tilted.
“Well, that was rude,” I grumbled, hating that I hadn’t expected them to hold that much power, let alone be corporal forms.
“You are unwelcomed here,” the strongest witch snarled.
“I didn’t ask if I was permitted entrance, now, did I?” I snorted, feeling Knox at my back. “You’re cursed to remain here, and yet you don’t belong here either. You’re dead.”
She blinked, tilting her head to the side before she scoffed, pulling an alarming amount of power to her. Her mouth opened, and she screamed, forcing Knox and me to our knees. My head throbbed, noting the others with her pausing in confusion.
“Your plan is so much better than mine was, Aria,” Knox grumbled.
I lowered my head, collecting the rattle before I screamed back at the witch, forcing my body up from the ground as my creature chuckled. Her power added to mine as she rattled through me to fill the meadow and the village until the golden sheen obsidian cliffside began crumbling as rocks slid free.
The ghost’s eyes turned to slits as she continued shrieking louder than any banshee could ever hope to achieve until another rattle joined mine. It was more masculine and absolute power that forced my hips to spread as my back arched.
Knox’s hands gripped my hips, pulling me back against him, stilling the storm his rattle held over me, threatening to release and render destruction to my body. One hand slipped around my chest, pulling me back as we continued rattling together until the witch dropped to her knees, her eyes wide with wonder.
The combined noise echoed through the valley, sending rocks cascading from the high cliffs to reveal amethyst points, larger than any skyscraper in New York City could ever dream of reaching.
My rattle lowered, changing octaves as I melted against Knox’s heat, turning to gaze into his sea-blue eyes that smiled at me knowingly.
Hell, even I could scent my need this time.
“That was the hottest thing I have ever seen, Peasant!” Greer chortled, forcing my attention to him.
Greer’s words struck me stupid. I turned, finding all of Knox’s men on their knees along with the apparitions, but where they bowed their head. Knox’s men on the other hand, looked perturbed at what we had done.
My nose lifted to the air, inhaling their arousal as Knox’s hold tightened on me. He dropped his lips to my shoulder, kissing the mark he’d made as if to remind me I was his. I could scent their aroused states, which called to my creature, making her perk up. Knox growled softly against his mark, and I shuddered.
“My Queen,” the dead witch whispered, causing my eyes to narrow.
“Nope. Not your queen!” I laughed nervously, uncomfortable with her words. I needed to figure out if the Nine Realms offered counseling after Taren’s little future walk. “I am just a girl trying to do the right thing here.” Her head dipped to the ground in a bow without a response, and I turned toward Knox, frowning. “This next part is going to be rather… dark. I have to light the sage and chant, so I’m going to need you not to murder me if it affects your men. I can’t shield them and send the witches onto their next path.”
“If you so much as whisper a spell to harm them, I’ll remove your head.”
“You’re such a romantic asshole.” I swallowed hard, nodding. “Just don’t look at my head while you’re… you know. Doing things if you do end up removing it today,” I swallowed, hating that the scent wafting from him was driving me mad with need.
My body clenched minutely, and his eyes dropped to my apex as if he had sensed it tightening. A cocky smile played on his generous mouth before he nodded.
“No promises on that one, Aria.”
I shook my head, expelling a slow breath, before moving toward the largest stone altar used to do powerful spells or blessings. Once I reached it, I bent down, retrieving the stone box of herbs probably way past their expiration dates, but I had little options at this point.
I pulled out a few small glass jars, sprinkling the entire contents onto the altar before stepping back, slowly lifting my hands as I summoned fire to ignite the valley’s sage.
“Aria,” Knox warned, and I turned to peer at a house that began to burn. Obviously, they stored sage within it, or it wouldn’t have caught fire.
“Let them burn. This is a tomb that shouldn’t be left for others to disturb. If nothing remains,