Page 120 of Crown of Chaos

“Aria assumes she is the daughter of Tirsynth Prometheus. Now, you and I both know that isn’t true. Care to shed some light on that?” Knox snorted, moving away from her as he spoke. I heard clothing swishing and exhaled when Aurora snorted louder than he had.

“Griffon PrometheusisAria’s father, Knox, and Tirsynth isn’t dead. He’s entombed in gold. If you think Griffon isn’t planning to use Aria to free his father and return his people to power, then you’re as naïve as she is. That monster does nothing without having planned, and plotted out everything that is needed prior to doing it.”

Knox went silent, and I slipped closer, peering through the curtain at the horror displaced on his features. “What thefuckwere you thinking?” He pushed his fingers through his hair and paced before laughing coldly. “You’re something else. You conceived a child with that monster and didn’t think it would behisdesign?” His reply echoed in the room, sharp like the crack of a whip.

“To end the goddess of magic, I needed something forged in the fires of the Nine Realms. Since Griffon is the son of Tirsynth Prometheus and Scylla Prometheus, who was Fafnir’s granddaughter, I thought it would work. I thought I’d be able to harness the power of the sun and banish the darkness, feeding my mother her magic. It seemed simple, but it’s anything but.”

“You didn’t think that maybe bearing the child of the son of a fucking known psychotic king wasn’t such a great idea? So what was your plan? To steal Aria’s power and then face your mother? Then do what, Aurora?” My stomach curled at his tone, as if Knox were horrified by what she stated. Something slammed against the wall and shattered, and I swallowed my gasp of surprise.

“I didn’t get that far. I was only intending to win, and the cost to me, or those close to me, wasn’t factored in. it doesn’t even matter what I would have done because it didn’t work. Then you forced us back here, and Aria sealed the exit. Now we’re all stuck in here together with a fucking monster who can literally burn this place to ashes.” She moved closer to the balcony doors, and I pulled back and away from the edge of the balcony above her where I hid.

“Is there another twin or did she really consume it in uterine?” Knox pried, slowly moving toward the balcony, which forced Aurora to move farther into the room.

“She consumed it, and I immediately realized she wasn’t just a child from Griffon,” she admitted before exhaling loudly.

“If she’s a phoenix, you forced her immortality to arrive in her infancy. Phoenix children are rare, and have always been so, which is why I’m surprised Griffon allowed you to live this long.” Knox stated with a tone that bordered on sarcasm, and disbelief.

“I’m aware of that better than most, thank you. That sun on her forehead? That means she’s his rightful heir to the Kingdom of Fire. Ariaisthe sun, the one who is prophesied to murder Hecate. As a bloodline witch, she should have held our mark. She’s my firstborn daughter and my only living child. She’s both my heir and his. Now you see why she cannot live, right?”

“No, I don’t. She’s your fucking daughter, Aurora. Your only living child who you tortured, beat, and then abandoned. That’s on you, fucking deal with it. If you’re expecting me to tell you that I agree with anything you’ve done to Aria, it will never happen.” Knox laughed darkly. “If you’re finished, get the fuck out. Hell, even if you’re not, you can still get the fuck out of my room.”

“You’re not getting it. She will kill us all!” Aurora howled, which caused me to jerk at her sudden outburst.

“No, not all of us. You and yours? You’re definitely going to fucking burn,” he corrected with a frigid tone. “And me and mine? We’ll watch it unfolding as we sharpen our blades and prepare to win the war you brought to our fucking realm, again.”

“Do you think you’ll survive? And if he intends to raise his father and place him on your throne, can you walk away from it without regretting her part in his plan?”

“You think she’s naïve enough to trust him? I assure you, your daughter is fucking brilliant, and won’t trust shit. You and I gave Aria enough trust issues that she’s going to question every motive as to why anyone would want to be near her. Griffon isn’t stupid, Aurora. He’ll see what I do when I look at her. She’s naïve, but she’d brilliant enough to see through bullshit easily. Aria won’t blindly join anyone ever again, either. Not after the shit you did, or what I put her through.” Knox chuckled beside where I stood hidden in the shadows of the balcony.

“It doesn’t change the threat she poses to us, and the Nine Realms. You’re thinking with your cock, not your brains, King Karnavious. If Griffon gets his claws on her . . . I can’t even imagine the monster Aria will become. He intends to unleash the monster she’ll become on all of us. He will turn her against us as well. Right now she’s easy for you to handle. She won’t be if she figures out who he is, and then sides with him.”

