Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #2) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,82

to lead us to our death. Nor a weak one,” she continued, exhaling. “You too, Esme. You know the drill.”

Esme smirked, rolling her eyes as she stepped forward. Her finger lifted and pricked on the tip of the quartz, and the star below it began to glow with a soft pulsing hum of magic. I noted Esme held her power back, but it was enough to please the witch who smiled at her softly.

I stepped forward, pricking my finger on the quartz tip, just as Esme had done, before standing back as power rushed through the garden while the crystals exploded with light. The witches whispered excitedly around me.

The entire garden lit up around us. The candles exploded with flames, while the lanterns glowed from the crystals within them. More crystals hung from trees, looking like something out of a fantasy as my power ignited them. Water that held crystals beneath the surface began to glow a bright, deep cerulean hue, illuminating the fish in the pond beside us. All around, magic ignited flames and crystals as the little ones danced around me.

I chewed my bottom lip as Esme bumped my hip. “Show off.”

“You’re a true descendant of the Hecate bloodline,” the witch whispered in awe. “The rumors are true then; you’ve returned to save us?”

“I intend to do my best to protect you all and stop the evil happening within the Nine Realms.”

“There’s only one of you?” she countered, and I puffed out an irritated breath. “I meant no disrespect, Princess Hecate. I only hoped there would be more of you.”

“There are,” I assured her. “I’m actually on my way to join them. Esme thought I should see what I am fighting to protect. She is wise, but also a wise-ass.”

Esme snorted, shaking her head as she rolled her eyes. I let my gaze linger over the assembly of unmarked witches before I swallowed the worry that came with an offering of protection.

“I have a shelter prepared for you all,” I admitted softly. “You can’t stay here now. The Nymph Queen will come to see why her warriors have not reported back. It isn’t much yet, but eventually, my family and I will have a House of Magic set up, and we intend to invite those who have not turned to the darkness or served the high queen in her quest to be a selfish bitch.

“Esme will be there with you, and she could use some strong witches to help reinforce the keep that I claimed from a dark coven. I’m about to do something seriously stupid, which means I may be away for a while. My family will check in on you and ensure that you’re all safe and protected. There are enough food and supplies to last through an apocalypse, and it’s safe. That’s all I can promise you for now.”

“She’s lying,” Esme snorted, causing me to stiffen. “It’s more than you have, and more than anyone has ever offered us. It’s not just safe; it’s a fortified keep held beneath Hecate bloodline power. I have never felt safer within it, not even beneath the watchful eye of my mother. Aria has made room for over one hundred witches to join her there. You will have beds to rest your weary bodies, food for your bellies, and protection against the evil, vile queen that rules us.” The witches all stared at Esme, frowning. “Oh, and I’ve collected incubus males for women to use, too.”

“We’re in,” the witch chortled. “You should have started with that, Esme.”

I smiled, turning to look at Esme, who rubbed her hand down her face in relief.

“Witches,” we said at the same time, snorting while we watched them collect their belongings.

“You slaughtered nymphs today. Neven will not let it go unchallenged,” Esme stated.

“Neven is the Queen of Nymphs?”

“Indeed. Neven is a powerful nymph, and if I were you, I’d be cautious with her. You’re making very powerful enemies, Aria Hecate.”

“I didn’t come here to make friends. I came here to change the world, and that isn’t going to make me a lot of friends.”

“You are something else, Aria. You are more than I expected when I saw you running into that alleyway. I didn’t think in my wildest dreams that a Hecate Princess would come running toward me or offer me protection. Honestly, I thought we were going to go extinct, and that would be it. There would be no more good witches or those who clung to the old ways with the hope