Page 108 of Crown of Chaos

“You think you’re so fucking powerful right now? Don’t you? You think you can walk in and take Hecate’s power now? It won’t be that easy, Aria.” She sneered, folding her arms over her chest to stare me down.

“No, I don’t. I honestly don’t give a fuck about being powerful or ruling anyone, for that matter. I did what you couldn’t do, and that is something I am proud of. You can keep the fame, notoriety, and kingdoms, Aurora. I just don’t have it in me to fucking care about you or political agendas you have while you reach for that throne you’ll never be able to hold.” That statement did not shock her, which told me more than I wanted to about her intentions.

“Do you think I don’t know what you’re seeking to do here, Aria?” Her eyes blazed with malice, and it filled the air thickly.

“Murder your bitch of a mother and weaken you and the other witches who intend to drain the realms and those who live in it of their magic because you’re a bunch of greedy cunts? I think that should be pretty obvious.” Lore hooted with laughter, smothering it when Aurora hissed.

“Daddy’s getting a hard-on, and not because of Aria rocking out with those titties out! Rawr! Is it getting hot in here, or what?” he asked, slowly backing up to rock his hips while my eyebrows pressed together, trying to figure out what the hell he was doing. “Initiating warm up and preparing for that ass to be mine!” Aurora made an irritated noise in her throat, and I rattled a warning that Lennox echoed. “Did you hear that? She likes me, she really fucking likes me.”

“Lore,” Knox warned sternly.

“Kill-joy, I was getting my flirt on,” Lore pouted, shuffling away as Killian patted his shoulder, turning to smirk in my direction with something wicked glittering in his dark-cyan blue depths.

“If you think my mother won’t seek revenge for what you did here, you’re wrong.”

“I don’t give a fuck,” I stated bluntly. “I just kicked your mother’s ass, and weakened her. It won’t matter how many witches she sucks down, or how hard she tries to steal magic from the realms, she won’t be able to heal before I track her down and eat her. What do you think? Ember wants to eat her, and shit the bitch out. I think it would be, rather . . .fitting? I mean, she is a rather shitty person.”

“You do not know what you did, Aria Primrose Hecate.”

“You must be getting senile because we’ve already covered that.”

“You had a sun on your head, Aria. You exposed it to Hecate.” I tilted my head, deliberately sliding my focus toward Knox, who silently stood alert beside Aurora. “How did you get it? You’ve placed me in great danger because of that mark!”

“You think I gained the mark by doing something? You’re who rode the dick that made me, so why don’t you tell me how I got it? Or did you just ride all the dicks until one spit up enough stuff to make a baby-shake? You got fucked, and then I was ejected from your worthless, poisonous womb. The only one who knows who the fuck got fucked was you, right? I mean, sure, I got fucked because you got fucked and blah-blah who fucking cares. But why don’t you fucking inform me how I have that mark? I know, I know, you will not say shit, but here’s the thing. I don’t fucking care if Hecate rips you apart and flies your entrails and limbs from her battlements. Understand? Fuck you. Fuck your mother. Fuck all the faithless bitches who stand with you. Fuck this asshole, too,” I stated, nodding at Knox. “And fuck anyone else who gets in my way.” The color drained from Aurora’s face, causing me to realize the issue. “It’s not Hecate you’re afraid of. Is it? No, you’re afraid of my father finding out I exist.” I laughed outright at the green shade she turned.

“You do not know the danger you’ve placed yourself in because of that mark, Aria.” Aurora stepped closer, pressed her palms against the barrier, and then yanked them back when it shocked her in warning. “If you want to live, come with us. If your father learns you bear his mark, he will rip me apart for concealing you from him.”

Snorting loudly, I rolled my eyes at her fake, forced unease. “My father knows I exist and has invited me to come meet him. And if you think I would ever protect you from him—or anyone, really—then clearly you haven’t been paying attention.”

She trembled visibly, which turned my smile wolfish. Her blue gaze flickered with fear as big, fat tears pooled on her lashes and she worried her hands together.

“I didn’t know that I’d love you, but I do.” Her stare pleaded for me to understand, and I merely rocked on my heels, smile still in place.

“Spare me your fake, pathetic, motherly love.” I slammed my hands against the barrier and she jerked back, screaming in fear. “If my father wishes to murder you, I’ll be the one standing beside him when he comes for your head, Mommy Dearest, because at least he hasn’t tried to murder me. If he does, I’ll deal with him like I do everything else. In violence does she reign, and she’ll do so in total chaos. It was nice seeing you, and I hope you have a nice day and shit.” My eyes flicked to Knox. “I’ll see you when I return? Maybe you’ll be married by then, asshole.”

“Before, Aria,” he demanded, anger and something else flashing in his eyes.

“Hmm, I don’t think you’re in a position to argue it anymore, Knox.” I chuckled, turning on my heel to head to where the girls were opening the portal.

It took effort not to look back, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’d hurt me. My piece was said, and it was enough. I’d taken one more element, allied myself with the demons, and brought Hecate down a peg, ensuring she wouldn’t be able to attack anyone or add witches to her grid anytime soon. I only had one thing left to do before Esme and I could head to the cave and complete the trial that would bring me to my father, which was figuring out how to ease the tension steadily growing in my vagina.

No pressure.

Sounded easy enough.

I doubted it ended well, but I wasn’t a quitter.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Days had passed in aneerie calmness and unnerving silence that made me hesitant to trust it. I had gathered things we may or may not need. We still did not know what we would face or if we would be there for an allotted amount of time.

We’d begun our shopping for real-estate so that Siobhan, Soraya, and Avy could protect the kids while Esme and I were gone. We’d finally settled on a small castle, which was a little stack of rubble on the outside but livable on the inside. It had a porch and a few rooms scattered above the sprawling, lavish basement, which led to an impressive web of tunnels that snaked out to the forest behind the structure.

The only thing not settled was the current state of my body, which was driving me bonkers. It was why I was outside, hiding from the children as my hormones raged and my flames threatened to consume everything they touched.

It was snowing, and a fine layer of it was peppering the mountains, but the cold didn’t touch me. The air at this altitude was thinner, and a cold front had long since moved over whatever realm we’d ended up in. I still had no idea, but only certain realms saw winter, and Norvalla was one of them.

The place was calming and magical in appearance. Now, if I could settle down and ignore the need rioting through me, I might actually enjoy it. My skin felt as if it were crawling, and I was having hot flashes, which were straight-up ridiculous.

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