Page 52 of Crown of Chaos

My eyes locked with Knox’s through the barrier, but he broke first and spun to his brothers, all of whom had been watching my world shatter and crumble to ruins. Apparently, I had been too quick to deny that I was the queen of nothing. There was finally a crown on my head, which was crafted in chaos, and my kingdom was nothing more than a pile of ruin. I’d sacrificed everything for those who wouldn’t even help me off the ground I kneeled upon.

“Am I? Why? Simply because I don’t want children harmed or slaughtered? There’s no one here seeking to do the right thing instead of what benefits them the most. Not a single person other than me and those following me, and I’ll continue to do so. I made a promise to protect them, with or without a throne. I don’t need a title to lead or help people. You allow them to perish because you consider them to be beneath you. You let that evil bitch who birthed life into you murder Reign and Rhaghana!” I roared, fighting through the emotion.

“No, I didn’t. You did. I left themwithyou, Aria. It was you who failed to protect them from Hecate.”

“You were supposed to lead us. You couldn’t, though, and because of that, people died. They died! A leader never leaves their troops behind to die in order to save their own ass. They died because you failed us and weren’t strong enough to fight off a simple fucking compulsion spell! You fucked us, and when you finally shook it off, you ran like a bitch to protect your own ass. I had a reason to run, but I stayed and fought until the last person alive was off that field. Plus, I warned you I was depleted, but you didn’t care, did you? I was pregnant, Aurora,” I whispered through the swell of emotion. “I left the battlefield to give birth to my daughters!” Shocked gasps sounded from the people watching from beyond the barrier.

“I bet you failed them, like you’ll do with everything else you seek to do. Were you too weak to even protect your own babes?” She sneered coldly, growing bolder with each tear that escaped the hold I lost on them.

“No, I did not even get a choice in their fate. Your mother tried to slip a sliver of her souls into them and murdered them before they’d lived. You’ve become just like her, Aurora. You are the same monster that she is. But unlike her, you will be nothing more than a weak, pathetic bitch who hides in the shadows of others. You couldn’t even murder me as an infant. What the hell makes you think you can accomplish it now?”

“Easily, because I have a home-field advantage. You are in my world, daughter. I have people everywhere, and when you look over your shoulder or you meet someone in the forest you hide within, you’ll wonder if they work for me.”

Her hands rose to attack with whatever magic she’d been able to regain, but I was ready, slamming my attack against hers, forcing her back to the barrier. Her body slammed against it, and I smiled coldly.

Walking slowly, I made my way over to stand directly in front of her. Even though I refused to look away from Aurora’s rabid, hate-fill face, I could feel Knox’s focus on me, burning into my spine. He’d witnessed everything in my life shattering into unrecognizable pieces, and I wanted to demand he tell me if he knew. Only, he was no better than they were, so it didn’t matter. He didn’t matter. So, I had to learn to accept that no one cared. I was not something people could love or ever truly want. I caught sight of him in my peripheral vision and wanted to vomit. His palm was on the base of Celia’s spine, and her lips pressed against his ear.

Celia whispered softly to him, pointing out things as Killian and Brander added to them. I didn’t need to listen to know they were seeking to bring the barrier down before I murdered Aurora. They should already know that it was pointless for them to try.

The moment I reached her, I slammed more magic into her, watching as her hands lifted above her head.

My body floated just high enough for me to look directly into her eyes. “Lucky for you, I’m not totally a murderous, cold-hearted bitch. Before I depart, know this,Mommy Dearest. If, or when, you decide to come for me or those under my protection, I will end you in the most horrendous way possible. The screams of your pain and agony will become the background music I hear when I recount what you and everyone else did to me. Knowing that, you should really consider who the fuck you are messing with.” I yanked more power until the entire mansion trembled and the walls cracked with a loud groan. “Whose home turf was this again? I believe it bows to me and offers me the magic it houses. Does it provide you the same, or are you just a pathetic, washed-up witch whose Mommy fucked with the wrong realm?” I snorted, slamming the magic through the air, hearing everyone groaning as it slithered and drifted through them.

“Stop!” she snarled through the agony she felt.

