Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #2) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,57

our laws, proving there were witches worth fighting to save. Tears rolled from my eyes as she nodded.

“They’re out there, Aria. They’re waiting for us to come and save them. We’re not alone here anymore. Let us help you so we can go together and help them.”

“Go,” I whispered, barely loud enough to be heard. “You’re not safe here. Soon, the barrier will fail, and Knox will catch you. I can only escape him if you’re not here anymore when I wake up.”

“You can’t protect them and us.”

“I choose you, than,” I stated with conviction, filling my voice. Aurora’s eyes filled with unshed tears, her head slowly shaking at my stubbornness. “I choose my family, always. Get into the portal because I will need one to escape. I cannot do that if you’re still here. He will find me because I am weakened. Go, I will find you when it is time.”

“Aria, you can’t fight the world alone,” Kinvara shushed.

“Watch me,” I smiled sadly. “I love you, but I have to do this. I can’t be the reason you or anyone else dies. I can’t live with that, so please, just go. I will figure out a way to undo what I allowed to happen,” I whispered as pain erupted inside of my head, and everything faded around me but sound.

The pain was visceral and raw, shredding my insides until only guttural cries escaped my lips. The blood stopped running, and white pain pulsed behind my eyes. My entire body trembled, and it felt like tissue was replaced, cells re-situated, before everything seemed to go numb, finally.

“Stand back, Kinvara. Let the world heal her so that we do not lose her. You,” she growled harshly at Knox, pointing a finger in his direction. “If you touch her before she has healed, she will die. Do you hear me? To you, she is nothing, but this world thinks she is something special, or it would not have saved her with its powers. Let her be King of Norvalla, or watch her die because she will fight you until her dying breath leaves her lungs to protect the weak from you. You think us murderers, but ask yourself this. Who could be strong enough to push a goddess into her grave, sending her bloodline running in fear? Because that is who sired Aria and created her against all the odds.”

“You don’t know who sired her, Aurora. She’s mine because of that mark on her thigh. No one can question or challenge that. Aria asked me for the mark, and I agreed to give her my name. I protected her when she needed it, and you know that makes her mine now. It’s legally binding, and I don’t give a shit if you like it or not.”

“Neither do you know who sired her, but look at what is happening! The Nine Realms is healing Aria, acknowledging her attempt to do what was right for this world. She was willing to sacrifice her life to protect innocent people. How evil can she be, if she is ready to use her soul to protect them, Knox? Look at her closely because we still may lose her yet. No witch has ever held enough power to take back that which fuels the realms with my mother’s powers, but Aria almost did.

“You look at her as if she is a weapon to wield, but she’s just a girl who wants to do the right thing. Not everything is black and white, but if you push her, she will unleash hell on those who have endangered those she finds worthy of protecting. She is beautiful and pure. Remember that because unlike you, she’s never tasted grief, and when she does, it will be a game-changer. Don’t ruin her. She isn’t what you hate.”

“Oh, but she is because your bloodline runs through her veins. It’s all irrelevant because Aria is mine, and I intend to keep her, Aurora. I walked in and took your strongest witch from beneath your fucking nose. You thought you would rise to be queen, but we all knew who held the throne’s power. It wasn’t you and isn’t Aria’s sisters. You planned to use her too. You just didn’t intend for her to figure that out. Aria is brilliant, and sooner or later, she’ll put all the twisted pieces into place, and this world will tremble in her presence.” Knox’s tone was unforgiving and tense.

“Pray she doesn’t, because if she rises, we will all