Page 78 of Crown of Chaos

“It’s forbidden to place her in their crypt if she committed treason,” Lore said, sliding his sword into the scabbard.

“He’s right, Knox,” Brander muttered before turning to stare at Killian’s retreat. “I’ll bring him back. It cannot be easy to have listened to the depth of her betrayal.” I walked over, picked up her head, and pushed it into the bag I’d brought for this specific purpose.

“It’s only against the law if I forbid it. Killian requested that her head be placed there but not her body. That is to be left to feed the wolves that hunt within this forest. I will see you back at the palace, Brander.” Lennox lifted his head, peering around the forest. “You’re with me, Lore. Everyone else, we’re not alone out here, so stay in pairs.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Knox

It took hours of ridinghard through the sprawling countryside to reach the palace in Dorcha. Instead of heading straight for the tomb, I returned to my room to shut out the world. Setting the bag on the floor, I withdrew the head, placed it on the table, and gazed at the look of panic that had frozen onto Celia’s face in death. I’d promised Killian I’d place her in the crypt, but she didn’t deserve it.

I’d keep my word, but the thought of adding her anywhere near my children burned like acid through my system. Celia deserved death, and so much more. I peered over her lifeless face, scanning the shadows for Aria. I’d set the head down to punish myself for failing to see her vile, treacherous heart earlier. But I also wanted to place the bitch’s skull at Aria’s feetand see if she approved of the kill. She wouldn’t, because she was fucking Aria. She’d probably feel bad for Celia, and then I’d feel like an asshole for leaving a rotting head at her tiny feet.

Celia’s death hadn’t given me joy, and the pain in Killian’s eyes socked me in the gut. For as long as I lived, I would never escape the sound of hurt he’d made as he watched her die. He’d flinched as I’d removed her head, and I’d known it wouldn’t be something I could take back. I couldn’t stop his pain, and I hated that I’d been the one to create it. He’d agreed, but that hadn’t been a simple choice, and neither was watching her die.

My eyes lifted from the head and move to where Aria was slowly clearing the nest, weeping softly. We were all living in pain, and nothing had changed. Nothing I had done had changed a thing or protected a single person from suffering in the same way I had. I’d failed her, and I hadn’t been there to protect her when she’d carried my babes in her womb.

Aria hadn’t allowed me to know she’d been pregnant. She’d made a choice to hide it, and I understood why. I didn’t blame her, not after what I’d said. At one time, I would have accused her of not caring that she’d lost our daughters. I would have told her that all her kind were heartless and power-hungry. Only, I knew her now, knew she was unlike anyone else I’d ever met. The pain she felt over losing our daughters wasn’t faked, and it had cut her so deeply that her light continued to fade, which I wasn’t certain she felt or realized. I did, as did the others within my trusted group.

The moment she’d completely cleared the nest, I closed my eyes and bowed my head. The pain in her pretty blue-green eyes twisted my stomach. Her hand moved to press against her lower abdomen, and a single soft sob escaped before she exhaled a ragged breath.

My chest tightened, and I battled the need to push through the barrier and hold her. I didn’t want her running, and after she’d lost our babes on the other side, with me unable to reach her, I’d spent days figuring out the brilliant mind that had meticulously erected it. I’d been impressed by the way she’d created it, slowly weaving souls into the fabric of the barrier, like a quilt. Once I’d assured myself that I could breach it, I’d pulled back.

If she were aware that I could pass through it, she’d flee. Right now, she needed to rest and to gather her strength for whatever came at us next. Here, with me, she didn’t need to fear being captured, Aurora couldn’t touch her, and the moment Hecate had breached the portal, and the moment she had, the library began adding magic nulling spells and medallions around the entire it as easily again.

Hecate had Celia take one of my medallions and alter it, forcing Gideon to carry Hecate’s message before he killed himself. And we’d all watched in silent horror as he’d decapitated himself and fallen to the ground in a mangled heap of limbs. Aria’s soft gasp had been swallowed by the room flooding with ours. I’d felt her regret and then disregarded it when the reality that we were right back in the thick of it settled on my shoulders.

Being around Aria was easy, but it wasn’t safe for her. Hecate was hunting her, and so was I, albeit for very different reasons. If I was right, Hecate was about to intensify her claim over the Nine Realms, and Aria would be in her way now. If I continued to switch between wanting her and hunting her, I’d end watching her die as well.

My eyes slid to the head on the table, and I snorted softly. I wanted Aria, her sweet noises, shy glances, and primal savagery she unleashed when she fucked. I wanted to watch that beautiful mind in motion. I craved to watch her exploring the library. To watch her eyes glowing when she discovered a treasure or knowledge excited me. Aria enjoyed history and reading. I fucking liked that she read, and made noises when the book hit on something she found interesting, or exciting. Hell, I’d added an entire hall of fantasy books just so she’d never want to leave it.