“Can you hear that sound, Mother? I hear the Nine Realms welcoming me as its rightful heir and offering me everything it is. I guess that gives me the advantage of the home team, correct? Listen to it sing for me, offering to crush anyone who stands in my way. It’s so pretty, isn’t it?” I tilted my head, hearing the whimpers of the people and the world seeking to destroy them at my behest. “Yeah, now who’s fucking laughing? I may be your child, but I’m no longer the girl who first arrived in this hellish place. She’s not here anymore because you all added matches and watched her burn until a monster rose from the ashes of those fires. Keep fucking with me, and I will gladly shove those ashes down your throat and make you fucking choke on them.” Moving my hand to her chin, I pinched it so hard her jaw creaked. “The problem with pissing off those people you pretend to love is they know all your dirty little secrets. They know how petty and vain you are inside and out. They know what you cherish and desire the most.” I released her chin and stepped back.

The second she was out of arm’s reach, I felt her trying to burrow into my magic, trying to coax it away from me and into herself.

I softlytskedand shook my head at her sat attempt. “Careful, I hear that siphoning magic is addictive, and I know you do it regularly, so no one knows just how weak you really are, Aurora. If you think to harm witchlings as your new companions do, I’ll drain you dry and then trickle enough power into your shriveled, decaying carcass to ensure you don’t die. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?” I inquired, slamming her through the barrier before I slid my gaze to where Knox stood with Celia literally wrapped around his arm, holding on.

Exhaling, I turned to my sisters . . . or cousins. I scanned their faces, moving closer. If I left them with Aurora, they’d end up dead. Sure, they’d just tried to help Aurora steal my powers, but sisters normally were assholes and often pissed you off. Right? It didn’t mean I’d trust them any time soon, but I’d at least see if they were acting because they had to or if they wanted me gone.

“She left Reign and Rhaghana to save her own ass. Come with me, and I promise never to leave you behind. We’re family, and while you were complicit in what happened, I don’t blame you,” I stated, swallowing as I searched their faces. “Kinvara, come with me. I will keep you safe, I promise.”

No one moved or spoke to me. My heart shattered, and I couldn’t prevent the quiver that started in my lip. My entire existence had been as one of them, and I’d stood by them regardless of their flaws. Now, they were prepared to toss me aside and blindly follow a murderous, vindictive bitch? They were willing to walk away after I had gone through hell at the hand of Knox to protect them and ensure they had a future?

“Are you honestly okay with our daughters and those of others being murdered? Do you even see them?” I demanded, pointing to where Esme and the others held toddlers with still more gathered around their legs. “They’re only babies, and yet they’ve suffered because they have Hecate blood pumping in their veins! God damn it, I want you to admit that you’re fine with whatever dreadful things they’ve done to them, that you would be okay if it happened to your own daughter. I’ll wait.” I studied their downcast faces and exhaled the sob that had built in my throat. “You are all cowards. You’ll all die if you follow her. I can’t protect you or keep you safe if you go with her. Have the balls to look into my eyes and tell me why you’ll continue to stay at her side as she ignores the shit happening here!” I demanded, watching as Kinvara silently lifted her gaze, holding mine.

“Blood stays with blood, Aria. You belong with us, too,” she whispered timidly.

“If blood stuck with blood, then we all belong on our fucking knees, serving at Hecate’s feet, Kinny. Look around and tell me that this is what you want. Explain to me how you are okay watching them slaughter witches. Look at their victims and tell them you are okay with the abuse they’ve endured,” I whispered softly.

“I stand with my sisters, Aria,” she muttered. “They’re my sisters.”

“And I’m not.” I laughed softly.

“You are still my sister,” she argued.

“You can’t save them all, Aria. Haven’t you figured that out yet?” Sabine queried, her tone pleading for me to understand. “They’re lost, but we can survive if we do what they ask of us. We’ve agreed to marry lords and kings who will secure our places and protect our futures in the Nine Realms. Come with us, and we’ll survive together. United, we’re stronger than Hecate.”

“And abandon all the other witches to their fates at the hands of monsters? They do not just murder those they consider as less, Sabine. They ruin them, rape them, and torture them before they kill them and string them up outside their gates. I won’t ever stand on the same side as those who allow that to happen. We’re witches, and witches never abandon our own to their fates. Witches fight, and we flourish together. You intend to abandon them to a fate worse than death.”

“So be it,” she said, turning to the others. “Blessed be, Aria.”

“The blessed are the dead, for they cannot hear the deplorable drivel escaping from your lips.”

I snorted while they watched me, spinning on my heel. I started toward Siobhan, who’d opened a portal. My heart thundered as I reached down, sliding my hands around a slender child’s waist, and handed her through the portal the moment Soraya was in the shelter. I continued helping the ones who couldn’t walk through the portal until there was no one left.

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