as if he were staring into my soul, urging me to hear the message behind what he was saying. “I thought it was the emotions she forced me to feel. Aria would get close, and fuck if I didn’t want her even closer to me. But the moment I lowered my guard and felt her fingers grazing my cracks, I struck her down to force her away. I can’t believe this bullshit. Why the hell does shit like this happen the moment I think it’s lessening? Every time I think I’m moving forward, something rips me apart to ensure I can’t move on? Fucking hell, she didn’t deserve this shit or to be caught up in their sadistic game.” Knox shoved his fingers through his hair, and dropped his head back before leveling his focus on Greer. After a moment, Knox continued with regret and misery, heavy with his statement. “I think Killian’s right. Celia may not live. I sent Gideon to grab her, but I instructed him not to explain what was happening. We’ll need to inform the others of this decision, and assure them Killian agrees. Celia either has to leave or be punished. I don’t want to kill her, since she’s his
only living relative, but this and the other shit she’s doing it cannot go unpunished.” “I’ll do that immediately,” he answered, peering down at the bags. “She’s gone too far to repent or to be saved from this obsession with you, Knox.” I considered his mood swings, and the way they shifted when we’d been in proximity to the chest. Yes, they were often more unpredictable when we were in his tent, and both times he’d actually hurt me, it had been there with us. However, there were plenty of other times that he’d been cruel to me and the chest was nowhere close to us. After he broke the lid, he’d sent it off ahead of us and he’d still struggled with his emotion and been a prick. It hadn’t been around when Ilsa had attacked, but he’d thought I had betrayed him then. Considering Luna had been standing on the field, it made sense why he had. Not that it excused his behavior, but I was perceptive enough to see it from his point of view. The guy had some major trust issues, and after being around him enough, I was getting them for him, too. Gideon entered the chamber, his eyes dull and glazed and his coloring was off. Silently, he moved deeper into the room before he paused. He lifted a blade to his throat, staring around the room as if he wasn’t aware of the others within it. No one moved, and my stomach dropped as he spoke. “Hello, gentlemen,” he murmured strangely in a layered tone. “I think it’s time we have a talk, don’t you?” Stepping from the shadows, I ripped power to myself, intending to send it through the barrier to remove the dagger from his hold. I paused, looking for a pathway through the men who stood around him. Just as I found one, Knox stepped directly into it, his palms up as he tried to stop what was about to happen. “This is merely a warning. If I were you, I’d stop seeking to end me, My Beautiful King,” he whispered in a feminine voice that sounded wrong and vacant. “You will never know where I am or who I am within. The next time you seek out that whore, another will meet the same fate.” I sent the magic surging through the men and felt it slam into the barrier. I sucked in air and fought the denial that had built in my throat. My hands slammed down, and I watched the barrier shimmering, unable to bypass the translucent shield I’d placed for my protection. I gaped in horror as everyone lunged, but the blade Gideon pushed against his throat was magically enhanced. With barely a flick of his wrist, the blade severed his
head before his hands had dropped with death. Their yells of horror and rage drowned my much softer cry of outrage. The pain that filled Knox’s face floored me. The helplessness he felt shone clear in his eyes, and he opened his mouth, closing it when nothing escaped past his trembling lips. I bit into my knuckles and dropped to my knees as his broken scream finally released, filling the room. He pleaded for his brother to get up, for him not to be dead. Tears burned down my cheeks as the men on the other side of the barrier raged against the loss of their brother. I hated the idea that someone close to him had made a deal with the Goddess of Magic. If I was putting my money on it being someone in his inner circle, it would be on Celia. She wanted him, and she’d be easy to manipulate with empty promises. It also made sense, since Celia had used magic on Amara, as well as others. If Killian’s sister belonged to my grandmother, then Hecate had played us perfectly. She’d acted shocked by my sleeping with him, but she’d known. So the question was, how far had she been willing to go to get Knox? Obviously, she wasn’t willing to chance her soul against the goddess, or she’d have been driving Celia around already. Unless she was, and since Celia wasn’t a witch Hecate could draw magic from, the changes in her weren’t the same people looked for? It was merely opening up more questions with no perceivable way of getting answers. Silently, I pushed off the floor, staring through the slits of the shelves as Knox held his brother in his arms. There was a deadened look in his eyes. I knew it intimately. It was the same one I saw every time I looked into the mirror lately. The softest scuff of a footstep sounded behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to find the others silently watching what was unfolding with wide, horrified eyes. “I’m finished with this shit,” Knox whispered thickly, pain stark and agonizing in his words. “I’m done with the witches and allowing them to murder those I love. Hecate is using them to infiltrate every kingdom in the realms. It’s time to round them up and make sure the bitch is blinded. Aurora wants a kingdom, so I’ll fucking build it myself and give her every witch who isn’t touched by darkness. Then I will build a wall around it and place tens of thousands of men to ensure they never escape.” “That isn’t the answer here, Knox,” Brander uttered, his eyes swimming with tears. “That won’t get rid of Hecate. It’ll only give her a nice,
concentrated feeding trough for when her power gets low.” Brander paused, narrowing his eyes at Knox. “And we’ll know right where to find the evil bitch and finally put an end to this,” Knox stated, grabbing the head from the floor and gently placing it onto the body. “That will only end with more innocent lives lost,” Greer pointed out carefully. “I’m aware, but they’ll end anyway with Aurora siphoning them dry with her newfound addiction to power. She’s gearing up to fight Aria and assumes that if she can drain enough witches, she’ll be able to defeat her daughter on her own.” “That can’t happen,” Lore argued. “I’ll stand beside Aria myself to prevent that from happening. Daddy isn’t stupid, and she’s worth fighting for. I don’t care if I can’t handle her. I don’t want her gone. Plus, I like Aria. I like her a lot.” “Aurora will never be strong enough to face Aria, not even if the twisted bitch choked down every witch within the Nine Realms. Let her try to fuck with my girl. If she tries, Aria will kill her and there will be one less bitch I have to decapitate to end this bloody fucking war once and for all.” I smiled as warmth washed over me. There was something enticingly erotic about him talking about decapitation and saying I was his girl. Knox had a way of catching me off guard and leaving me floundering to remember all the reasons I was keeping my distance. It wasn’t only when he said things like that with conviction, either. No, it was also the small things like my girl or good girl that he whispered huskily without meaning to. That realization made me stop and hesitate because, no matter what lies I whispered to him or my heart, deep in my soul, I felt as if we’d been crafted in the same forge, contoured by the same flames, and sharpened into the same perfect, lethal blades on the same whetstone.
