Ruins of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #3) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,17

onto you. I repeated what I had heard. I know nothing of you or who you have loved in your long life. I told you what Lord Andres and Kristal said, which doesn’t make it a fact. You asked a question, and I answered it to the best of my ability.”

“The only woman I have ever loved, or will ever love, was my wife. You use your assault to strike against her memory? Fuck you, Aria.” Knox stood, pulling me up with him. He grabbed the towel, shoving me away from him as if he couldn’t stand to touch me. “You’re just like your fucking mother.”

I felt the slap of his words as if he’d physically struck me. I held out my hand for the towel, and he shook his head, glaring at me as if I were some disgusting thing he wanted to remember before he destroyed it. My hands trembled, and tears swam in my eyes before he threw the towel at me, hitting me in the face. My hands shook so violently that I couldn’t wrap it around me, so I held it in front of me instead.

“Did you arrange it all? Did you help the witches slaughter an entire army and capture Lord Andres, turning him against me and pretending to be kidnapped so I would rush in and rescue you? Was that your plan, to defile and make me second guess my entire life and my wife?” Knox snarled as his nails lengthened. “Pretty fucking convenient that you go missing, only to return and say things that would make me question my reason for war and my fucking life.”

“No,” I replied firmly. “I wouldn’t do that!”

“You called me to you with your rattling cries, and we’re not fucking mates.”

“I called for help because Lord Andres was about to rape me! I cried out because he slaughtered the women who helped me out of the water, right in front of me! I called for you because his bite turned me inside out, ripping me apart until I wanted to die!” I screamed through angry tears. “It felt vile and awful. It felt like he was making me his, and I wanted it to stop by any possible means. I wanted to die before he claimed me. I didn’t want to be saved, Knox. I wanted not to be his!” I held my stomach, uncaring that he watched me falling apart.

“You’re an excellent actress, but so were your grandmother and mother. It must run in your bloodline, just like treachery.”

“Sure, Knox,” I whispered thickly, fighting for control. “Let’s go with that. Put me in the cage, or show me where I may lie down. I’m exhausted from playing ‘let’s rape the witch and take off her head’ today. Maybe tomorrow you can do it and end this game of whom can fuck over whom the most because you’re exhausting, and I don’t want to play with you anymore. Every chance you get to think the worst of me, you jump on it. I have done nothing to you or your people. I have harmed no one who didn’t deserve to die a horrible death. I kept my word and began cleaning my house, and I didn’t ask to be here. I’m not five steps ahead right now. I’m tripping over my feet and just trying to stay alive.”

Knox swallowed, nodding at Brander. “Take her to your tent tonight and chain her to your bed. Gag the bitch if you need to shut her lying mouth,” he snapped coldly.

“She’s in heat,” Brander argued before running his hand down his face.

“And?” Knox countered, glaring at Brander. “I’ll return tomorrow after I’ve cooled off. If you’ve taken her by then, keep her. I’m done playing with her too.”

“Knox, that’s not happening,” Brander assured.

“Then lock her ass up, but do it now.”

“It is fine, Brander. Just take me to the cage, and I’ll sleep there.”

“She can sleep with me,” Killian announced, and we all turned toward him. “I don’t want to fuck her, not after what she just said about my sister. Chances are, you’ll return to her pretty throat slit during the night, and we can all quit playing her games.” Hatred burned in Killian’s eyes. I slid my attention to him, shivering at the coldness I saw.

“You will not kill her. No matter what her poisonous lips speak, her power would still aid us in the war.” Knox stared at Killian before turning back to me. “If you try