Greer nodded to a chair, dismissing me before he moved to the witch that had told Knox I’d be fine upon expending all my magic. I rolled my eyes at Bekkah’s glare, turning to take in the women as Greer moved toward a group of shirtless men.
He was such a hussy!
My attention slid back to the women who continued to cry while trying to reach their children. I watched in horror as a large male slapped one of the tiny women, sending her body to the ground, and blood coursed to my temples as anger erupted.
I turned around as Bekkah shouted at one of the young witches who had cast a spell, missing her mark. I swallowed the unease and rage that rushed through me.
My attention slid to Bekkah, watching her eyes dance with enjoyment as she stood over the girl, swearing at her vehemently while the child apologized profusely. Bekkah backhanded the girl, cutting the young witch’s lip wide open with the rings she wore, splattering blood over the other girls.
I inhaled slowly, exhaling as men shouted at other witches in the center of the camp who continued trying to reach their children, fear fueling their overwhelming screams of frustration. The men laughed as they watched, amused to see children taken from their mothers.
I lifted my hands to my ears as my chest rose and fell with the rage burning through me. Fear etched into my mind watching witches die beneath Knox’s blade again. Blood coursed through my veins, pounding as it sought an outlet through magic, and finding none. Nausea swirled within me, bile pushing against the back of my throat as Knox’s image, covered in the blood of my friends and neighbors, flashed into my vision.
Bekkah turned toward Knox as he watched my reaction to everything happening around me. He nodded to Bekkah, who turned toward me with a stern look in her eyes as she pulled her lips back, revealing blackened gums that fueled the fury within me. He was allowing women, children, and young witches to be hurt knowingly?
Soldiers moved in front of our position, blocking my view of Knox and the others brought into camp. I tried to search for him through the crowd, needing his purr to ease the fury and rage pulsing through me.
Children screamed for help, and women begged for mercy for their children as men called them monsters who deserved to be put down.
The witches near me sobbed in fear, and then it all went silent minus the blood pumping in my ears. I stood, turning to the nearest threat to the witches.
Bekkah slapped the same young witch repeatedly when she tried once more and failed to master the spell. I moved before I could stop myself, using my inhuman speed to attack Bekkah before she could assault the girl any further.
Chapter Forty-One
I balled my hands into fists, and slammed one into Bekkah’s face, twisting my body when she fell to the ground, kicking her face as she landed upon it with a sickening cracking noise. My foot moved again, and I smiled at the satisfying crunch of her nose, and I turned in time to see a fist flying toward my face.
Pain ripped through me as the warrior continued his attack, slamming his other fist into the side of my face as the world spun around me. I blinked stars as pain so brutal and debilitating smashed into my head with each punch he landed.
I dropped to my knees, sucking in air as he kicked my stomach, continuing the assault as I fell to the ground, curling into the fetal position. He savaged me, hissing and grunting as he continued landing blows to my body.
If the warrior spoke, I couldn’t hear him over the blood pounding in my ears. It wasn’t until something slammed into him and then turned to cover my body that I cried out in pain, closing my eyes as some semblance of protection was offered.
“She’s not to be touched, by the king’s orders!” Greer shouted.
“Fuck that! She needs to learn a lesson!” the warrior snarled.
I didn’t move, gasping and wheezing for air as Greer shielded my body. Blood dripped from my face, and I didn’t need a mirror to know he had savagely beaten me within an inch of my life. I tensed as heavy footfalls sounded, and Greer lifted from where he’d used his body as a shield to protect me.
“Who fucking started it?” Knox’s angry tone echoed through my head.
“The bitch on the ground, Sire,” one warrior answered.
Knox grabbed the chain on my arm, dragging me to my feet. He growled, forcing me to run or be dragged behind him as everyone watched. Knox never looked back at me, causing my aching body to move without choice.
Greer rushed after us, staring at me with wide, horrified eyes as Knox hauled me behind him.
“Knox, stop!” Greer demanded.
“Not now, Greer,” Knox snarled in warning.