Chapter Thirty-Four Knox had left the library to inter his brother, and the bells within the kingdom had been ringing continuously. The sounds of the funeral rites were loud, and I’d watched some of it from the library window. It was both heartbreaking and beautiful how they honored their dead. Torches lit the courtyard, and the people sang and swayed to the music playing from a multitude of different instruments. My head rested against the pane of glass, and I studied the pain etched on Knox’s face. He was suffering, but so was his kingdom. They hadn’t fully recovered from the last attack, which had been delivered by my hand. When Knox stepped from the parade of people and moved toward the crypt where my daughters rested, I fought down the pain that shot through me and stepped away from the window. Knox had been right about the pain. It came and went, flowing like waves on the ocean. Some days, it was less, and other days, I felt like I was drowning again. The girls were in the room where the history of today was being recorded by the library. I’d spent a few hours taking in how Norvalla honored their dead, and then silently explored the library, lost in my thought, and filled with regret that I hadn’t been able to prevent Knox from suffering more. Entering the hallway that stretched endlessly before me, I paused to watch an oak tree being harvested. The glowing creatures buzzed around the tree, steadily skinning it for the paper it would become. The moment it was gone, a new tree grew in its spot. For long moments, I lingered to watch it grow toward the spiraling tiers of the library. Only when I could no longer see the highest branches did I start toward where everyone was gathered, watching the library work. Arriving in the chamber, I paused at the sound of carefree joyous laughter. The children were jumping, trying to reach the floating books that lifted just out of their reach before little hands could disturb the work. Every few minutes, the library would place a specially made children’s book on a pile, and the kids would rush over to flip through the pages. Warmth washed through me, which was swiftly followed by regret that I would have to uproot them from the safety the library offered them. The truth was, this place would soon be his again, and we couldn’t remain here
when that happened. It wasn’t safe outside the library, but I didn’t think Knox would allow the children to remain within it, either. Sure, I’d seen the witches outside the window this morning. He’d told me he had protected the ones I’d assumed had been fed to the lord’s dogs. That Knox had brought them here, to his home, and tended them created hopefulness in me. Everyone else didn’t bother themselves with witches, but he did. Out of all who had been beaten and tortured by witches, Knox had the greatest reason to leave them to their dark, dismal fate. He didn’t though, and the witches had seemed happy to be here. Knox’s actions spoke louder than the threats he issued. I’d spent months assuming he enjoyed harming them, but Knox had been saving them. The man was an enigma. His wildly unpredictable behavior left me grasping to understand him better. He’d said he would fight for me, but I wasn’t holding my breath. Since coming to the Nine Realms, I’d learned that trusting people only ended in hurt and betrayal. I had been placed into the same ilk as Hecate by Knox and decree of his council, and I was being hunted by the lords and ladies beneath them. Of course, Knox denied having a hand in that, but how else did that make sense? He was the king, and they were supposed to bow to him. Sure, he wanted them to have a voice since the other council had served no one but themselves, but I was his mate and he . . . voted against them murdering me. “Stop thinking about it,” Esme muttered, settling in beside me. “We know that this won’t last, and it isn’t only on you, Aria. Sometimes you have to take in the moment and be grateful you can. It’s more than some people get around here.” “I hate that we’re going to uproot them,” I returned, gradually releasing the air from my lungs, frowning. Siobhan’s attention moved toward where we stood, her eyes sparkling with laughter as the giggling continued. Avyanna was judging the books as the library created them, moving the ones she’d want to read to the kids to another pile. Haley and Maddie sat huddled together. It was encouraging to know that, even in the dark times we faced, friendships that would last a lifetime were being forged. However long that lifetime would be, but I wanted to ensure they had a long lasting one. “You and I both know that the second the barrier drops, he will come for you. You’re his mate, and even my creature senses he isn’t available to
choose from. The blond one, though, he seems willing.” I laughed. “Lore is younger than the others, and far more relaxed as well. The first time I met him, I throat punched him, and he got turned on by it. There is this childlike innocence to him that the others don’t hold. Lore is fun, and I’d be willing to bet he’d be a hilarious fuck. I’m not saying you wouldn’t be leaving his bed satisfied, but you’d leave it smiling like an idiot as well,” I explained, smiling as she captured her lip between her teeth. “And the other two?” she inquired curiously. Esme was like me, and we were both beginning a heat cycle. It was as if we’d synched, like women sometimes did when together for too long. I hadn’t imagined the men’s reaction to learning she was like us. It had been a similar reaction when they’d watched Eva in the cave. The sounds we all made were alike, which made it rational for them to be intrigued. “Killian’s jaded, but he has a soft side that comes out sometimes. He doesn’t like to show it very often since he’s also Knox’s advisor, and head of the army. Considering his position, he can’t be seen as anything close to weak. Killian terrified me when they were in the Tenth Realm and for a while after we got here. When I first met him, he didn’t like me, but I think he’s learned that I am not the enemy. Although, if Knox told him to cut my head off, he’d do so without question.” I snorted, smiling as her jaw dropped open. “And the other one?” she pried, which caused Soraya to peer up at us from the book she was reading. When she saw me notice, she dropped her eyes again, but she was listening with interest. Her grip on the book tightened, and her breathing picked up a twinge. It was curious. Every time we’d been in a room with them, she’d given him her attention. She’d never looked at the others with the same gleam lighting in her gaze, and I wasn’t positive she knew she even did it. “He’s smooth and seductive. I had chosen Brander to take my virginity for the spell to protect the House of Magic. He’s a good kisser and can seriously crush your defenses with little more than a burning look of those sapphire eyes. But he’s also a fucking idiot who enjoys taking dares from his brothers.” Soraya’s knuckles turned white against the book, and I smiled before turning back to Esme. “You hussy.” Esme chuckled.
“Lore would be fun in bed. You’d probably end up laughing through the climax segment, but he’d know just how to make you scream daddy for him. Killian would probably work off some major anger issues out on your vagina. If you want it hard and savage, he’d be your best option. Brander would be tender and easy to begin with, ensuring you felt him long after he’d left your bed, but you’d probably still be tied to it and left there to think about what he’d done. Don’t assume he wouldn’t be rough because he has a violent side hidden beneath the cool exterior. Knox is another story entirely. Greer, well, we aren’t Greer’s cup of tea, if you will.” I stated, hearing a scraping sound coming from the room across from the one we stood in. “We should prepare to leave.” I turned and found Siobhan. “Do you trust that contact you were talking to me about?” Siobhan nodded. “She’s trustworthy and easily paid off. Jasmine has been my friend for a very long time. She used to assist me in supplies and other things that Knox needed for the army. I would trust her with my life, but I would still keep both eyes open.” Nodding, I turned to peer across the hall where the noise sounded again. “We’ll leave in an hour. Everyone should dress warmly and have supplies in case we can’t return directly to the library. There’s also another place I want to look into that may be safe enough to move everyone to.” I left the room after they’d confirmed they would be ready. My hackles rose as the scraping sounded again. I opened the door and peered into the room with astonishment. The dark walls were covered with images of dragons and phoenixes, and in the middle of them was a woman with fiery wings and hair. Stepping farther into the room, I peered in awe as the scene unfolded, as if it were a 4D image, with everything close enough for me to grab or touch. The woman and colossal beasts appeared lifelike, moving throughout the room as the scene continued following them and changing before my very eyes. The woman pushed her fingers over the dragon’s head and then held her hand out to the phoenix. Flames danced between them, both creatures slowly moving closer to each other. Her hand dropped, and she stepped back to watch them. Deep, soothing rattling noises drifted from both of the creatures, and she mirrored them. Then her turquoise-colored eyes narrowed, and she sighed heavily as the creatures continued taking in one another. “You’ll discover the means to combine into one being,” she murmured.
I lowered my focus to her blackened fingertips, and then up to her hair, which looked like living flames that didn’t harm her. It was as if the fire burned from her soul. Upon her head was a crown, but instead of jewels, it had feathers and thorns. The chest plate she wore was silver with dragons and phoenixes etched into it. “If we don’t achieve this goal, then the realms are lost to us. Rhianna, you must claim him and allow this to happen. Dragharyn, you must accept her. You are compatible to mate and create the cure to the disease that will soon infect the Nine Realms. I have done all I can to help you with this process, so the rest is up to you.” My thoughts returned to the dream before I compared the palace in the shadows to it. The village sitting off in the distance wasn’t anything like the village I saw in the dream. So what the hell was I seeing? I spun in place, searching for a landmark to place the scene I was being shown, but there wasn’t anything I recognized until a glimmer of light captured my eye. I frowned at the sheer, dark exterior of the cliff that looked very much like the one I’d raced down to escape Knox. It was a palace, one that was built inside the cliff to conceal the location. I turned toward the dragon, which stood taller than I’d ever imagined one would. Unlike the one I’d seen inside my dream, this one was larger and seemed more animalistic. Large, deadly claws pierced the earth, breaking through it even though he didn’t move or step from the spot where he waited. The glorious beast was covered in thick emerald-colored scales. Obsidian eyes flickered with sparks as he snarled toward the woman. Long, serrated teeth dripped saliva from his wide, powerful jaws before he released a bloodcurdling growl that forced me to my knees. I gulped in air, fighting the need to bow before the glorious beast. Feminine groaning sounded beside me, and I didn’t need to see her to know Esme was a slave to the dragon’s demand as well. My hips spread, and I trembled as my head lowered while Ember moaned within me. The next sound was from the phoenix, who released her own demanding rattle at the dragon. It didn’t ease the pressure building within me. I whimpered, forcing my eyes back to the mural. The phoenix was lazily flapping her fiery blue-and-green wings. Her head canted, and embers burned in her turquoise-colored eyes. She didn’t back down from the dragon, and he wasn’t either. The woman huffed in annoyance before she rattled louder than either had achieved.
