Ruins of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #3) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,229

to spell, and it takes a very adept and powerful witch to create one strong enough to trick anyone with a heightened sense of smell. It would require someone to refill it often. Lore said she visited a witch once a month, confirming my suspicions.”

“So, you did know! I should take your fucking head right now, Aria,” Knox snarled and lunged for me, but before his feet could leave the floor, he and his brothers were frozen in place by the library. I laughed sadly as I lifted my hand to the scar on my throat. “That won’t save you, and neither will the library once it sets me free.”

“You would remove my head for a crime I didn’t commit? You’re angry right now, and I understand that rage. I didn’t play any part in the deception done to you. I won’t allow you to punish me for that, or anything else anymore, Knox. I wasn’t even born yet!”

“I don’t fucking care,” he growled. Knox lowered his head to the skull he held, glaring at it. “I’ve killed all the Hecate bloodline witches except Kamara, who we believe to be the High Queen of Witches, Aurora, your sisters, and Hecate. We know your aunt and sisters are alive, which means Hecate was my wife, and I never even knew it was her pretending to be Liliana.”

“I wasn’t aware of the truth, nor was my family. You should know that. Dimitri brought you the skull we intended to use to create a new House of Magic. I figured out that Hecate wasn’t in her tomb. I didn’t tell anyone that our entire plan hinged on getting Hecate’s skull when we left Haven Falls to return here, when you forced us to return. Do you have any idea what went through my head when I figured out that she wasn’t in her tomb? I thought all hope was lost to create a new House of Magic. Then I thought, who else would know to take Hecate’s skull to prevent us from being protected by the magic it held?”

“Me,” he snapped harshly.

“You,” I agreed before sucking my lip between my teeth, watching his anger.

“Knox,” Brander interrupted. Knox turned, leveling with him with a murderous look. “It’s important.”

“What the fuck could be more important than figuring out that Hecate was my fucking wife?”

“There are pregnant women from Beltane in the infirmary. A lot of them, and most are mistresses, and there are very unhappy wives present as well.” Brander’s eyes slid to mine as Knox’s returned to me.

“Am I supposed to believe you are responsible for that too?” Knox demanded.

“No. I told you, Knox. I’m your villain. No matter what I do or how many wrongs I right, I will never be anything more than your enemy. I told you that you would regret marrying me. I let you catch me because the only other place in the Nine Realms where that skull could be was here. I had no knowledge of a Hecate witch being your wife. It is decidedly a little awkward considering you, and I just fully mated.”

“You think I care that you’re my mate? Your death ends that, Aria.” Knox growled, struggling to break free of the library’s hold.

“I know, which is why I’m about to take your fucking library and leave you here to stew in that anger that is brewing within you.” I stepped back into the protection of the barrier erected by the library. “Marriage is 50/50 after all. Right? You can keep your thrones and your kingdoms. I just wanted your fucking library and my grandmother’s skull back. I wish she hadn’t done this to you, but I can’t change the past. I can only focus on the future. You wanted me to become a monster, Knox. Well, here I am, probably not the monster you thought I would become. I probably won’t make a decent bad guy or the ideology of what the world thinks one should be. But in your story, I am what you made me. Not by choice or because I became it. I am your villain because you want it to be so. I am your wife and your mate.”

“You think this skull will save you? Take it,” he snapped, throwing it at me.

I caught it, frowning as I lifted my attention to him, then dropping it back to the skull. There was no rush of magic or power that echoed through me. I stared at the symbol of the Hecate