Queen of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms, #5)(67)
“I didn’t mean to come off so harsh, Aria,” she finally offered. “You don’t know what we’ve been through. Some of us? We lost everyone in the war. I lost everyone but my brother, who sacrificed me to save himself. Aden is my brother, but not one I cherish. Our relationship is very difficult.”
“It’s a sad story, but we all have one, Eva. You aren’t any more special than I am. I prefer you not lie to me, and I’ll respect you more if you tell me how you feel instead of talking shit behind my back.” There were a lot of things I could overlook, but lying about coming here to ease my mind wasn’t on that list and wasn’t cool. Though, I could see their side of it, too. The truth was never pretty, and it was normally hard to swallow, but that didn’t mean it was acceptable to withhold it.
Eva’s posture stiffened with annoyance. “Whatever this is, let’s get on with it. I don’t intend to stay here a moment longer than I’m forced to do so.”
“If you want to leave, I’ll help you escape,” I offered, shrugging when her eyes narrowed with frustration. “But I’m not going with you because I don’t trust you.”
The thing was that I liked Eva. I enjoyed her no-nonsense attitude. She had balls, which were needed to survive in this world. But I wouldn’t allow her to trample over me, or talk down to me. I’d been through hell to be here, which meant I wasn’t leaving until I got the answers I’d come here for.
“Your father could be hurt, or worse, dead. You’ve not asked about him once since I walked in here. Do you not even care about him?”
“I don’t know my father enough to necessarily care what happens to him. In case you’ve failed to notice? My time inside the Nine Realms has been spent being betrayed by those who I trusted and loved. You know the one person who was honest about his intentions for me from the minute I got to the Nine Realms? Knox Karnavious. Unlike those who share blood with me, who smiled at me and lied about everything that’s happened throughout my life. So, please excuse me if I don’t waste emotions on someone I don’t know and who hasn’t given me any reason to trust him.”
Okay, so he’d been an honest asshole who’d wanted to enslave me. But he’d still been honest about his intentions. He’d lied about plenty of other stuff before I’d ended up here. There’s been a bit of duplicity, but he’d told me he wasn’t letting me go. The others they were nice to my face, only to stab me in the back when I turned away.
“There’s an honest reply,” she whispered sadly. “I’m still leaving. I won’t stand around waiting for Hagen to parade Griffon’s corpse through the city streets.”
“I thought Baldrick was the one leading the coup?” I offered.
“Hagen was the one behind it. At least he is now that you disabled Baldrick and his son from being much help until they’re recovered.” Eva exhaled. “We have to go help your father.”
“Griffon isn’t dead,” Zyion’s deep, silken voice declared from the doorway. How long he’d been standing there, I had no idea. “You might not want to continue pointing out options for those enemies you’re speaking of, either. Considering they’re here.” Drawing the tapestry back, he allowed Basilius, Ronin, Kael and Acheron to enter the room before following them into the chamber. “If you choose to leave, no one will stop you. I think you might be interested in what I’m about to say, though.”
Pain ripped through my forearm as Esme’s claws bit into my flesh. Swallowing the gasp of agony, I trailed her terrified stare to where Basilius was leaning against the tapestry-covered wall. He also was zeroed in on her. The bastard looked as if he wanted to either fuck or fight her. The smell drifting through the room caused my hackles to rise. The masculine pheromones of sage, bergamot, leather and oak made my stomach churn. Worry slammed into my chest at the thought of Basilius being one of the men who’d attacked her village. It would explain her sudden panic and single-minded focus on him. The way he took her in was worrisome. He held a prurient curiosity, plain to read in the oceanic colored eyes, churning with captivated interest currently directed at my best friend.
Eva growled, forcing attention to where she’d backed up against the wall. Warmth drifted thickly throughout the space. It created a disturbance as the men’s earthy scents warred against the softer, more feminine air inside the chamber. Eva’s snarl turned to a seething rattle.
The desire to force Eva to bend and fully submit was almost overwhelming. If the men had a similar reaction, they concealed it well. Not one of them so much as spared her a glance until she pushed from the wall. Then the brothers turned their attention toward her—all except Basilius. He remained focused on only Esme.
My hand slid over where Esme held my arm, but I didn’t pull her hold away. She quivered. Her scent showed it wasn’t out of fear. It was something different. Something sexual, if I had to guess. Her violet-colored irises turned the color of newly-polished amethyst with silver flecks scattered throughout them. A hint of feminine arousal filled the air, forcing Ember to shake with laughter. Clearly, I was missing something she hadn’t.
“We have bigger issues to address right now than your obvious hatred of the Karnavious Princes. I don’t care how you do it, but shut it the fuck down for now.” My eyes darted between the two as I felt Eva’s magic steadily electrifying the air. The moment Zyion used his powers, he smothered the entire room with its velocity as it oozed around him. His mana forcefully sent a shiver rushing through me. Staring at one another, their swelling powers threatened to unleash in the cramped confines of the chamber, which would bode ill for those of us trapped amid their quarrel. “Choose now. Stay and learn what is to come or leave and run back to be imprisoned with your king. I don’t have all fucking day to butt heads with you, Prometheus.”