“The war between dragons and phoenixes has been over for years now. You must learn forgiveness and create a savior for this world or remain as you are and watch it burn to ruins again. Together, you’ll create a child who will bring forth the savior who will end the foretold conflict and sickness that will spread through these lands. The child must be born from both races, and you’re the last ones of either race who remain unmated within this realm. War has decimated both of your numbers to a precariously low number. If you cannot see past the animosity, then your people will not either. You must install the fear, and need to create new life in them, or we face extinction. If you don’t succeed, I will do what is necessary to ensure they are helpless against the need to breed during their heat cycle to produce offspring. You don’t have to remain together, but you must produce an heir. One day, the child you create will be the only thing standing between total chaos and ruins. We all must do what is needed to prevent our world from being destroyed by the poison that will appear, and corrupt bloodlines.” The room spun, and Esme and I struggled to remain in place. The scrapping noise that had brought me here in the first place echoed off the stone walls, and another scene began unfolding. I blinked through the disorientation, trying to see what was unfolding. Explosions rocked through the room, and it was almost as if I could smell the acrid stench of smoke and burning bodies as my vision finally cleared. Hecate walked down the street of the village, her lips curled into a cold, evil smile while she moved down a cobble stone street. Flames leapt from thatched roofs, sending plumes of darkened smoke into the sky. It engulfed the surrounding trees in orange, angry flames, animals, and people covered the ground, lifelessly. Her eyes sparkled as if she were amused by the total devastation she’d caused. Blood flowed over the street, draining the crimson stain into a stream that rushed into the river, turning it scarlet. All around us the coppery tang oozed in to the air, clinging to it obnoxiously. Smoke from the fires burned my eyes, stinging them mercilessly as tears rolled down my cheeks. She laughed, but it was as cold and empty as she was. Dire wolves kept pace beside her, and the torch she held burned with blue flames. Her dress hugged her curves, and darkness oozed from around
her eyes and lips while she blew droplets into the air. The ink-colored droplets rushed forward and slithered up the leg of a woman who had been mid-change. The woman’s needlelike teeth vanished and her wings slid into her spine. “I have claimed you, Theresa, and you are now mine. You’ll collect others like you, creatures who are weak of mind but strong of spirit, and deliver them to me. Bring me men and women so I may create more of you and take control of this world. Before you go, tell me where I can find more like you. I want you to tell me which of these monstrous beasts can wield flames?” she demanded, moving deeper into the village. Her ancient gaze slid to the battle occurring out in the field bordering the edge of town. “The dragons and the phoenixes can wield flames,” Teresa muttered staring listlessly ahead, with dullness in her eyes. Hecate turned and peered at the woman she’d enchanted. “You’re going to help me find them and end the threat they pose. Aren’t you?” “Of course, Mistress,” she answered in a lifeless tone that sent a shiver down my spine. “So easily controlled with nary a fight? I didn’t expect this to be so easy. I think we should get started. We wouldn’t want them to fight against what is about to happen, would we?” “No, we wouldn’t want that.” Hecate threw her head back, laughing darkly until something bumped into her. She spun, slamming her hands down with a wave of power. The creature exploded, sending droplets of blood and gore into the air. All that remained of her victim was a pair of tiny shoes. “No! What did you do? He was only a child!” A woman sobbed, dropping to her knees while others peered at what was occurring. “You’re not of this land, murderer! You don’t belong here,” a warrior screamed, rushing toward Hecate. Her hand lifted, and magic shot from her palm, sending him crashing into men fighting on the battlefield. “No, I don’t, but here I am, and until I am freed of this prison, I am your new queen. I’d make peace with it, since I don’t think the gods that put me here intend to free me.” She laughed, peering out over the battle with lust burning in her sparkling green eyes. The people watched her warily, and she was eating up the looks they aimed at her. Hecate had always been a self-serving bitch who craved others
to worship her on their knees. It was why she’d been banished here in the first place, after all. “Such a beautiful place you have here. We shall fix that, won’t we, my loves?” she whispered, petting the head of a dire wolf that keened beneath her touch. “They’re entirely too happy. They need me to show them what I crave. Chaos and destruction should get this show started. A little discord, and misery here and there, and this place will be a paradise in no time.” She sneered, moving toward a man who rushed toward her. Dragons and phoenixes flooded the sky, unleashing fire on the armies. The entire scene was chaos and littered with dying or dead creatures. Hecate’s influence had created bedlam, and as she waded deeper into the conflict, poison oozed into the air like gas. “Holy shit.” Esme grunted, and before I could turn to see what had happened, invisible hands yanked me backward and into the hallway. The door to the room slammed closed in my face, and I had to take a slow, deep breath before I could turn to Esme. Her look of wide-eyed shock mirrored mine, and she seemed as out of breath as I was. “There you two are. We’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Siobhan stood behind us with her pack already slung over her shoulder. “Are you ready? We were supposed to leave hours ago.” I laughed as my gaze flicked back toward the door. There was another scrapping sound that indicated it was changing scenes, and then the door vanished. Siobhan stepped toward the wall, inspecting it with wide eyes. A loud pop sounded, scaring a small scream out of Siobhan, and then another door appeared. I finally pushed to my feet and reached for the knob, opening the door slowly. The interior was soothing, filled with herbs and pastels to mix them. The enticing scent of bergamot and sage danced to my nose. Floating shelves were lined with spell books, and there was an alchemy table in the middle of the room. The walls were bare, revealing that the entire scene hadn’t been a moving picture, but something the room itself had projected into the chamber. I shifted to the side so Esme could see past me, and a frown crinkled her brow. “You guys are acting weird. Is everything okay?” Siobhan muttered, peering into the chamber. “Yeah, I’m fine. I will be ready to go in a few moments,” I whispered. “Same,” Esme stated, darting away to collect her bag of supplies.
My mind raced with the scene, and what had just been revealed. Who the hell had the women been, and why did she think that the dragons and phoenixes were to breed an heir, whose own child would be the savior who would end the foretold conflict and sickness in the realms? What fucking war had she referred to? Better yet, when had the second vision occurred? And the first one, it had both fire wielding races in it, which raised some more questions. Did it coincide with the prophecy of how to end Hecate? If they were of the first people, and there had been no more mates, then had they even been successful? And Hecate, she’d walked right in and began slaughtering people. The bitch had issues and needed counseling for her murderous ways. She hadn’t had witches when she’d come here and learning how she’d made them twisted my insides. She’d changed the infants of those she controlled into witches! Once she’d gained control over their minds, she spelled the creatures to fuck, and fueled the mating with a compulsion to breed new life. She’d packed rooms filled with writhing bodies, uncaring who they fucked as long as the result had been accomplished. The moment conception occurred, she’d merely slipped a sliver of herself into the embryo. She’d actually made witches from existing lines available in the Nine Realms. If she could control the individual, she could breed them to make more witches. If each room of the library held secrets of the past, then I needed to find more rooms, and see if any of them had more History on Demand playing within them. For once, the book hadn’t been better than the movie, since Hecate had lied and embellished her part in this world. Shaking off the questions, I entered the main room and allowed myself a moment to see if Knox waited on the other side of the barrier. When I found the space empty, my gaze slid toward the window, and I wondered if he was still with his men, mourning the loss of Gideon. Shoving away the emotions, I grabbed my pack, slid the strap over my head so it hung across my body, and moved back in the direction I’d come from.