“He’s not stupid, and neither is Aria. Think about this. Aria’s his daughter and she carries the mark of his own father on her forehead. She’s fucking impossibly smart, which she probably inherited fromhismother. That woman was a strategic warrior, one renowned for her ability to lead armies fearlessly against her advisories.” His tone became sharp, and colder. Knox wasn’t buying her bullshit, but even in her lies, there was a whisper of truth.

“Aria will enter the realm he created already five steps ahead of him and his people. You can mark my words that she’ll exit it ten steps ahead of the rest of us. After all, whoever holds the mark of the firstborn king also holds the power to wage war as he did, with brilliance and brute strength. In chaos may Aria reign, and I’ll be right behind her, guarding her back from those of you who wish to stab her in it.” I blinked at the fierce tone he spoke with. Knox wasn’t buying her shit any more than I was. I was finding him easier to deal with now that we’d landed on the same side of all this.

“Do you honestly think he’ll allow his heir to be with you? Your people and his people have been at war for over a millennium. You had barely gained peace when Hecate was sentenced to rot here. You and your family are their mortal enemies. He’ll never allow you to keep her, Knox. The Karnavious and Prometheus lines have been, and will always be enemies.”

Knox made a choked sound, which forced me to peer into the room. His lips twitched, and he tilted his head, laughing at her.

“You think we told you the truth? Our histories were changed, protected, and sealed where no one could find them. Yes, we were enemies, but then Hecate came, and she changed everything. Enemies became allies, and wars ended to regroup for one common goal. To end her and the other twisted cunts like you, Aurora. I don’t care what her father or anyone else says. That beautiful girl, the one everyone else thinks is nothing more but a monster? She’s my mate, and my girl. So you, Griffon, and Tirsynth? You can all fuck off, and if you don’t, I’ll stand beside Aria, and we’ll level this world until we’re the only ones left.”

“He will force her to choose a warrior and marry her to him for power. That is how he works. He’s more power hungry than my mother, Knox.”

“Do you even know your own child? I assure you, Aria is the only one who’ll decide her fate, Aurora, and neither you nor her father will dictate what she does. It’s a lesson I’ve already learned, so catch up. Aria Primrose Karnavious is a breath of fresh air, and she deserves better than either of us. You and I both know it.” His dark laughter created a shiver that rushed down my spine.

“If you are smart, you will help me find her and help me claim the power she holds before it’s unleashed on us all.” The panic burning in Aurora’s tone made my lips curve into a dark smile.

I noted the way she crept backward, keeping distance between them. Her coloring was pale and washed out from fear. She backed into the wall, and he slammed his hand down beside her head, rattling.

“Do you think for one fucking second that my world, the same one that forged that pure, beautiful monster you carried in your poisonous womb would let something as twisted and vile as you touch it? It chose her, and it did so because she’s good and has pure intentions where the rest of us are all fucked up, shredded souls that would level this world rather than save it. Not her, though. Help you?” He pushed off the wall, stepping back slowly while inhaling Aurora’s fear that drifted in the room, corrupting our shared scent.

“Yes, Knox. Help me! Help me and the others prevent her from leaving. If we can contain her, she can end Hecate and free us all from her. You’re the only one capable of helping us, and you know it. Do you think I’m buying that you’re willing to marry Sabine? You just told me Aria is your mate. If you intend to keep her, you’ll help me stop her from leaving here to find her father.”

“No, I don’t think so. I don’t intend to help you do shit to her, Aurora. In fact, you’re beyond any help I would ever be willing to offer you. She’s aware of what you did and allowed to happen under your watch, and she won’t protect you any longer, either.” She moved from the wall, regrouping her composure while steadying her breath to continue.

“That may be, but she intends to wage war against all of us! Can’t you see I am trying to help you?” she snarled, her words laced with barbs.

“Is that what you think you’re fucking doing? You’re not here out of the goodness of your heart. I doubt you even have one in your chest. You’re terrified that she’s coming for you, and you’re in here trying to manipulate and lie to gain my help. She and I’ve both been fighting to prevent more senseless death, butyou?You only want to protect your own selfish ass because you’re not strong enough to take the throne or hold it without Aria or the power she houses.” Knox laughed darkly, sending a shiver racing down my spine.

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