Ruins of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #3) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,27

left alone to fester, those wounds you inflicted will get deeper. You both aim for one another’s hearts when you’re hurt or forced to feel something you don’t want to feel. You lied to her when you said she was only worth her scent, and we all knew it. She didn’t. She thinks she’s only worth her power and her scent now. So fucking fix it because only you can undo the wounds you inflicted onto that little woman’s soul,” Killian said, his eyes slowly sliding over Aria. “As I said, you don’t claim her, I fucking will. Lore isn’t the only one who wants one, asshole.”

They were right, which I had no intention of admitting. Aria was born to be the Queen of Vãkya. Forcing her into marriage wasn’t something I planned to do, though. She deserved more than that. She’d been manhandled and abused since arriving in the Nine Realms.

I’d only added to her pain, and I hated that we went at one another hard and dug in deep. Unlike Aria, I knew it was my need to rip her down to her barest form to see what made her. I knew my creature wanted her soul exposed and bared naked to him because he tested her for mating.

The mating ritual was simple between creatures, but it wasn’t easy on the shells that housed them. My creature was ripping Aria down to her barest form. He wanted to see her rage, see the flames dancing within her pretty eyes as she bathed in his chaos. I’d forgotten it, figuring no female would do something so crazy since our women had long ago lost the ability to breed or even feel their beast within them. It was as if they’d just lost them, and their creatures had gone dormant.

Aria’s creature hadn’t. Hers was in a heat cycle, fighting it and me. She was an anomaly. Things like us didn’t fight against what occurred naturally. My creature sensed hers, and he was shredding her flesh to expose her soul to him. She was doing the same without even realizing it. They were goading one another through us, forcing spikes of anger to ignite to see how much the other could take.

“Bloody hell,” I grunted, scrubbing my hands over my face.

“I’d say he’s figured it out, Brander,” Killian snorted.

Brander studied me, a sly smirk playing on his mouth. “From the look of panic and horror in his eyes, I’d have to agree.”

“You fucking assholes knew?” I demanded.

“That your beast was baiting hers and creating hell for both of you? Some of us aren’t thinking with our dicks, Knox. It’s been a thousand years since we’ve been privy to creatures testing one another. I’d forgive yourself that one. It’s been a while since we’ve had to think beyond our shells to consider a female’s motives.” Brander laughed, patting Killian on the back.

“Two alpha creatures going at one another to rip the other to shreds? You’re in for one hell of a fight. That woman is fierce, and there’s not a weak bone in her entire body. I don’t envy you the battle, but I do the prize,” Killian chuckled.

“You’re both assholes.” I turned toward the tree, finding Aria gone.

My stomach sank to the ground as I lifted my nose to the air, following her scent into the tent. I didn’t need to see inside to know she’d be cuddled on the floor in the corner, the furthest she could get from me.

Aria had every right to be pissed. I’d been a heartless prick, but at least I knew why I’d flown off the rails. I growled inwardly, listening to my beast snicker. Asshole. He hadn’t cared that Aria had been through hell because her creature should have reacted, taking control to turn off her host’s mind from the assault. She hadn’t, though, because she was young and knew that Aria was stronger because of the horrors she’d survived as a child.

Aria was strong, but she was also delicately made. Aria still believed in fantasies, holding the illusion of love on her fucking sleeve. She was this wide-eyed, beautiful creature that looked at the Nine Realms with hope burning within her when there was none here to be found. This place would crush her dreams, stomp her fucking heart into the ground, and ruin the beauty that shined from within her soul before she’d ever make a dent in this hellhole.

I’d protected Aria during her tour around the Nine Realms. I hadn’t fought