Chapter Thirty-Five We entered a town bustling with life. People moved goods from the shipping docks toward the rows of stores that lined the center of the town. Women moved about, smiling and calling out to other shoppers in friendly tones. It seemed surreal, as if the town was untouched by the atrocities happening so close to them. As if the people who lived here had no knowledge of the corpses littering the ground just beyond their own wall or that each body had a sign with their transgression written on it nailed to their chest. Wanted posters hung on the largest building in the town, along with news that Aurora and the girls were working diligently to handle the problem within their own race. I snorted and rolled my eyes toward the others, who mirrored my reaction. The best part of the message board? Aurora was seeking land to build a kingdom on and was asking for donations from witches. People moved closer to where we stood, reading the board, which forced me to yank my hood down farther. My silver hair was too distinct to leave uncovered, and since they had labeled me as a threat to the realms, I didn’t want to invite trouble. Sure, I could glamour it to be some other color, but I hadn’t. I wanted Aden and Eva to recognize me if we crossed paths. My nervousness was becoming a distraction, but people who would sell us out for the bounty listed on the posters surrounded us. A legal title and land to live on that already had a keep on it. Then there was the weight of gold they were offering as well. Hell, I’d considered selling myself out for the keep and land alone. “At least they removed the image of the three-headed creature that had your name beneath it.” Esme snorted. “This image isn’t much better than that one,” I returned, scrunching my nose. Obviously, someone close to me had helped sketch the likeness because it was entirely too accurate. We started away from the bulletin board, and Siobhan broke off from the group. A minute later, we rounded a dark corner and headed down an alley that led toward the home she’d pointed out a little while ago. Settling into the little alcove between two buildings, we watched people leisurely walking around shopping and the merchant’s peddling goods or
bartering their wares. There was a small group of children who looked neglected, weaving through the crowd. I’d already caught a couple of them sneaking fruit or insignificant items off tables. “Bloody thieves.” Esme snorted from where she rested beside me. “Bloody good thieves,” I returned when a small girl fell in front of a man. The others moved around him, picking his pockets as he helped the toddler up. “For once, I’m glad this dress doesn’t have pockets.” Down the road a bit, working women hooted from a balcony of a saloon, beckoning the men in from the docks. It wasn’t anything I’d witnessed before in person, unless I counted the town where Knox had his ink renewed. Either way, it felt like I’d stepped back in history and was watching it play out in real life. Siobhan exited a house and stood on the wooden porch for a moment before spotting us and waving us toward her. We slipped from our hiding place, heading directly toward the house unobserved. The stairs creaked under our feet, and I cringed at the sound of the aging wood. Inside, the house was dark and reeked of burning herbs. My eyesight slowly adjusted and then settled on a raven-haired witch who peered at me through beaded curtains. “Jasmine, this is Aria,” Siobhan announced, nodding toward the woman. “This is Jasmine, the clairvoyant I was telling you about.” “It’s nice to meet you,” I stated slowly, sending my magic out to examine her for darkness or deception. “I’ll be the judge of that, Aria Hecate. I was told you sought information?” She stepped out from behind the curtain, revealing the body ink that covered her naked torso. The artistry of the markings was amazing. They flowed from just beneath her jawline down to the waist of her skirt. She wore nothing above the waist, but then she didn’t need it with so much ink covering her. “That is correct, but I’d ask your price before I explain what I am seeking. The services of a clairvoyant witch are coveted, and I would not wish to waste your time if I cannot compensate you appropriately.” I chose my words carefully, watching her lips jerk into a wolfish grin before her vibrant, jade-colored eyes slid to Siobhan. “I’ve found myself short of crystals these days and was informed that you have an endless supply of them sitting around. I’m someone you can barter with, and I’m fairly reasonable when it is my own seeking
information. If you’d come for a spell or potion, I’d have asked you for your soul.” “I don’t have a soul to offer you, Jasmine. You’d be shit out of luck getting it.” I smiled tightly as she looked at me through fresh eyes. “How many crystals are we talking here?” “It depends on what information you are seeking, so what are you searching for, Aria?” she asked in a haunting tone, which proved that she was the real deal. It filled with a musical tone that soothed and tugged at the truth I’d come for today. Many people often pretended to be clairvoyant or a soothsayer when they weren’t much more than hacks with pretty voices. The difference was that when a clairvoyant witch asked you a question, you felt it in your soul. While that distracted you, her magic would be busy claiming your emotions so that you’d be easy to pick off if you intended to harm her or wiggle out of the deal you’d brokered. It was a vast difference, and those with the true ability to see beyond what we could, often hid it from others. “I seek someone. I also need answers to the questions roaming through my head. How many crystals are we speaking about? Because they’re rather heavy, and that limits our ability to carry them around,” I answered, unhurriedly moving closer to her. “If you merely are seeking to locate someone, I could be swayed with twenty high-quality spheres. If you don’t have spheres, I will take tumble stones or raw stone. The quantity of amount would, of course, depend on the quality of the material.” Her smile faltered, and she backed up as I pressed forward. I could smell her fear and wariness. If she intended to betray me, I’d turn her clairvoyant ass into a pretty corpse. As if she’d considered it an invitation, she moved closer, pressing her chest against mine, inhaling deeply. “Little close there. You’re in my personal bubble,” I stated, fighting the urge to backpedal away from her intense stare. I drew a line with my fingers, still taking another step back as she continued forward. “Boundaries are a healthy thing nowadays.” “Your eyes are beautiful, and yet, I sense there is more beneath them. You house something primal, and it sees through your eyes,” she whispered in a tone filled with wonder. She lifted her hand to my face, cupping my cheek. “Oh, my goddess. You’re real, aren’t you?” she asked as tears
dripped from her lashes. Begrudgingly, she stepped back while shock played on her beautiful face. “I told you that, once you met her, you’d never want to look away.” Siobhan snickered. “What’s with you guys and touching me?” I asked. Jasmine grinned. “It’s like touching pure, raw magic. There’s a whisper of sound that sings within me while I touch you, Aria. I feel safe, and it’s as if deeply sated serenity is filling me. I’ve not felt anything like it in all of my life.” She closed the distance between us without warning. Her mouth touched mine, and my eyes grew large and rounded as she brushed her tongue over my lips, trying to coax them open. “Um . . .” Esme’s tone turned uncertain and hinted at nervous laughter. “I . . . uh, yeah, I don’t believe Aria is into pussy, Jasmine. I think she’s about to freak out.” Jasmine pulled back, smiling as if she hadn’t just tried to suck my face. “Look, not judging you. To each their own, but I really enjoy and prefer dick,” I said. “I have a dick, Aria. Would you like to ride it?” she inquired softly. My eyes lowered to the skirt, which was pointing upward. Lifting my eyes, I tilted my head as her body and facial features turned masculine. “I can be whatever you want me to be.” I snorted, stepping back and smiling at the uncomfortable situation unfolding. “You’re part shifter?” I ran my fingers over the rippling muscles, which were solid. Jasmine’s dark-green eyes turned sultry, and he drifted closer, slid his arm around me, ran his fingers up my spine, and then threaded them through my hair. He grinned as he jerked me closer, but I narrowed my focus on him and pulled back, needing some space. Apparently, invading someone’s personal space was her—or his specialty. “I’m part shifter and part clairvoyant and one-fourth witch,” she stated, smoothly changing back into her female form. “But you’re marked, and I can smell your pain. Did your mate die?” “Not yet, but maybe soon,” I answered skeptically. I shook off the awkwardness and then dug a bag of crystals out of my pack. When I set it in her waiting palm, her eyes widened, and she smiled
wickedly at the mere weight of the stones. She withdrew several, studying them before her wide, excited eyes locked with mine. “You know that these are of the highest quality, right?” I nodded. “Where did you find these? I’ve not seen this level of purity since the last fighting for supremacy ravaged the lands. Hecate seized control of the mines and used the weaker races to mine them.” I turned her words over in my head and glanced at Esme. I’d met her in a town where the slumlord had used children and women to mine materials. It was the same location where Knox had attacked me in the dream I’d infiltrated. “They’re not from the mines. I got them in an old dusty library,” I informed, watching the wheels turning in her mind. “I expect the information you give to be of the same quality as the stones. Are we to stand here all night, or do you have somewhere spelled with protection we can move to?” I was just being polite by asking since I’d felt the wards the moment I stepped over the threshold. Witches were untrusting by nature, and my revealing knowledge of her hidden chamber would be folly. “Come, please. I forgot my manners in my excitement. You are looking for someone?” “I’m looking for a man.” I’d already informed her of what I sought, and I wasn’t inclined to give more information beyond that. “Aren’t we all? Is he your mate?” “No.” I shook my head and didn’t offer further explanation. We walked through spelled hallways, which stretched much, much farther than the outside of the building exposed. As we moved, it seemed to spiral deeper, opening to a basement that smelled of earth and moisture. “I don’t mind this at all,” Ember stated, her comforting tone washing through me. “Is that because there was penis offered here?” I questioned, smiling as she grunted from within me. “I do not think she can go as deeply as Lennox. Personally, I think we should see the difference at least once. I mean, if you’re going to ignore Lennox and Knox, eventually, we’ll need to find someone compatible to use. I personally prefer our mate, but if you’re going to ignore the current state of our body, we can ride this creature for research purposes, right? I don’t think he’s breeding quality, but a girl has needs. Am I right? My poor, neglected pussy’s totally wasted on you, woman. I think anything would be
