If I could go back to the girl I’d been when he’d found me, I’d tell her to be fearless in her pursuit of what she’d become. I’d reassure her that his sharp edges were worth being cut on to taste the pleasure and emotions only he could invoke. If I could tell her one thing, it would be that his broken pieces were the missing parts of her soul.
“Have they crowned you as queen yet?” he asked as he pulled from my body, leaving me cold without his heat.
“No,” I admitted.
“You need to be very careful there, Aria. We think they might be planning something against you. There’s a lot we need to talk about, as well.”
“Aden is hell-bent on claiming me, but I can easily handle him.” I felt heat covering my chest as he left me barren and adrift in the sea of his churning ocean-colored stare. “I’m not worried about him, or anyone trying to claim me, for that matter. I’m yours, Knox.”
His throat bobbed, as if my words scared him. It caused a hollowness in my chest, as the thought of me mistaking his intentions rose inside my mind. I wanted to be here with him, and while I wanted to save the realms, I was sick of everyone questioning my relationship with this man. He was the only thing I’d ever reached for to keep for myself.
“I know you can handle him, but that’s not what I’m worried about. I think there’s another part to the prophecy. Something they left out on purpose. I’ve been scouring every book inside this place to find a door to gain access to the new realm. I think they’re inside that realm with you. It means you’re in danger.”
“Are you worried about me being hurt, or are you worried about me betraying you, Knox?”
His face closed down, shutting me out. “I’m worried about them trying to kill you to prevent you reaching for your birthright. You’re young, which leads to blindly following the wrong people, Aria. Like Aurora, who led you right to her mother.”
“I know there’s those within it who don’t want me leaving with the crown. And while I’m ten steps ahead of them and not blindly following anyone around, there are unknowns in the scenario. It works in my favor that they think I’m meek and dainty, which is the first and last mistake people make about me. You did, didn’t you?” At the smirk he awarded me, I continued. “They’re under the assumption I’m not a threat, which is what I’ve allowed them to think. You taught me that.”
“I taught you many things, woman. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re on your own there. There’s a lot happening around here, which I could use that brilliant brain of yours to help me fix.” Grabbing sweatpants, he pulled them on before moving to the chest of drawers, pulling out a gown for me.
“I felt the land, Knox. But it wasn’t the new realm Griffon built. It was the actual Kingdom of Fire. I don’t know why it is calling to me, but I felt the pull to go to the land there. It brought me one step closer to my birthright. Once I have it, I’ll return to finish what I started here.”
“I don’t like you being there,” he admitted. “The prophecy can get fucked for all I care. We can find another way to end Hecate. It doesn’t have to be you.” His words caused pain to clench my heart because it seemed as if he didn’t think I could stop her. “You not being here where I can sense you? It’s driving me crazy. I can’t feel you at all anymore, which means you can’t feel me.” The tightening in my chest lessened at his tender words. “There’s a lot more we’ve learned, as well.”
“Like?” I asked as something jerked within me. “Fuck. Something isn’t right.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” he demanded, rushing toward me.
“I don’t know,” I admitted as pain sliced through me, compelling a scream from my lips. My claws extended as Knox reached for me, only for his hand to pass right through. “Knox?”
“Fuck. Aria!” he snarled as I felt myself falling.
I came-to with the taste of blood oozing from my lips. A masculine whine met my ears, and I opened my eyes to see a shocked pair of azure-colored ones staring at me. The scent of fear and arousal oozed around me, making my nose wrinkle. Zyion chuckled softly, and Aden’s arm dripped blood down my chin. The rattle I released wasn’t friendly, not even a little bit.
Aden’s hips pumped, and the scent of his come soaked into the fabric of his trousers. Behind him, multiple guards had backed Esme into a corner and were keeping her there. Blood trickled from a cut on her forehead, causing anger to explode within me. Zyion whistled, wisely stepping back from where I had pinned Aden to the ground, vehemently.
Releasing his arm, I licked the blood before standing up, smelling Knox on my flesh. I shouldn’t smell him anywhere within the room, yet I did. It was the same bergamot, sage and whiskey that I’d grown to love about his unique scent.
“If you don’t take your fucking hands off her, I’ll chew them off and fuck you in the ass with them. Understand me, gentlemen? No one puts hands on my best friend. Anyone fucking moves, I’ll let Ember out to play—” They stepped away, releasing her. “Smart boys. You,” I hissed, peering down at Aden. “What the fuck did you do to piss off my inner beast?” Licking his blood from my lips, I eyed Zyion through narrowed slits before turning back to Aden. “Answer me. Now.”
“You were fucking screaming in your sleep. At least, we were under the assumption you slept. Esmeralda was slumped over your unmoving body. She prevented us from reaching it as if she’d assassinated you, Aria.” He sniffed, holding his savaged arm as it slowly began mending. “Obviously, we should’ve known you’d abandoned the kingdom to slither back to that bastard dragon you’re fucking.”
“I don’t remember giving you permission to be so informal in my presence, Aden,” I shot back. “And I suggest you tread carefully. It isn’t smart to piss my beast off. She’s ravenous, and you? You look like a snack, which would hold her over until she can hunt for her dragon. You won’t fucking see me coming, either. Now, get the fuck out of my chamber. Don’t enter it again unless I’ve vacated it, little boy.” His eyes flashed with murderous rage, which had Ember adding a rattle of warning to my words. A flash of fear lit within his, sending him scattering toward the door along with the men he’d brought with him. Turning toward Zyion, I found him watching me with pride shimmering in his gaze.
“You’re not weak. That’s good. It might save that pretty neck of yours. If I were you, I’d tread carefully. Not all here are thrilled you returned, princess.” With that, he left the room, leaving me covered in Aden’s blood.
“What the hell did he mean by that?” Esme demanded, shoving past the wall of guards. When I shrugged, she exhaled. “I fell asleep. In my defense? It’s been days since you told me you’d be right back. Then, add in your fucking body flopping around as you moaned. For the record, it’s creepy as fuck. That was days ago. You left to enter the dreamscape, and when you didn’t come back, I made up excuses for your absence. It’s been days, but it wasn’t until last night that you started screaming. I guess it wasn’t really screaming. It was like this,” she said, then proceeded to grunt loudly, which had my lips twitching as mortification burned my cheeks.