me her reach, which I’m sure was the point. She bypassed the wards you set, and she got to those I cared about.” That terrified me because it wasn’t hard to figure out my family was my world. “She will go after them next, my family. I’d sell my soul to the devil himself to protect them. So, King Karnavious, this is me, asking what you want from me to protect them. I’m offering you my soul here, Knox. I can’t let Ilsa hurt my family because of what I have done.”
“It’s not that simple, Little Monster.”
“It is, Knox. You tell me what you want from me to keep them alive, and I’ll do it. I’m standing here, bartering my soul for theirs. Tell me what I can give you to protect them, and I will make it happen.”
He lifted his hand to push the hair away from my face. Knox’s eyes closed, and he leaned his forehead against mine, whispering his words softly as if they hurt him to say out loud. “I want you, pretty girl. I want you to marry me. You’d be my wife, but only in the aspect that I will rule it through you when you take your throne. You will be a silent queen who has no authority and no power. You will never sit on either of the thrones, Aria. I cannot allow you to rule over Norvalla as my wife because that would be the biggest slap in the face to my actual mate, who your people murdered. You won’t ever have children because I cannot create them with you. You won’t ever take another man to your bed or share your body with them. You will carry my mark and will only ever know my touch so long as you live. We will strip your family of their powers and send them to the Barren Islands, where they will remain far away from this realm, which I will control through you.”
I moved my attention to the bowl, fighting the urge to throw up again. Knox watched me, snorting, before he shifted away to grab his shirt, his back tensing as he pulled it over his head.
I could save my family’s lives, but the cost would be my life. If I didn’t agree to Knox’s terms, it would leave my family in his and Ilsa’s crosshairs. If I accepted this deal and he captured them, it would force him to keep his word. Knox was the High King, which meant he was above all else. This deal would also ensure Knox’s lords were beholden to uphold his word. Ilsa, on the other hand, would have to get past Knox and my magic to reach for my family.
“Where are the Barren Islands?” I asked, watching him dress.
“Does it matter? You’d never see them again. They’d be free to live their lives without the threat of death. That is more than the warlords, kings, and queens of the Nine Realms would allow them.”
“And you’d ensure they made it there alive?” I continued, causing him to turn around and stare at me. Tears rolled from my eyes, and his throat bobbed before he spoke again.
“I would, Aria. I give you my word on that.” Knox placed his hands on his hips as if it took effort not to comfort me while I negotiated for the protection of my family.
“This would depend on if you found my family, of course,” I swallowed, watching his eyes narrowing to slits as a wicked smile slid onto his lips. His smile made my heart thunder with what it meant.
“I will find them, Aria.”
“I know you will, Knox. If you haven’t already, it would only be a matter of time. This deal would have to be explained to them once they’re captured. They would need reassurance that I had agreed to become your wife, or they won’t believe it to be true.”
“That is a given, woman.” He crossed his arms, staring at me pointedly. “Are we negotiating? Because I was pretty sure you asked what my terms were.”
“This is the rest of my life you’re asking for, Knox.” I swallowed past the lump in my throat, wiping away the tears while he watched me closely. “Am I the only one who will be faithful in our marriage?” I asked as he curled his lips into a wolfish grin that tugged at my ovaries.
“Are you asking me to be faithful to you, Aria?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered through the confusion