“My King, you need to stop!”
“Go handle the other rabid bitch, Greer,” Knox warned, pushing me into the tent before he spun around to deal with Greer. “Not another fucking word about Aria, or you can join her in her punishment.”
I pushed off the floor and crawled onto my knees. I didn’t move from where I’d landed, unable to keep my balance, staring at the tent that spun in my vision. Warmth spread down my face, and I noticed the cuffs had cut into my arms when I’d fallen.
My ribs burned, aching to the point of feeling as if they were in danger of pushing through my flesh. Breathing had become increasingly difficult past the swelling in my face, and my lungs refused to expand fully.
“What the hell was that about, Aria?” Knox demanded, and I shook my head, sending black dots swimming in my vision. “Fucking answer me, woman,” he ordered coldly from behind me.
“They’re children, and you’re allowing your men and your witches to hurt them,” I whispered, still staring away from him. “They’re just babies.”
“They’re witches,” he snorted, dismissing their worth or concern for their safety.
“Oh, my bad! I forgot that’s what makes them not worth caring about their mistreatment. What would your wife say about your whores? How would she feel about the abuse of women and children you allow within your camp, at the hands of your men?” I demanded coldly, wanting to hurt him as much as me.
“Careful, Aria,” he warned, barely above a whisper.
“How would your son feel about you allowing your men to harm children for their enjoyment? Do you allow them to rape the children as well? Does it make you feel better to know they’re hurting?”
“That’s enough. You don’t want to go there,” Knox hissed, and his rattle started low in warning as anger pulsated through the tent, stifling the air.
“What would they think about you now? Would they be proud of the man you’ve become, fueled by your grief? Or would they hate you as much as I do for how you treat other beings?”
“Aria, shut the fuck up now!”
“That’s right. Your wife and your son wouldn’t think anything because they’re fucking dead!” I snarled, turning around as his hand landed against my cheek, sending my body spinning to the ground once more.
Gasping, I blinked past the pain in my face while blood poured from my nose and mouth, covering the carpet of the tent. My shoulder sent pain echoing through my body. I inhaled, unable to do more than gasp for air.
I felt his stare burning into my spine. I gulped greedily for air, unable to get enough into my lungs past the pain ripping through me.
“Get up, now, Aria,” he demanded coldly.
It took everything I had to stand back up, and when I did, I refused to face him. My head hung in defeat, and my body screamed in agony as blood dripped from my face, staining the already soiled dress even more.
“Look at me, witch,” he demanded, and slowly, I turned to face him, watching as his eyes widened in shock at what he found. “What the fuck?” he whispered, staring at the multitude of damage done to my face. “Brander, now!” he shouted, and no sooner had he called for his brother, Brander entered with Lore, Greer, and Killian on his heels.
Every one of them stopped dead in their tracks the moment they caught sight of my damaged face. I could feel it swelling, and knew that Knox had added little to the damage, si
nce he’d pulled back before striking me, yet his anger was what I had wanted. I wanted him to hurt and feel rage like I did for what was happening outside the tent.
“Gods damn. What the fuck, Knox?” Brander whispered, slowly stepping closer to where I stood.
“I barely fucking touched her,” Knox stated, still staring at my injuries in horrified shock.
My arm hung limply at my side, dislocated from the warrior’s kicks and Knox dragging me behind him during his rage. My face steadily poured blood from my nose and mouth. I could feel the gash in my lip, and multiple lumps forming on my body as Brander moved to stand in front of me, silently gazing at the damage while trying to figure out what part of my body to address first.
They waited for hysterics, which didn’t come. It was internal. Fear ripped through me as I realized I could actually fucking die here. I swayed on my feet, staring through them as Brander shook his head.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me she was hurt, Greer?” Knox snarled, turning his anger on Greer.
“With all due respect, My King, you refused to hear me. One of your warriors attacked Aria for assaulting Bekkah. She took quite the beating from him before I shielded her with my body to prevent even more injury to her person. So, to answer your fucking question, you weren’t hearing me when I told you to stop, adding to her injuries by dragging her through camp.”