better than nothing at this point. You should ask her to stick it in, and we could measure depths for comparison’s sake,” she tittered. I sent warmth washing through my mind to her. “Why is it that when I need you, you can’t be bothered to speak or even acknowledge me? But when I don’t need, or want, your help, you pop up like a fucking dandelion? I’m seriously offended by your idea of when I need your help.” “I’m offended by the lack of dick we’re getting. He’s been saying the right things, and now you’re aloof to them. Plus, he’s hurting, and we could both feel good if we fucked, right? I’m a fucking genius. We both get off, we’re happy and sated, and then we leave. I’m not suggesting we get clingy —that’s your issue. I just need dick, and I get that when he’s fucking us. And, of course, I like the biting. The biting is almost as good as the dick. But we need the dick to stop the ache because it’s coming.” We’d been moving through the tunnel for too long, which told me we were in a network of tunnels. “How long have you been within the Nine Realms, Aria?” Jasmine asked, holding the curtain open for us to enter a large, beautifully decorated room. “Not long,” I answered absently, sending my magic out to ensure we weren’t walking into a trap. I was jaded, and my trust issues were huge lately. “How long before it gets too hard to ignore and I end up becoming a mindless, violent ball of tension that rips whoever my unlucky partner is apart?” I asked. She’d been silent a lot lately, and even though I’d felt her peering through me, she hadn’t talked or complained much. “Now,” she snickered. “Liar, I need an actual answer. I have to find someone to ease that ache, right? I need time to do that. Knox may want us, but I have no intention of getting that close to him yet. I’ll not be mounted on his wall and used when he wants me. Okay? So, again, how much more time before we cannot ignore it,” I demanded, hearing her deeply sated sigh. “Are we talking to the point of licking people or where we blindly fuck anything that offers us dick?” she asked carefully. “There’s a vast difference between the three stages. Last time, you were pleading with him to fuck you as the first stage began, which was rather pathetic. The next stage we spent days inside the room with him, riding the dick like it was a pogo stick and your pussy was enjoying being pounded. That was the cute
licking stage that we nested in. And then we hit the third and final stage when you went insane. That was when you and Knox had psychotic, mindless, send-my-ass-to-counseling-barebones-holy-fucking-dick-for-days sex! That was the conclusion of our cycle. So there’s an enormous difference. Which one felt out of control to you? Because let me tell you, that last stage was so violent that it scared me. Had you opened to him before we landed in savage-fuck-for-days-stage, we wouldn’t have been mindless and so brutal when we fucked him. Not that I’m complaining because I’m rather certain he sprained my vagina with that cock of his,” she muttered as a tremor rushed through me. “I don’t think you can actually sprain a vagina, Ember.” I grunted inwardly, rolling my eyes hard heavenward before picking up another item to examine. “Are you cold, Aria?” Jasmine enquired. I looked over and found her staring at me as if she couldn’t look away. “No, just thinking,” I muttered, waving off her concern. “You’re the idiot whisperer. It’s sort of amazing the power you hold over these creatures. Now, back to the hard issue at hand that you really only have yourself to blame for. You don’t listen, and I warned you we’d regularly need to ease the ache to establish longer periods of dormancy between cycles. That means we’re going into heat in the next few days, maybe a week, if you can make it that long. Flick the bean where he can see and be enthralled by that precarious nub instead of hiding it and pretending no one else is the wiser. Trust me, I know when you’re groaning and touching that thing. It frustrates the hell out of me, but hey, you do you, right? Here’s an idea, tease him because it will slow down the heat cycle.” I scoffed, but she kept talking. “I’m serious. The more of him you can smell, the better. I’m not saying that you have to fuck him. I’m not saying not to, either. Just so you’re aware of my opinion. But it can prevent it from coming too quickly if you trick the vagina with pleasure and we inhale enough of Knox’s scent.” “Why does he have to see it?” I demanded, swallowing hard at the idea of what she was saying. I picked up a stick that someone had whittled into a wand and absently examined it. “Because Lennox will know what you’re doing. He’ll release the scent to help us trick our body and cycle from unleashing too soon. He isn’t trying to force us yet, which I think means he knows you need time. It’s hard to
figure out what either of those arrogant, sexy pricks are thinking, though. It may be because you’ve kept your distance and refused to acknowledge that they exist anymore. Eventually, though, he won’t remain hidden within Knox. If you don’t go to him, he’ll come for us. I don’t think you should let it get to that point. I’m strong, but he’s much stronger. If Lennox demands it, I won’t be able to fight him or prevent what happens. If you try to go to Aden for breeding, Lennox will fuck us on his corpse because he’s bigger and way more aggressive. I’m personally not turned off by that, but you may not enjoy it so much. Unless you would, in which case . . . game on! You go girl!” “Oh my god, Ember.” I groaned at the excitement in her tone. “I’m not opposed to bloody sex, obviously, but I draw the line at being banged on corpses. It’s a hard pass.” “And that’s why I’m a platinum card vagina member.” “On that note, I say we wait until we hit the terrifyingly amazing sex stage and you’re screaming like a bitch when the blood flows and you’re stuck riding shotgun. What do you say, Ember? You down for another taste of hate sex with Knox?” Realistically, I didn’t want to fuck Knox or Lennox. I also didn’t want to end up fucking strange dick in the woods because my body went into heat and I couldn’t control myself. I couldn’t even remember half of the shit that had gone down inside the tent, but I’d been plagued by images of Killian, Brander, and Lore watching us while I’d screamed for Knox, begging for him to feed me his—yeah, that thought haunted me. Knox had hurt me deeply, and I hadn’t spoken more than a few words to him since the day my world had shattered. So, begging him to help me now was the last thing I wanted to do. How I felt about Knox at the moment really didn’t matter when it came to this, though, because no matter how badly it grated, he was the lesser of two evils. I’d have to swallow my pride, deflate my ego, and get on my knees to beg the arrogant prick to lend me his long enough to trick my womb, and make it think we had sated it. The thought alone sent embarrassment and uneasiness rushing through me, heating my cheeks pink with the visual of me pleading, begging, and touching myself while he observed. “You’re disturbingly excited by that prospect, you know? Might I suggest you tie him to the bed and ride that big ol’ dick like you stole it? Do as I say, and we won’t have to do anything we don’t want to do soon. I
promise, you can even ask Esme, even though I say she’s wrong most of the time. If you can’t trust me, who can you trust, though? I literally live inside you.” My mind added the visual to what Ember stated, causing a smile to play on my lips, with the visual of Knox being mercilessly teased. “When you’re ready, we can begin,” Jasmine murmured against my ear, causing me to jerk away from her. “You even smell amazing.” “I’m ready,” I mumbled while trying to remove the image of Knox naked and helpless beneath me from my brain. Or, I tried. He wasn’t leaving it easily, and I wasn’t certain I wanted him to either. It figured he’d be the only one to live rent free inside my head. Knox’s scent tickled my senses, and my stomach clenched as a throbbing pulse began in my apex. Inky tattoos hit the light perfectly to expose the exquisite, sinewy muscles of his stomach. The cocky, self-assured prick ran his fingers through his hair, smiling at me with a come hither look that made heat burn in my cheeks. My mouth went dry with need, and I barely swallowed a moan before it escaped. “You’re breathing is rapid, Aria. Is something upsetting you?” Jasmine asked softly, kind green stare narrowing when I snorted. “No, just thinking about tying a man down and riding him. Nothing serious,” I returned without missing a beat. “Continue.” “Do you often tie you partner down and use them? Are you opposed to being watched when you do?” She smiled with a shocked look on her face, which caused my lips to twitch. “Uh, no?” I chuckled awkwardly. “I rarely resort to tying people up, but this guy is infuriatingly frustrating. Also, I’m not into being watched, sorry. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, but it’s not my thing.” I shrugged when she continued to smile at me, batting her long, thick black lashes. Jasmine sat before me, blowing on the smudge stick. The room was thick with the smell of herbs and sage that billowed in the air and made my eyes sting. “Can you clear your mind and picture the male in which you seek?” she asked in a layered tone. Closing my mind down to everything else, I pictured Aden as clearly as I could. Only, the longer I focused on his image, the more his features blurred. Until eventually, I was picturing Knox. Shaking my head, I focused back on Aden’s striking gaze and muscular form. Obsidian orbs with flecks of embers replaced the softer blue ones of the man I sought, and I allowed
myself a moment to watch them, swallowing the desire they forced through my body. “I’m not able to look at what you’re seeing. Is there more than just one man? Because I’ve been able to see three sets of eyes,” she beseeched. “The one that stands out the most is the color of the sea,” Jasmine informed. Esme snorted, and I did my best to ignore her as I forced the image of Aden standing in the cave where I’d first met him to form. I rebuilt the chamber with the altar in the middle and statues against the walls. How, the first time he had looked at me, it had been with such intensity that it had been unsettling. Aden had spoken the most, so I replayed that conversation, allowing his voice to become background music to my thoughts. His body was muscular and larger than the other men present. He was smiling at me, silently inviting me to take him in, as if he wanted me to do so. Aden hadn’t been ashamed of returning the scrutiny, either. He’d sent some serious sexual vibes in my direction, so I allowed myself to feel those as well. “Aria,” Eva’s voice whispered against my ear, and my eyes snapped open before scanning the faces around me, none of which belonged to Eve. My heartbeat thundered, and I fought to shut down the panic rushing through me as I closed my eyes again and found her standing directly in front of me. I peered around the room, watching her brows lift before her eyes narrowed to slits. The entire room was hazy, with shadowy fingers of magic making it appear as if it was shimmering, or a dimensional rift Eva had created within the room. The others didn’t respond to her, nor react to her presence, which had me creasing my brow in confusion. She smirked before saying, “Your witch is about to get one hell of a headache from trying to breach the barrier hiding Aden,” she warned in a tense tone. “You could have come and found me. After all, you and Aden had to have already known I was looking for you.” I scanned her face, watching her lips curving into a satisfied grin. “If the king wished for us to find you, we would have done so. You’re lucky I came to investigate instead of doing what Aden wanted, which was to blind your clairvoyant so she could never search him out again.” She snorted and folded her arms over her chest. “I’m sure she appreciates that,” I returned carefully. “Can you tell Aden that I’m ready?”
