will eventually have to take your head, no matter how much he craves you. Knox has never broken a vow in his entire life, and this one means the most to him.”
I swallowed as Killian’s hands trailed up my thigh, stopping in the middle to push his fingers against the inside. Dumping a drop of the cream on the burning flesh, he massaged it into the area where the flower had touched me as it dropped.
“I know he will, but that isn’t today. He plans to use me against his enemies, and we’ve yet to figure out who here wants me alive.”
“You’re not his mate either,” he growled, and I smiled sadly.
“I know,” I exhaled slowly as Killian continued rubbing the cream into my flesh, working it deep into the tissue to ease the pain.
“You’re like us, and probably one of our mates, or someone within the kingdom. You need to let him go, Aria.”
“Aden,” I announced, watching Killian’s eyes lift to hold mine.
“The man inside the cavern is your mate?” he asked.
“He’s who I plan to choose,” I answered, hearing someone snort beside me. I turned, seeing oceanic-colored eyes that glared down at me.
“I don’t think so,” Knox growled. His stare slid to my hands and thigh, where Killian still worked the cream into my burn. “What happened?”
“She said someone left hemlock in your tent,” Killian stated, his eyes lifting to meet Knox’s stare. “I’m done. You’re a witch. You should know what the fuck hemlock looks like when you see it. Be more careful.”
“Get up, Aria,” Knox demanded.
I rose from the chair, turning to stand before him as his gaze slid down my dress. I didn’t ask if he’d found my family because, honestly, I feared the answer. He was Knox and a skilled hunter. He enjoyed hunting things down and capturing them. That’s probably why he didn’t use the brand on my leg or insisted that I tell him their location when he forced me to take truth serum.
Moving toward Knox, I noted how he looked over my shoulder at Killian. It was tense, and the moment we stepped out of the tent, we all walked in silence toward the one I shared with Knox. Inside, there was no glass of water or hemlock. I swallowed, moving toward the spot I’d dropped the flower as the men watched.
“It was here,” I stated, watching their nostrils flare.
“I smell nothing.” Knox eyed me instead of the hand that pointed toward the table. “What game are you playing, Aria?” Knox asked, and I snorted in reply, rolling my eyes as I held my hands up in the air.
“You think I’d do this? Do you have any idea what hemlock does to me? To us? It burns through the tissue, soaking into the bones. If left untreated, it would make me horridly sick, slowly killing me. But sure, let’s say I’m playing games. I get off on Russian roulette and playing with my life, especially when you’ve locked away my magic, and I can’t save myself.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at Knox, who, in return, looked at Killian, who frowned.
“Her burns were real,” Killian said, nodding at my leg. “Her thigh was burned as well, which backs up her story of dropping it with her dress choice, which is rather open in that region.”
“They’re called thighs, Killian,” I said pointedly.
Knox looked between us and snorted, shaking his head. He lifted his arms, crossing them over his chest as Brander entered the tent, unannounced.
“Who the fuck let Aria out of camp?” Brander demanded.
“You were out of camp?” Knox asked, his eyes narrowing to slits.
“I was looking for Brander, and the guards at the edges of camp said he was in the woods. No one stopped me, not even my guards.”
“Did you enjoy the show?” Brander asked, heat banking in his stare.
Knox rattled, turning angry eyes on me. I groaned, rolling mine, placing my still, very red hands on my hips, glaring at him.
“I needed medical help, and Brander was rather—busy. My life was literally on the line, yet I still walked away instead of disturbing the show. Are you accusing me of trying to off myself, or what are you thinking here? I woke up to flowers on the table and water in a glass. I picked it up, still half asleep, and then realized what it was. I didn’t drink the water. I dressed, left the tent, and asked Siobhan if she knew where I could