Knox swallowed audibly, dragging his hand over his mouth before turning to look at me again. “Brander, do something.”
“It’s too much fucking damage to heal on my own,” he stated, lifting his finger to my chin, staring at my injuries. “He crushed her cheekbone and shattered her nose. The veins in her eyes have ruptured, and her arm is dislocated or it’s broken. That’s just what I can see without knowing her internal damage. I’d need to see her undressed to know about her other injuries. Judging by her shallow breathing, there’s something else going on with her lungs we’re not seeing.”
“Maybe give her some privacy?” Greer asked, but my claws extended, and I used my good arm to drag the dislocated one to the lace strap, severing it and the other tie to let the dress drop to the ground. “Or not. Peasant, we can allow you your dignity.”
“I’m a prisoner, not a fucking guest,” I stated, wheezing the words out as Brander hissed, staring at the rib pushing through the skin beneath my breast at an odd angle.
“That’s not good,” Brander groaned, lowering his hand to touch the taut skin. “Lore, grab my med-kit. We need to heal her enough to get her to the village up the mountain. There’s a healing pool there,” he stated, turning as Knox exhaled, glaring at Brander for even considering using a magical healing pool.
I stared down at the rib protruding from my flesh, pressing against my lung. Using my nail, I sliced through the skin while everyone else stared away from the sight of my naked body, trying to decide how to heal me correctly.
I slid my fingers in around the offending rib bone, gathering my strength before I snapped it off. Crying out, Brander turned around, his mouth falling open as he watched the bone slip through my bloody hand to land on the ground. I grabbed my limp arm, pushing it up forcefully. I ground my teeth together. Screaming past the tears as it burned and ached, popping back into the joint.
Everyone stood, silently gawking at me. I walked carefully to the brazier and grabbed a lump of burning coal with my bare hand, pressing it against my open wound to seal it. The sizzle and scent of burning flesh filled the tent, causing my stomach to churn.
I closed my eyes and swallowed past the scream that sat at the back of my throat, which I refused to allow to escape.
Once composed, I schooled my expression and turned to stare at Brander. He took in my burned flesh, shaking his head, tilting it to the side as he opened his mouth, then clamped it closed, deciding against whatever he was about to say.
He ran his hand over his face, closing his eyes and tilting his head toward the tent’s ceiling, staring at the blue sky.
“Gods damn, woman.” Brander’s startling blue eyes lowered to mine before lifting once more.
“I’m ready,” I whispered, gaining enough air to speak clearly.
“Did that just fucking happen? I mean, I saw it happen, but I’ve seen grown men scream like a bitch when a bone dislocates! Not Aria, she’s like oh, my bad, let me slide this bitch-ass bone back into place. Oh, and who the fuck needs ribs, anyway?” Lore snorted, pushing his hands through his hair.
Greer wrapped his cloak over my naked body, slowly easing me down onto the bed. He turned, staring at Knox, who had yet to speak as he stared down at me.
His jaw clenched, grinding together as he turned, staring toward the tent’s opening as if intending to bail to avoid looking at my damaged face.
Chapter Forty-Two
“Everyone out now,” Knox whispered hoarsely, bending down to pick up my discarded rib. “Killian, prepare a small group of men to travel with us into the mountains. But only the few you trust to remain silent about what we’re planning to do. Lore, have the women set out ale and get the camp followers to keep Lord Andres and his men busy for a few hours. Greer, help Brander gather what he needs to prepare Aria for travel through the mountain passes. She won’t be able to walk.”
“I can walk just fine,” I stated, watching his eyes return to mine. “I’m not your fucking damsel, King Karnavious. I’m Aria Hecate. I am not a weak-ass bitch who needs coddling by you or any other man. You must have me confused with your other whore outside, weeping and waiting for you to notice her.”
“Out, now.” Knox’s jaw clenched and unclenched, his eyes burning with rage and unease, a strange combination for him.
