Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #2) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,41

so I can destroy the witches and fix that issue you’re having.”

“This is sort of an awkward subject to have, surrounded by our armies,” I swallowed, closing my eyes, leaning my head against the barrier, and moaning at the heat rolling through me.

“I’m not fucking asking anymore,” Knox snapped harshly, his eyes slowly returning to a vivid blue, showing he’d contained his beast, which was more than I could say about mine.

Of course, my body would pick now to have an episode. That’s what I’d started calling the momentary events where my body buckled, and my hand slid between my thighs, fighting the pain that ached there. My creature thought it was hilarious when it happened, singing about me stroking the devil’s doorbell. It was something I couldn’t prevent, and it tended to happen only when I caught his scent while hunting him.

What else could go wrong?

“I’ve actually started laying siege to the keep already. Arrows are about to be released on me from the lady inside. So, be a good boy and wait here for a moment, please, and thank you. I have something to do real fast.”

I stepped back as the witches removed their cloaks, revealing their bodies’ decomposed state. Knox’s eyes widened as he looked over my shoulder, his mouth opening and closing. I laughed, enjoying the horror playing out on his and his men’s faces at the morbid scene before him, grimacing as the dead witches laughed along with me.

Knox watched my undead army opening their decaying mouths, ready to echo my words. Lifting my arms, I swayed my hips, knowing all the decomposing bodies around me mimicked my movements as I danced for him.

“Aren’t we so pretty, Knox?” We all spoke together, the magic growing as I rolled my head on my shoulders, causing them to do the same. “How about an undead orgy? You down?” I laughed mirthlessly, noting his eyes lowered to my midriff with naked hunger.

“What the fuck did you do, Aria?” he demanded the moment he regained focus, pulling his attention from my skin.

“I rattled their world. Your turn will come soon enough. Are you ready for me? I told you I’d handle my house. Can you say the same about yours? Mine isn’t the only one dirty in the Nine Realms, now, is it? Your house has enjoyed using us, deflowering us, and then keeping us as pets. Isn’t that right?” My gaze slid to the witches within his army, then back to him, anger burning in his gaze.

“Careful pointing fingers,” he warned coldly, his jaw hammering. I smirked, knowing I’d hit a sensitive chink in his armor. “You’ve been in this world for a minute. You have no idea what I’m capable of once you’ve pissed me off. Don’t piss me off. You won’t like what happens, Aria.”

“I’ve been here a few months, Knox. I’ve set siege to four castles and brought them all to their bloody knees. You’ve been at this for how long? And you’ve done what? Waged war on me? Oh, no. That’s right. You’ve wrecked my world, killed the evil bitch that birthed me, and her wicked sister. Your people raped and decimated innocent lives that had nothing to do with your war, and you think witches are the only problem in the Nine Realms?”

“Your breed, the Hecate line, is the only one that matters at the moment. Kill the head of the snake, and the rest will fall easily.”

“I’m right here, Knox. Come get me if you think you can,” I snorted, stepping back as power entered the clearing, and the illusion I’d held in place slipped.

Now visible, were the burning embers of bloody husks and blackened skeletal remains littering the ground beneath our feet. The castle walls were singed and covered in blood and gore where I’d waged a battle against the witch who held the keep in Hecate’s name. Fires burned all around me, some from bodies, others from pyres I’d lit to increase the magic fueling the altar where I was about to stand. I’d been here for days, playing with these witches, testing my army against their numbers. I was winning until Knox had crashed the party.

Men were such inconsiderate pricks when they didn’t know how to ask a bitch for an invitation. I should be thankful he hadn’t just sent me a picture of his cock with a date and time for a fuck-and-duck. Flames exploded from the pyres, and my hand touched the altar as I turned, canting