high king is about to become unstable when he learns the truth about what lies in his wife’s tomb. You need to come with us,” Siobhan whispered forcefully.
I shook my head, looking between Siobhan and Soraya, wondering if I trusted them enough to follow them out of the room. It could be a trap, one set up by Ilsa to get her hands on me. I closed my eyes and then snapped them open as images of Aine’s body filled them. Aine was here, which meant Kinvara was likely here too.
“Check the hallway,” Siobhan ordered. The witches, who weren’t littering the floor unconscious, moved to do as they were told.
“Esme is your sister?” I asked Siobhan, swallowing down the unease that moved through me.
“Yes, she is. She hid from Knox and his men when he captured those of us left alive in our village. I have kept the knowledge of her from him since his moods are unpredictable. Us witches always have escape routes.”
“And you?” I asked, turning to stare at Soraya. “Who the fuck are you?”
“The High Queen of Witches sent me here to kill you. She has my sister, and like you, my family is everything to me.”
“And yet you’ve not attempted to kill me?” I narrowed my gaze on her as my creature peered out through my eyes, accessing the threat.
“Julia is filled with darkness. You can remove it without murdering her. I came to kill a Hecate witch who was a nuisance. I found a queen who can save us, even though she doesn’t want the crown or throne.”
I swallowed and nodded before sliding my attention back to Siobhan. “I’m marked with his blood magic. Knox will follow us.”
“No, he won’t. You’re not marked. That rib you removed? That was where he attached his magic. Bekkah helped with that, but then she wasn’t aware of why she needed to rile you. You used what you had on hand and what the world gave you. The king marked you, and we needed to remove it. Men are easily swayed, and so I spelled them to hide what happened from Knox. I have been working on getting you away from him since the moment he captured you. You’re something special, Aria Hecate. We all feel it in your presence and your touch. Let us help you escape before it is too late.”
“I am here because I need to be here, Siobhan,” I swallowed.
“You’ll die here. Our people need you. We need our queen, Aria.”
I nodded, knowing that if I went with them, everything would have to change. I was where I was supposed to be, but Siobhan was right. The moment Knox figured out that his wife wasn’t real, he’d unleash hell on those close enough to be within his grasp.
“Let’s go,” I agreed, hating the tightening in my chest that squeezed my heart at leaving the unfeeling prick.
When the witches outside the door opened it, we entered the hallway, hurrying in the opposite direction from which Knox had brought me. Our slipper-covered feet barely made a sound as we moved through the keep. I blindly rushed behind Soraya and Siobhan, still not trusting their intentions until we entered the dungeon and Kinvara stepped from the shadows.
“Gods dammit, Kinny,” I whispered through the tightening in my throat, hugging her tightly. “You shouldn’t be here. You promised to stay safe.”
“Things changed, Aria. Dimitri is an enemy, one who works for Knox,” she stated, petting my hair while holding me close against her. “He removed Hecate’s skull and gave it to Knox. Aine volunteered to be a distraction, hoping that Knox would allow you out of his sight for just a moment.” Kinvara’s hands touched mine, and the burns vanished as she smirked. “Wolfsbane with a trace of hemlock, burns like hell, isn’t lethal to witches. We need to go before Knox meets with Dimitri and figures out we’re here to rescue you.”
I pulled back, nodding. “I killed Dimitri,” I admitted.
“You took his heart,” Soraya snorted, her eyes rolling. “He’s an alpha king, already crowned and placed on his throne. You didn’t remove his head. As an alpha king, you must feed the bastard wolfsbane and then remove his head. Same as us, feed us hemlock and remove our heads, and you end the immortality that holds us alive through time.”
I frowned, canting my head as she smirked. “You may come in handy, after all. I guess I won’t kill you yet.” I slid my eyes to the shadows, where