Ruins of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #3) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,127

the one who murders everyone I love, and eventually me.

“You’re upholding a promise you made to your deceased wife, made over five hundred years ago. I am the unfortunate one you intend to use to achieve that promise, no matter the cost. That cost is me. You’re sacrificing every desire I have ever had in life, and my life decided on by you, for the vow you made to your ghosts. Liliana is gone, and I am here and alive. I wanted to live a normal, boring life. I wanted babies that I created with the man I loved. I wanted that so much that it aches. Maybe that is my creature’s need and something that she perceives as important, and I only sense that burgeoning need from her. I am giving that up for your vow to protect my family, and if you betray that, I will join the opposing side, even if I have to slaughter them and raise them again to be within my army.”

“Careful, Aria,” Knox warned huskily, tightening his hold on my hips. “You’re encroaching dangerous territory. Tonight is for lovers who prepare for eternity together.”

“Tonight is for truths, and I promise you it is a truth I speak. You’re taking my future away for your promise to your deceased family. You had love. You had a child of your own. I will never know either. I get your broken fucking pieces and a warm bed. I get a promise for protection, one you’ve already failed to keep. Tomorrow, I will stand in front of your people, blessing the fruit of their unions. I will speak vows and promise you eternity, promising myself to you in front of your people and your family. I will tie the knot of unity, dance the maypole with you, drink the wine of celebration, leap over the firing logs, and become your wife. I will be alone through it all, with a man who will never love me. I will spend the rest of my days pining for a child to fill my womb.

“I will know pleasure, but the emptiness of what you’re taking from me will always be there. You promised to make me a fucking sandwich and give me a dick when my womb aches to be filled. I will be alone until I either escape you or give in and accept the nothingness you offer. That is our truth, Knox. I will be your silent bride, who everyone mocks because while I’ll take your name, I can never use it. I will be the Queen of Nothing, and I will be nothing more than a joke that your people will speak about behind their hands. You will be the King of Norvalla, Vãkya, and the High King of all Nine Realms. You will have me anytime you wish to use me, as your weapon, as your whore. I will be something you loathe and crave to punish, and you will punish me every time something happens because I will be on hand and nothing more than your whipping post. I’ll be there to take the blows of your anger for crimes I did not commit. Eventually, you’ll tire of me, but you’ll still do your duty because that is who you are. Maybe you’ll tire of my body or just get to the point where you hate me enough to end this misery you’ve promised me. Either way, your life won’t change any with the vow we take tomorrow. You can still find another to love, and while you won’t be able to give her a child, she’ll get to feel and be with you without the walls up every moment of every day. Me, I’ll be the forgotten queen, who no one cares about. I’ll be the witch who is caged and pulled out when it suits her husband to use her. I am what you said. I am nothing to anyone. I will never be more than a weapon or a body to use. That is my truth, right?” I pushed away from him, swimming toward the cave’s opening as he watched.

Once I returned to the cave’s entrance, I dressed and then hurried toward the opening. Knox grabbed my arm and yanked me back, glaring down at me with a fire burning in his eyes. His chest rose and fell with his anger, and yet he didn’t argue the truth of my words.

“I take that as you don’t want to marry me anymore?” he