“Are you? Or are you ready to come because you seek an exit from this realm? You’re not needed if you cannot do what they created you to do.” “Is that all they want, my fucking womb? At this point, I’m about to rip the mother fucker out and beat people with it. I’m worth more, and I am over people not seeing that, Eva. If my father merely wishes to use me, then we don’t need to continue this conversation.” She smirked with an impatient sound sliding from her lips. Crossing her arms over her ample chest, Eva rolled her eyes like she was over me already. Buffing her nails on her blouse, she remained silent until I was glowering at her, waiting for her reply. “Are you finished throwing your little tantrum? It isn’t as simple as that, I’m afraid. He wants to tell you his truth and has been clear that you are to make your own choices once you know everything. I understand your desire to be wanted for more than what the world can take from you, but we’re on the brink of war unlike this world has ever known before. Hecate continually seeks to consume the magic of the Nine Realms. If she continues, the realms will weaken, and if they become too depleted, it will alter them beyond anything we can fix. I understand your hesitation and disinterest in being used. I do. But the entire realm is depending on you to do this and to do it correctly.” When I merely continued waiting, she released a frustrated puff of air and continued. “Come meet your father and learn about your people. Once you see that we’re not like those who intend to use and discard you, you may not be opposed to what you’re meant to do, Aria. You house the fire of our people inside your veins and soul. The fire belongs to the Nine Realms which chose you as the heir to the throne. The heir creates the child foretold in the prophecy. That means you must give birth to the son who will murder Hecate. He will destroy your grandmother, whose magic we will drain into the realms, correcting the damage she’s inflicted. That can only happen if you choose your destiny. Your destiny leads into his, and he is merely a part of yours. No pressure, right? You strike me as a girl who enjoys performing under pressure.” “Right? I mean, who doesn’t enjoy being told the world depends on their God damn vagina getting plowed?” I snorted loudly, and groaned like a spoiled child. “You expect me to send my son to face that twisted, evil bitch? How will that work exactly? Does he exit my vagina, ready for battle? Or is everyone expected to wait for him to grow up before he’s
thrown at her while we pray he wins? That’s a lot to place on the shoulders of a newborn babe. Not to mention, we need a right now fix, not an ‘eventually you’ll grow up and beat a bitch fix,’” I demanded harshly. Her brows shot up, and her lips twitched before she smoothed her features out. “He’d need to grow, obviously. Your son would also need to be trained to face Hecate. That’s where we would come in. You’re rather winging it when it comes to your skills. Imagine how much greater you would be if people who could teach you how to wield what is inside you had trained you?” she asked, exhaling before she continued. “He will be stronger and more powerful than anyone inside this world, even you. You were a prototype, one your father knew of from the moment you drew air into your lungs. He has waited a very long time to meet you. Your father also is fearful of your grandmother’s sudden return, and what it means for the Nine Realms. I promise you, Aria, he wants you for more than the child you’ll create, but you need to find out the rest from him. Our people need you and won’t betray you as those you protected have.” “So, I’m one step in his ten-step program? I don’t suppose getting to the Kingdom of Fire is as easy as walking up to the gate, is it,” I asked, knowing it wouldn’t be somewhere easy to get to. I had a feeling they were about to throw us to the wolves, and we’d either come back leading the pack or end up puppy chow. I also didn’t suspect she’d give me a straight answer, but it didn’t hurt to try. “If you’re willing to come, they will reveal the pathway when you enter the starting point of the trial, which will open at the path to the healing pool where you and I met. Within the layers, beyond what the eye can see, there’s an entrance into the gateway that leads to the Kingdom of Fire. I will have Aden there waiting for you and Esmeralda. All you have to do is appear, and he’ll open the portal that will show you the way to our realms.” She explained softly, her lips curling into a mischief as it sparkled in her gaze. “What the fuck?” Jasmine’s voice disrupted the connection, which caused me to grasp on to Eva. “I have some conditions and need you to guarantee they’ll be met.” Eva’s eyes glittered before her mouth curved into a dark smile. “Your father has followed your progress, and endless battles in the Nine Realms. He’s not overly thrilled by your current choice of males, but understands you’re merely a child.” Her eyes lit up with amusement at the annoyed breath I released. The balls of this bitch were massive. She’d complimented
me, and then insulted me in the same breath of air. “It excites your father that you’re ready to discover what you are. Name the condition, Aria Prometheus.” “We’re not to be harmed, and if we want to leave, we can do so immediately. I’m not interested in being bred without it being my choice, and that goes for Esme, too. I do not wish to fight for my place once I reach you guys, and I won’t. If I come, I come for knowledge—that is all.” “Done, but the journey to the entrance will not be easy, Aria. It is a trial, and you must survive it in order to enter the Kingdom of Fire. You both must, but if you can learn to trust one another, then you’ll survive. I look forward to seeing you, Daughter to the Sun, she who feeds us our fire. Aden will expect your arrival. Good luck on your journey, and be brave.” “I’ll be seeing you soon, Eva.” Jasmine groaned, calmly touching my face. “I can’t get a read on anything. I’m sorry, but you’re like trying to read an unfamiliar language.” “I got what I came for,” I offered. She just looked at me like I’d sniffed too much sage and hallucinated. I stood, dusting off before I paused, turning to extend my senses. The echo of distant footsteps drew my attention. Slowly, I moved to the doorway, peering out into the dark, dreary corridor as they became louder. A scream echoed down the tunnel, and I felt my stomach sinking. “It would seem that someone has arrived unannounced,” she whispered. “There’s an exit through the tunnel, but we must go now. Come,” Jasmine stated, sliding her hand against mine before seeking to thread her fingers and clasp her hand with mine. “I will protect you, sweet Aria.” Esme snorted, barely containing her laughter when I shot her an irritated glance. “Yes, Aria needs to be saved often,” Esme agreed, wagging her brows at me with amusement plastered on her face. “She’s a damsel, who often enjoys the following distress created in her wake.” Esme’s lips curled into a smile even as she struggled to keep a straight face. The sound of feet stomping above us grew louder, forcing our attention to it. Dust from the floorboards above filled the air, almost causing me to sneeze. The soft clang of steel crashing against steel echoed lightly from the long, twisting hallway we stepped into. Either someone was on to our presence here, or a skirmish was unfolding outside of Jasmine’s home. That Jasmine wasn’t freaking out, or more panicked, gave me pause. “Does this happen often?” I asked, completely ignoring Esme’s taunt.
“Often enough that I built an escape route to avoid capture,” Jasmine muttered, shrugging as we started from the room.
