Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #2) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,148

warned you we shouldn’t be here. You ignored me because you don’t trust me. That’s fine. But, for the record, I just saved your asses, twice. They were protecting the power of the dead witches, and whoever placed them here was very powerful. Had you brought any other witch here with you, you’d all be dead. So go ahead, take my head for saving your ass.”

“I don’t trust you,” he snapped harshly, slowly pulling his blade back while I continued walking toward him, daring him to push it through my throat.

“I don’t care if you trust me or not. Do you think if I had full access to my magic, that I’d still be here after what your man did to me today? Look at me, Knox!” I snapped, watching his eyes slide over the wounds on my face. “I promise you this: when I do get my magic back, and I will, I won’t play prisoner to you anymore. I’ll simply vanish into the night without a trace, asshole.” Knox lowered his blade, studying how I glared at him, before pushing it back into the scabbard at his waist.

“Get a perimeter set up around us. Make sure no other surprises arise.” Ocean-colored eyes watched me precariously, like he wasn’t certain he trusted me past where he could see me.

“No more dogs, right, Aria?” Lore asked, stepping out of the pool slowly.

“Don’t worry, Lore. I’ll protect you from the big, bad, dead dire wolves. You, I actually like,” I laughed as he smiled boyishly.

“You like me, Peasant,” Greer injected.

“You too, Greer,” I snorted, shaking my head while he exhaled, and his usual coloring filled his cheeks again.

Lore turned to the guys, hiking his thumb over his shoulder. “You guys can go, she likes me. I’ll tend to her bath and rub her real good. What can I say? It’s this pretty smile and amber eyes. They get the ladies every time.”

“Go set up a perimeter with the others, asshole,” Knox snorted, turning to stare at me as his men fanned out to do as he’d ordered. “Strip and get into the pool, Aria. We’ve wasted more time than we should have here.”

I snorted, rolling my eyes at him.

Chapter Fifty

Frowning, Brander hesitated, searching my wounded face as he set down a large pack. He was about to open his mouth to speak, but a deep rattle stopped him. Sapphire eyes slid over my shoulder to Knox, before slowly coming back to mine. Brander gave up and turned away from me, jogging to catch up with the others, leaving me alone with the overbearing, demanding, obstinate prick.

Lifting my head to the sky, I took in the splashes of vibrant colors signifying the change from day to evening. The sound of heavy armor clanging together as Knox removed it, peaked my awareness that he stood behind me.

I didn’t turn to look at him, knowing I’d find him naked or in the process of becoming so. Knox wasn’t a spark; he was the entire flame. He drew me to him, and the moment I got too close, he rendered me to nothing more than ashes.

I was about to enter a fertility pool with this man, and I feared it. It was reckless to be here with this dominant creature who exuded masculine intensity, shouting how virile and animalistic he was to every feminine part of me. Knox was everything I craved and wanted, and everything I couldn’t have.

When I was with Knox, the world faded away until only we existed. It all just stopped around us, or maybe it went on without us being a part of it for the time we were together. His eyes held mine until he was the only thing I knew or wanted to know. Our eyes spoke the words that our lips could never say out loud.

Together, there was no noise, no people, no thoughts or concerns, no yesterdays, no today, no worries for tomorrow or the day after. With Knox, the world just stopped turning, and we stood where nothing could reach us, within the beauty of it all.

Just him and me, both lost in the silence and stillness together. But when he was absent, when he wasn’t touching me, everything fell apart. I fell apart like I was missing a piece of myself. The world turned again, and we moved against one another. I didn’t like it, but I would live in it and always keep moving toward my goals. It was who I was, and