The men escaped the tent as if dire wolves were giving chase while Knox stared at me. After a moment, he kneeled directly in front of me.
“You aimed for my throat, Aria, but you missed. You hit my heart. You’re not allowed to speak about my deceased wife nor my son, do you understand me?”
“I didn’t miss,” I stated, glaring at him.
Knox’s eyes searched my face, finding the truth of my words. His anger pulsated through the tent, smothering the air with the tension. He rattled, and I answered it, even though it hurt like hell to do so.
His eyes dropped to my chest, and he shook his head, standing to move to the chest, withdrawing a new dress. He pulled me up, causing a cry to escape my lips as he removed the cloak Greer had placed over my shoulders to shield my nudity from the men.
“Some wounds never heal. Some fester, and when you scratch the surface of the scab, you make them ooze poison. Don’t do it again. I shouldn’t have hit you, but you don’t make it easy for me when you use your claws.”
“It’s not my job to make this easy on you. I’m nothing but a witch who didn’t even warrant your protection. I think it is best we identify where the lines are in this arrangement early on, and now we have. I mean nothing to you, and I’m okay with that. You’re nothing to me, and now we know where we stand and what we mean to one another. Absolutely fucking nothing,” I whispered, wincing at the pain that speaking caused.
“You think you mean nothing to me?” Knox carefully pulled the dress over my head as he studied my face, more than likely unable to judge anything past the swelling.
“I honestly don’t give a fuck if I do or don’t anymore. I will escape you again and again. I will never be yours, King Karnavious. I won’t be a tool you use to harm innocent beings. If you were only against the witches who had unjustly wronged the Nine Realms, I would stand beside you, willing to wage war with you at your side. That isn’t what you want, and those children abused by your lord outside of this tent prove that point very clearly.”
“Your side didn’t care about the loss of innocent life either, Aria. You’ve been here a moment, but we’ve endured the witches’ tyranny for hundreds of years. Your family abandoned us to the dark witches, leaving those monsters in charge of the Nine Realms, and we have had enough of enduring it.”
“I’m twenty-five y
ears old. I have done nothing wrong to you or your people. Those witches who harmed this world are not on my side, either. As I have said, we’re fighting toward the same goal, and yet we’re not even close to being on the same side.” I winced as Knox reached around to replace the cloak I had worn with his own.
“You forget that I have claimed you, and you’re also my prisoner. You are here, and we’re fighting on the same side because you have no other choice, woman. Not a fucking word when you step outside this tent. Do you understand me?”
“Is the king afraid of his lord?” I scoffed, wincing as he grabbed my arm, releasing it immediately. I gasped, exhaling to hide the pain he’d just caused.
“I am the leader of the rebellion against your people, Aria. You’re warming my bed, even if unwillingly on your end. I will not look weak in front of my people. Not even for you,” he warned through clenched teeth.
“Does my face make you look weak?” I asked pointedly, forcing him to look at it again. “Don’t worry. You look like such a man beating defenseless women and children. Your cock can stand proudly at full mast. It’s safe from looking weak in your lord’s eyes, with how well you tamed the rabid whore witch last night; he’ll be singing your praise. If you like, you can polish your reputation by raping me in front of your army and your guests. I think it’s the one thing that you have yet to do to me. I’m sure the murderous bastards out there would enjoy watching you teach this whore a lesson, showing her where her place is by your side. Wouldn’t they? Would you like to rape me, King Karnavious? I can scream really well for you to complete the image of obedience.”
“You think I wanted to hit or abuse you?” he snarled, stepping closer to me, and I refused to back down. “I will never force you to be with me, Aria. Never.”
“I think I’m your enemy, and that you refused me your protection to make a point. You never expected me to come to harm, and yet you knew it could happen. You could have stopped this, but you chose not to. I think you’re regretting that choice, but regret comes when failure to act has already happened. It comes too fucking late to matter, which is why it is called regret in the first place.”
Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms Book 2) Page 30