Chapter Thirty-Six A familiar scent hit me, and I groaned. So much for Knox wallowing in his grief and wasting away within the library. Ember didn’t stir, but then, she wasn’t about to offer to help me escape him. “He’s relentless,” I muttered, scrubbing my hand over my face. “I’ll admit that about him.” “You know who it is?” Jasmine asked, pushing things into an oversized bag. “I do.” I exhaled, following her down the hallway. “Please tell me you can run faster than that, Jasmine. He’s seriously dedicated to catching me, and the last time he did, I ended up in a cage.” “Is this the man you wish to chain to a bed?” she asked, turning to smirk and wiggle her brows. “Run, bitch!” Esme snapped, pushing past me to heft Jasmine over her shoulder. “She’s not playing. Knox’s a fucking beast, and he’s fast as fuck!” Siobhan, Esme, and I rushed through the narrowing channel blindly. The cries from above had lessened and turned into moans and other noises, which were confusing, but I didn’t stop to ponder the sudden shift. Jasmine plopped her chin on her palms, her elbows pressing into Esme’s back, and huffed a grunt of annoyance. “You’re the witch on the wanted posters, aren’t you? You’re the witch that married the king and tried to murder everyone within Norvalla?” Jasmine inquired, causing my eyebrows to press together tightly. “For the record, he forced me to marry him and I only leveled one keep that was inside his kingdom. Hecate destroyed the others.” I panted, pressing forward as Esme huffed beneath Jasmine’s added weight. “You’re clairvoyant. Shouldn’t you have seen this happening?” “I can’t see shit when I’m in the scenario,” she replied before shifting to her male form. Esme slowed just enough to drop him to his feet so he could run with us. We sprinted down the narrowing hallway until he pushed open a small, circular door that dumped us into the woods. I could hear the hooves of horses moving down the cobblestone street and felt the air thickening around me. “Run,” I whispered, following them through the woods until we skidded to a stop a foot away from where ground gave way to rushing water. We
would have to cross it unless we wanted to risk turning back and running into the men who pursued us. It was a simple choice. “Jump,” I ordered and didn’t wait for them to protest. I leaped, and they followed, splashing into the quickly rushing river a second or two behind me. Esme thrashed, and I spun in the water, reaching for her. She sputtered water from her lips, flailing her arms as I stared, holding the bubble of laughter at bay. She lunged at me, clinging to my neck so tightly that she cut my air off. I slapped her arm, trying to get her to loosen her hold, but she was locked in panic. “You are going to let me drown? That is why we’re never being best friends!” “What the fuck?” I grunted, spitting out water as she continued to try to pull me down. “Esme, stand the fuck up!” Esme’s arm tightened, and she sealed her eyes closed tightly. Freeing my arm from her viselike hold, I pried one eye open with my fingers. “Stand up before you drown us in a foot of fucking water!” I snapped as she forced me back under the water and I had to struggle to right our bodies again. She opened her eyes, peering around with heat burning her face. Esme turned to give me an apologetic look, and I pursed my lips, spitting the water from my mouth into her face. Silently, she untangled herself from me, and pushed up from the water, smoothing out invisible wrinkles. She huffed, and then plopped a hand on her hip, offering a weak smile. “That wasn’t my best moment.” She chuckled nervously. “Noted, run!” I urged, hearing growling echoing from the tunnel we’d just left. The loud banging that followed the growls revealed they’d begun filing out of the tunnel. I wanted to curse Jasmine for not having a thicker, and more difficult door for the bastards to struggle out of. “Up ahead, there’s another passageway that moves beneath the city and leads to the docks. If we can reach it and we stay to the right inside the tunnels, we can escape,” Jasmine offered. We followed since it was a much better plan than the one we currently had, which was run and hope for the best. Branches snapped us in our faces, and the mud made running damn near impossible. I turned, hearing the screams of men not too far from us.
They’d known about the passageway, apparently. The woods were filling with their noises, and I groaned softly. “We won’t make it. Soraya, get the portal open ahead. I’ll buy us time. Go, all of you. I’ll be right behind you.” Esme hesitated, her hand holding mine. “Esme, go. He won’t hurt me. I can’t promise the same for you. Go, now.” I watched them until they were out of sight, and then I turned and backtracked to the water. The first thing I did was erase the footprints we had left, and once I was satisfied, I sat to wait. Knox burst through the woods, wet and covered in the same muck that coated my shoes. Hungrily, I took in the anger glittering in his oceanic depths. His focus didn’t leave me, nor did he rush forward. Instead, he picked his way carefully across the water Esme tried to drown me in. “Hey, big fella,” I catcalled, wagging my brows at him before tossing aside the handful of grass I’d been shredding. “How you doing? Fancy meeting you here, hmm?” I asked playfully. He kept moving toward me as his men spilled from the tunnel behind him. “There’s a fucking horde chasing you, and you’re sitting in the grass?” My eyes narrowed on him before I yanked my poker face back on. “I was picking it, but then I wasn’t aware of a horde chasing me. Are you the horde?” I enquired in a saucy tone, which was completely ruined when something slammed into the grass beside me. My eyes narrowed on the large, very real axe. A dozen or so feet behind me, there was a midget snarling and baring its teeth. “That was rather rude, don’t you think?” I asked before I stood and turned back to Knox, only to find him standing right in front of me. His arms caught me, pulling me against him. Lips brushed against my neck, causing heat to pool in my middle. I trembled as his husky laughter slithered against the sensitive flesh. His hands lifted to grab on to my breasts painfully. “I missed you, baby girl. You know where you belong, serving beside me?” he asked, but his voice was off. I yanked magic to me, forcing it into my body. “Oh, baby, you know it. I want to make more sons, Knox,” I whispered roughly. “We’ll make more together.” His lips brushed my neck again. Then I sent magic rushing out in every direction. There was a series of popping sounds, and then the screaming began. Slowly, I shifted to stare
into the crimson-colored eyes of the alpha shifter who currently had his arms around me. I flicked my fingers, watching the veins in his neck bulge until his head popped and blood splattered all over me. Maybe that would teach him that girls took dress-up rather seriously, and it was considered extremely rude to wear someone else’s face while seeking to turn a bitch on. A shrill scream tore through the woods beside us, sending birds rushing into the air. The scent of men and fear forced Ember to the surface. She inhaled, rumbling with the prospect of murder hovering thickly in the surrounding air. Following the scent of fear, masculine arrogance, and horses, I skipped through the woods. When I crested a grassy knoll that was at the edge of the wooded area, I snorted at the men capturing and tossing young girls around. Chuckling, I started down the hill as they turned, spotted me, and then stared over my shoulder as if they expected men to follow behind me. “The ladies do not sound overly fond of the idea of leaving with you, gentlemen,” I announced cheerily, rocking on my heels. Men rushed at me, and I rolled my eyeballs at their thundering loud battle cries. Lifting my hands, I extended my fingers, slid magical threads around them, and then yanked, wincing as the men ripped into several grotesque pieces. As more men started toward me, I plucked something unidentifiable from my hair and tossed it aside. “That isn’t how you court a lady or earn her favor,” I stated, sliding my magic around the waist of one before hoisting him into the air. Waiting until he was closer to me, I snapped my pointer finger against my thumb, and heard the gushing of blood before the sound of pieces slapped against the earthen floor. The remaining men surged forward, and I clucked my tongue. “I’ve heard of speed dating, but this is rather rapid for me. How about you fucking die and I leave you with a hard pass stamped on those foreheads so the next girl has warning? Oh, I guess it won’t actually matter if you’re dead. My bad.” My magic wrapped around them, and with one sharp gesture, they were pulled beneath the ground—buried alive and added to my growing army. “Thank you for your sacrifices and have a nice day, assholes. This way, if you will, ladies.” I clapped my hands, nodding in the direction I’d come from. “Through those woods, you’ll find Jasmine and my friends. You should go join them, quickly now.” Turning on my heel, I paused. The girls