The girl had gotten beneath my skin and had filled my broken cracks with her soothing touch. I wasn’t sure when it had happened, but I also didn’t care. She’d claimed me—marked me as surely as I’d marked her, but it was more than even that. It went deeper, and that scared me more than how fucking much I craved her. But that would end badly if Hecate realized Aria had dug her nails into my heart. If Hecate took her away, I’d destroy everything and leave this entire world in nothing more than corpses and destruction when I burned it all down.

It was why I wasn’t chasing her yet. I’d been arrogant and assumed that I was untouchable. I’d taken every precaution I thought was needed to protect her and my brothers, but it had shown me how stupid I was to assume it would be so easy. I’d lost my brother, and she’d lost her sister, and we had lost both those lives in the one place that was supposed to be safe.

Aria was learning to fly, and she was doing so on her own. Greer was right. Aria didn’tneedanyone. She’d been surviving against the odds since the moment she’d drawn air into her lungs.

I scanned her face, slowly memorizing the beauty of her. Aria was becoming more muscular, and she was firmly toned from endlessly running. There was a coldness to her she hadn’t had before and I prayed it didn’t linger inside her for long. It didn’t matter if it was me or someone else. She got back up stronger, smarter, and fought so much harder to remain upright. But how long until she stopped and remained on her knees in this brutal world that destroyed the pretty things the most? I knew Hecate had been jealous, but then, my little monster had been in her face, goading her to attack, and fucking hell, she’d been gloriously pissed.

The moment I’d realized Aria was facing off against Hecate, I’d lost my shit. Greer had stopped me, grabbing my arm and shaking his head in silent warning. I’d wanted to strangle the bastard, but I’d seen it then. At the base of Aria’s neck, the thing on her spine had risen and was pressing against her skin. I’d had to do a double take to be certain, but then it had lit up in a soft glow.

Aria had fought hard, and she’d made it look easy. I’d watched the true horror of what was happening displayed on Hecate’s features, and I had felt pride blossoming in my chest. I hadn’t felt that shit since Sven had knocked me off my feet with his wooden sword and held it to my throat. The fact was, could she do it again? And even if she did, it wouldn’t rid the world of the poisonous bitch that tainted everything she touched.

Greer’s hand had tightened, and his smile had floored me. He adored her, and it was apparent even though they berated and taunted each other mercilessly. Aria had that ability, though, to soothe the crankiest demeanor and make grumpy pricks into sunshine and tail-wagging puppies that doted on her. Killian and I were good examples, but she’d charmed Greer, and not even his lovers got to experience that side of the guy.

Aria released a soft sigh, and I studied the slump of her shoulders and the dark circles beneath her eyes.

As I watched, her eyelids were growing heavy with lust. Music started inside the room, and I swallowed as my jaw clenched.

Aria’s scent drew my attention to where she was, forcing my cock to twitch and jerk with the need to be inside her heated core. I could smell her womb, and the need to break down the weakening barrier to reach her was becoming more than I could ignore. Ember had hidden Aria’s scent before, but she hadn’t been able to conceal it from Lennox since the miscarriage. I took in the delicate set of her jaw and the full pout of her sexy mouth. Those lovely eyes slid toward me, and I fought the need to let her know I watched her bathing.

The need to have her near wasn’t just about sex, though. I wanted more from her right now. I needed to be as close to her as I could get. Aria had a way of making the world fade away when she was near, which was what I desperately needed. It was what she and I both needed.

From the first moment I’d met her, she’d blown me away. Aria’s fire had scalded me, and I’d needed to feel her heat against mine. There was magic in her lips, and the way she tasted against mine. Aria enchanted me, and the moment I touched her, I didn’t care about anything but her. That was dangerous, and something I fought against. Not because I didn’t crave it, because I did. I feared others knowing how I felt about her and seeking to use Aria against me. I didn’t want them touching her, or tarnishing the purity she clung on to, even in this desolate place that should have snuffed the fire out of her by now.

Aria was blossoming in the harsh climate, and I hadn’t expected her to. The girl was a wild card, who played her cards and then made you pick them up after she’d sent them flying into the air. I’d tested her repeatedly and each time, she came up swinging faster and harder than when she’d gone down. I’d gone to war on her body, and she’d fucking fought me. Aria wasn’t afraid to go barebones, and hurt me. She had ripped her way into my soul, and marked it viscerally deep to make sure I’d realized she had.

The woman was a masterpiece of strength, endurance, and perseverance.

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