Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #2) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,62

she whispered, “They’re bad, because, well, they’re just bad.”

“Thanks, I was having a personal conversation with myself here. I wasn’t actually asking you!” I stomped my foot, frowning as she recoiled from me like I’d intended to slaughter her over her opinion. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I’ve killed thousands of witches in the last few months, being chased all over the Nine Realms by an alpha asshole who thinks he can just caveman my ass over his shoulder and walk off into the sunset! That isn’t how it works, right?”

“Generally speaking, that is how it works,” a blonde woman said sheepishly, her eyes darting toward the others who nodded their agreement. “My husband claimed me in the middle of the street, bred, and placed his mark on me. I am his now.”

“Oyo, the state of things in this place is a mess. So, each of you takes a dress and puts it on. When you get outside, scatter, running in different directions from one another. That’s all I need from you. The moment you are away from the store, you’re free to live a normal… somewhat terrifyingly submissive life.”

“That’s all you want us to do?” a raven-haired woman asked. “That’s it, and we can leave?”

“Yes, I just need my scent to go every which way except in the direction that I will go. So, chop-chop,” I said, clapping my hands together quickly. “Everyone grab a dress and change, please,” I held my bag open for them to take my dirty dresses, which was a little disgusting, but desperate times left me few choices.

After the women left the shop, I grabbed one of the light blue dresses from the rack and slipped it on, moving toward the dressmaker who had yet to move. He assumed I hadn’t noticed him behind the counter.

I smiled. The man’s white bushy eyebrows shot to his frizzy, silver hair, and his hands lifted into the air as if he thought I intended to rob him.

“I don’t intend to harm you, sir,” I stated, smiling tightly.

I pulled jewels from my bag, placing them onto the counter. His eyes widened as I turned, pulling dresses from a rack, protected in plastic covers to guard them against dust.

The shopkeeper observed me silently, nodding when I slid my gaze to him to see if he would object. His old, gnarled hands reached up, accepting the jewels while I pushed the few simple dresses into my bag. My attention returned to him, and he flinched.

“I don’t have any shoes, sir. I lost mine when I slaughtered a castle of evil witches and woke up later than I intended. The man I’m running from almost caught me, so I had to grab my bag and go, leaving my shoes in the castle and me without them. He’s making it rather difficult for me to keep clothing and shoes on my person.” Looking around the shop, I felt a twinge of regret for the old shopkeeper. “I hate pilfering from drying lines, and I hope the jewels help repay your loss of sells from me coming in unannounced, running off all your paying customers, for which I apologize.”

“May I see your foot?” he asked, and I smiled before lifting it for his inspection.

He pushed his brows together but nodded, bending down beneath the counter to grab something. I tensed, slipping my attention to the women waiting by the door for my cue right outside of the shop doors, held there by magic.

The old dressmaker cleared his throat, and I turned back, staring down at the slippers he held up. Frowning, I accepted them and offered him a quick awkwardly worded thanks, smiling briefly before moving toward the door as power rippled through the shop.

Chapter Twenty-One

Opening the door, I watched the women rush in all different directions away from the shop when I dropped the magical confinement holding them. I slid into the shadows, carrying the shoes. I whispered a spell to become hidden within the darkness. I crept deeper into the alley, allowing myself to exhale against the fear of being prematurely captured. I knew it would happen eventually, but it couldn’t be today.

Inside the alleyway, I watched as Knox rushed toward one woman, grabbing her as she released a shrill scream of panic. He glared at the woman, grabbing her dress, and taking a long sniff of the material.

A smile played on his lips as Knox lifted his head, peering around the crowd as my scent rushed in every

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