I’d freed hesitantly moved toward Jasmine, who was covered in blood. “You were supposed to wait by the portal for me, not be here. I told you I was right behind you,” I muttered while moving closer to the group. “We heard them screaming and then battle cries. No one was willing to stand by and do nothing while you got to enjoy all the fighting,” Soraya stated. The girls gagged and plucked the pieces of flesh, entrails, and other shit from their hair and clothing. I snorted as Esme tossed an eyeball into the stream beside us. Her hair was covered in gunk, and I fought a bubble of laughter at the horror stamped on her face. “A little warning that you’re about to explode bodies next time would be nice,” Esme stated, gagging as she picked the pieces of the man, off her. Smirking, I peered down at the remains and shrugged. “Ops?” I returned. “I have stuff in my hair!” she whined. “You also have a little something.” I indicated all of her with my finger. “There.” “You’re not much better at the moment.” She laughed, shaking her head. “This is nasty. I’m pretty certain these are intestines.” “Shitty deal, Esme.” I winced, watching her picking them off. “Now, if we were best friends, I wouldn’t leave you covered in crap. But since you know, not there yet, what can I say?” I asked, shrugging before I ripped a portal open. “Mount up, we’re out of here.” “You are so petty, Aria! What the hell does it even mean to be best friends?” she demanded as she stepped through the portal. “It means you’re my person. You’d be the one I’d choose to hide dead bodies with. When everything goes sideways, you’d be the one I’d want with me.” “That sounds horrible. Why would we be hiding dead bodies together? If shit goes sideways, shouldn’t we try not to die together? You’re the strangest person I’ve ever met in my entire life, and I have met crazy people.” I only smirked as we waited for everyone else to clear the portal, and then I sealed it. “Ladies, welcome to the party. If you seek to steal anything, it will remove you immediately. If you try to harm anyone within it, I’ll slaughter
you without hesitation. Welcome to the Library of Knowledge.” I spread my arms out and then frowned because they were giving me a strange look. “It’s an empty room.” A short, curvy brunette announced while creeping closer to Jasmine. Her delicate mouth tightened, and her brow creased with confusion. “I thought you said she was the real thing, Siobhan?” Jasmine asked behind her hand, as if it would stop me from hearing. “You can’t see anything?” Siobhan asked, staring around the space. “It doesn’t find you worthy of its knowledge.” Esme laughed outright. “Well, that’s awkward. I guess welcome to a large empty room. Siobhan will escort you to somewhere you can clean up and then show you where you can sleep tonight. Tomorrow, we will return you to your home.” I watched them vanish down a hallway before I turned to find Esme watching me. “It found us worthy, but not her?” Esme probed, still plucking gunk out of her hair. “Would we need to dig the hole together?” I snorted. “We’ll discuss it tomorrow when you’re not covered in shit and whatever that is on your ear,” I said, pointing out the green stuff that covered it. “Disgusting! I hate it when you explode them. It isn’t sanitary,” she snapped before stomping off. “But did you die? No. Stop being moody and wash the shit off. Literally,” I called to her retreating form before turning toward the barrier that bisected the library. It was harder than it should have been to ignore the stab of disappointment when I found the other side was vacant, the fireplace dark, and the remnants of the smashed chest forgotten on the floor. He’d been spending less time here, and it left me wondering what he was filling his time with when he was gone. Was he choosing to spend it in the bed of someone else? That thought hurt more than I’d willingly admit. It wasn’t like we were even on talking terms, so I had no right to any feelings at all about what he did or didn’t do. Besides, Knox had already made it clear how he’d felt about me.
Chapter Thirty-Seven Knox I exhaled past the ache in my chest as the ifrit etched the delicate faces of the daughters I’d lost onto the smooth surface of the ancient oak wood. They’d been so tiny and so strikingly beautiful. Aria had held them in her arms, and I’d felt the world spinning out of control. It had created a deep need within me that I’d refused to examine too closely. I was actually afraid to because, if I did, I would have to admit that I wanted that with her. I wanted it all with her, and that wouldn’t end well for either of us. I missed her more than I realized it was possible to miss someone. Then there was the way her body tightened around mine. The way it clamped down, sucking me dry as she took every drop of me into her tight, wet pussy. There was something feminine and uniquely Aria’s that filled the air when she came for me. It was so addictive and dangerous that I yearned to inhale that scent more than I needed fucking air, and it had become my favorite thing in the entire Nine Realms. I wanted to track her down and fuck my grief out on that delicate body of hers until neither of us felt shit anymore almost as much as I wanted to find her, hold her against me, and just feel her near. That woman had burrowed beneath my skin. She’d sunk her claws and teeth into my heart so fucking deeply that it ached to be away from her, a pain that was inflicted because of my own actions. Aria had every right to push me away, and I didn’t blame her one bit for doing so. Did I deserve her? No. Hell no. Did that fucking matter? Nope. But that girl was an obsession that I couldn’t quit. Aria challenged me, and I enjoyed the way she made me work to keep up with her mind. The girl was a mastermind, and yet she let you catch up so you knew she was ahead of you. Aria was cocky, arrogant, but also so damn beautiful that she made the traits her own. On anyone else, I’d despise them. But on her? The girl had the balls and brains to pull it off splendidly. Her side of the library still held her nest in one large corner, which was a constant reminder of the pain she and I had endured. I hadn’t seen her in days, but her scent taunted me, reminding me she’d left. I didn’t blame her
one bit for not thinking twice about leaving me. Fuck, I was a miserable asshole most days, but lately, I’d been stuck in my head replaying everything that was going wrong. My mind whirled and replayed all the times I’d lashed out at her trying to figure out how many of those instances were driven by magic and how many were my anger. I needed to tell her about the hexes, but it didn’t excuse my behavior, even if it had fueled the end result. I knew that and accepted the consequences. I’d never been gentle, but it went against my very nature to be abusive to any woman, most of all a mate. I’d fucking hurt her in ways that no woman could ever look past, and yet, she’d still tried. She’d tried to reach me, even though I’d shredded her to her perfect, innocent core. I’d humiliated her in front of my men and mistreated her inside the home I’d expected her to live in with me. I hadn’t stood up for Aria when Celia cut her down, either, but Aria had always bounced right back from everything I’d ever thrown at her. A knock sounded on the library door, and I flicked my finger, using magic to open it. Killian entered and moved to sit next to me with his elbows on his knees and his fingers steepled. “You look as miserable as I feel, Kill,” I muttered absently before I filled the second glass, which had been turned upside down for Gideon, drinking to his memory. The soft scent of citrus and aged wood tickled my senses as I held the drink out to Killian. “I feel stupid,” Killian muttered around an exhale. “I fucking missed it, and I feel responsible for what happened. Gideon died because I couldn’t see the madness within Celia. I should have warned you about her obsession before it ever got this far. It was cute, and something Liliana and I would tease her mercilessly about. The announcement of your nuptials to Liliana sent Celia over the edge, but eventually they worked it out between themselves, so I figured Celia had found someone else.” He shoved his fingers into his hair, and cradled his head in his palms. “It wouldn’t change anything. If they hadn’t gotten to her, it would have been someone else who took out Gideon. It is how they get to us, and will continue to do so long after Celia is buried and gone from this world.” He blew out the air from his lungs, lifting his gaze to hold mine. “How the fuck they got to her is what I want to know. There was no way I would have guessed that she’d made a deal with Hecate, especially not after how she reacted after Sven and Liliana died. All those times I thought she was
stepping up to be helpful because you were in mourning were nothing more than her being calculated. Hell, it wasn’t until Aria entered the picture that I actually realized her obsession never ended. I was supposed to protect her and keep her on track, and for hundreds of years, I had no idea her life had gone so off course. I failed her and you.” “It matters little if we failed her or not, Killian. She betrayed the kingdom. That’s not on us. Celia sought out witches and allowed them to influence her and direct her against us. It’s not something anyone expected.” “She’s my sister, and I am the one responsible for ensuring she married a good, powerful husband. I didn’t even look, Knox. If I had, maybe we wouldn’t be in this fucking mess. Gideon would be alive, and you wouldn’t have beaten an already battered girl. I should’ve fucking done my job, and I should’ve done something about her obsession with you instead of teasing her about it.” I turned my head, sinking back into the chair before replying. “I don’t fault you. I don’t blame anyone except Celia and Hecate. What I can’t figure out is why she’d do something so stupid.” He frowned and turned toward me. “This shit isn’t making sense, and the more I try to make it, the more fucked up it gets.” He leaned forward, steepling his fingers in front of his lips. “She was barely on the brink of womanhood when I married Liliana,” I stated tiredly. Mentally preparing for the blowback of what was about to unfold, I poured two fingers of aged whisky into the glasses, pushing one toward my oldest and longest friend. We tossed back our drinks, neither speaking until I finally admitted what I’d done with his sister weeks after I’d lost my mate. “I slept with Celia, Killian. I was drunk and raging over the unfairness of losing Liliana after we’d lost our son. I regretted it immediately and never allowed it to happen again, but it doesn’t change the fact that it happened. It was likely the reason her obsession got worse, thinking there was hope for a relationship when there wasn’t.” Killian’s face tightened, but not with anger. His laughter was empty and devoid of emotions. He leaned forward, adding more whisky to both glasses before he sat forward, running his finger over the rim, peering at me over the space between us.