Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #2) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,159

agate for earth.

Aquamarine for water.

White fluorite for air.

Around the edge of the platform was apophyllite that represented the ether.

Swallowing hard, I moved closer to the altar as the stones ignited, and the room came to life. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and sage. I sucked my lip between my teeth, worrying it as I moved onto the platform.

Turning back, I found Knox slamming his hands against a barrier that was glowing an eerie color of blue, preventing him from entering the chamber. His mouth opened and closed, and yet I couldn’t make out his words.

I started toward Knox, but scrapping sounded behind me. I stepped back as more silver-haired men leaped onto the platform, observing as it turned, and the crystals sent rainbow prisms onto the floor. The moment each crystal lined up with their correlating statue, the floor opened, and something rose from beneath it.

“I told you she could do it,” one of the men snorted.

My eyes lifted to find the male with the softer blue eyes studying me. Unlike the others, there was an intensity in his stare that caused me to become unsettled. His lips tipped up in the corners like he’d felt what his gaze did to me. He was strikingly handsome with a ruggedness that spoke of hard lines and jagged edges. His shirt failed to hide the strength of his body, which held my stare hostage.

He rattled low, and my eyes widened at the sound. My body jerked, and I slowly blinked, lowering my eyes from the power of his rattle while it rushed through me. A louder rattle sounded behind me, forcing my eyes toward Knox and his men.

Knox looked murderous, his eyes staring past me to the man who had rattled. Soft turquoise eyes met and held his in challenge, and I exhaled, moving my attention away from the pissing contest to where a body was revealed.

“That can’t be good,” I muttered, and then gasped as someone grabbed both of my hands, and the men started chanting. Power rushed through the room, and my body burned from the pressure of it pulsing and throbbing through me.

The magic felt right.

It felt like home. I whimpered, opening my eyes to find the male watching me through heavily hooded eyes. He smiled, exposing razor-sharp fangs that caused my body to clench with anticipation. The magic stopped, and the men supported my weight when my legs threatened to give out.

“Be careful, young one,” the man beside me stated, smiling. “It drained your magic to release her from the binding spell.”

“You might want to tell the pretty little princess what is about to happen,” the male opposite of me said, his eyes still sliding over my face.

I peered at the motionless form before me. The woman had silver hair, brushed to a fine sheen that glittered in the light of the crystals, creating a halo around her head. Her dress was aquamarine and didn’t carry a single wrinkle. I moved to get a closer look, but the men held firm, refusing to release their hold.

“Eva is about to wake up, and she’s going to attack you,” the male beside me announced, as if he’d told me it looked like it would rain soon. “She’ll be confused, and since you’re the only female present, she will test you. Don’t let her win, or your life will be forfeited. If you cannot beat her than your existence is unneeded.”

“Excuse me? It sounded like you just said that you made me wake her up, freeing her to kick my ass. So, I must have heard wrong.”

“Hecate trapped Eva here, luring her with the song of magic. It made Eva think her true mate was within the tomb, that the other half of her flame burned within it. Once Eva was inside, Hecate drained her power and left her without magic. The fact that you carry both royal bloodlines allowed you to free her from the spell that held her in stasis.”

“Yeah, no. Not happening.” I peered across from me, watching the male who oozed sexual tension toward me in spades.

“I’ve watched you, sweet Aria,” he said softly. “You’re more advanced and stronger than Eva. All you have to do is fight her until she tires, and you’ll survive. You can do that. Your father created you for war; to wage it and win. You’re an alpha, and you know it. Let your pretty monster out to play. I know she wants to come out.”

“You’ve watched me?”