Ruins of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #3) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,114

awake to die again, but immortality prevents their true death from occurring.”

“That’s so wrong.”

“Welcome to the Wicked West of Vãkya, Aria,” Greer muttered.

“Lore, Greer, we could use some help,” Knox snapped, watching as the lord and lady slowly succumbed to death.

Once they’d finished dying, I reached up to wipe away the angry tears. Making my way to the table outside of our tent, I sat where Knox pointed. The men at the table turned to glare at me, and I frowned before dismissing them. My head tilted as Ember calculated the heartbeats present, silently humming before turning my head to listen to something within the walls.

The men all spoke the same language, ensuring I wasn’t included in the conversation or preparations for the attack they intended to wage on the castle. Knox listened, taking what the others said into consideration before asking someone else their opinion on the matter. He gave each lord equal time to express whatever it was they were trying to convey.

Greer settled in beside me, frowning as he noted they spoke in a language I couldn’t understand. He slowly folded his hands together, turning to look at me.

“Knox, have you considered including Aria in the conversation? She may be able to help end the issue at hand,” Greer announced, causing Knox to turn and offer him a disgruntled look of irritation.

“No, because she can’t know how many people are inside the castle or how many enemies are on the battlements and within the courtyard. She wouldn’t know how many dead bodies lay within or where the children of the keep ended up when the slaughter began.”

“Ten thousand enemies are waiting for us to breach the gates within the stronghold. Of those, most are unwanted beasts of some kind. On the battlements are two hundred and three witches, all of which are dark magic wielders, and none are young or inexperienced in their craft. That is why they’re able to mask their presence. In a room beside the main hall are children. Mostly crying or whimpering, yet they’re trying to be brave while reassuring one another that they will make it out of this alive. Somewhere beneath us are more people, but they’re weakening, as if the air source or their injuries are lowering their heart rate. Behind the castle is another group of witches, but they’re not here to fight. They’re here for me in the event that they win this battle.”

“How the hell can you know that?” one lord asked, his murky brown eyes sizing me up as I sat in my sundress, smiling.

“Because I am a witch, but also, the predator in me is starving, and she is counting potential prey within her grasp. Some of those creatures could be a potential donor or dinner. Bitches need feeding, and when they don’t get an easy kill, they stalk what’s available and within their grasp. We’re rather crafty and creative in fulfilling our needs when they haven’t been met. There are ten thousand potential meals behind those stone walls, and my creature knows it. She can smell them, but she can also hear their hearts beating erratically with excitement, which differs from those beating with fear. That removes them from the equation of those she’ll be allowed to consume for supper. Does that explain it on a level you can understand, My Lord?” Brander’s lips curve into a grin. Killian shook his head, silent laughter in his eyes as he turned to Knox. “Does that help end the issue? Because the people on that gate are about to come back to life, and they’re suffering needlessly.”

“They’re immortal, and they’ve probably endured much worse than what is currently happening to them, all things considered,” the lord stated, glaring at me. “Your kind enjoys torturing people and excels at it, whore.”

“Whore? Of all the slurs you have at your disposal, that’s what you choose to use? Let’s put that to rest, shall we? Your King is the only man who’s ever touched me sexually, and he intends to marry me, which means he will be the only man I will ever know in that way. Am I a whore? Of course, I am, but only for him, and only when he’s earned it. I’ll be in the tent where I’m wanted, apparently, being a whore,” I laughed soundlessly, the men watching me as I left.

Inside the tent, the chest containing Knox’s things caught my attention. It hadn’t been closed and was never left open, but it was