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“The moment they settled in for the night, they were set upon by a small group of dark witches. Since it appeared to be only a few, they didn’t think to take precautions. Intending to dispatch them quickly, they forewent precautions or a protection shield. As they moved to attack, Hecate stepped from the group, slaughtering all but a few of the warriors, and some women from the caravan,” Killian explained.
“That doesn’t explain howshecould reach Knox. If he sent them out, then why would he go to her? Knox isn’t fucking stupid.” Brander exhaled at my words. Then he and Killian shared worried glances.
“Hecate made an offer to trade those she’d captured in exchange for him,” Brander admitted as his voice strained from pain.
Absorbing what they’d told me, I shook my head. It didn’t add up. None of it added up. Knox was the king, which meant he had to remain safe from the bitch who had continuously hurt him and his people. By sending them out, he would have alerted them to the potential for attack or capture. Additionally, if they had intentionally ignored their own safety, then they had opted to risk being captured, or worse. It didn’t fucking matter. Knox knew not to trade a king for a knight or a pawn. He’d chided me for doing so once as we’d played chess. I deliberately lost because losing meant we would remove a piece of clothing for each high-point piece.
“That makes little sense. Knox’s very strategic, which means he wouldn’t give up the king for a knight or pawn. What the fuck was worth trading the king to Hecate for? Nothing would be worth trading Knox to that murderous bitch!” My voice cracked as anger and denial clashed, sharpening it like a blade.
“Me,” Lore muttered, which drove my eyes to his back. The moment Lore turned around, a shocked exclamation of shock expelled from my lips. Horror sliced through me at the sight of numerous lacerations, all which were severely cut into the flesh on both sides of his face. There were more markings from blades slashing into Lore’s flesh continuing to his throat, his chest, arms, and even lower until they disappeared beneath the soft, black sweats he wore. Nausea rushed to the back of my throat as the reality of what had happened sank in. “I’m aware that I’m not a worthy trade for the king, Aria. I told him not to trade for me. Knox wouldn’t listen to reason.”
The guilt in Lore’s voice shredded whatever was left of my heart. Tears trickled free of the hold I’d held on them. My hands covered my lips, holding the scream that demanded passage at bay. The carefree humor that Lore always brought to the room, even when it was filled with tension or anguish, was gone. In its place was a colder, harder version of him. That alone was a tragedy.
“I didn’t mean that, Lore,” I clarified.
He rose gradually, revealing even more damage to his flesh, which looked as if it had been stitched up a while ago. My eyes narrowed, uncertain how he still held the scars if he’d not scarred before? Hecate had tortured Lore until it had finally broken Knox. Knox had raised Lore when the same sadistic bitch had murdered his parents. Hadn’t she put them through enough? Wasn’t she tired of ceaselessly destroying what was left of Knox by now?
Stepping toward Lore, I hesitated as he flinched back from my approach. Brander jerked his head sharply, as if warning me not to approach.
“What the fuck happened? Hecate shouldn’t have been able to heal yet.” At the confusion I felt, they laughed, as if I was cute, or maybe stupid even. It caused my eyes to narrow on the two men before me.
“Which time, Aria? You’ve been gone for six months. Hecate has been attacking for months. Where the fuck were you? A lot has fucking happened since you left to go fucking find yourself,” Killian scoffed, his eyes accusing as they drifted over my shoulder to Zyion, who’d wisely remained off to the side.
“I haven't been gone six months, Killian. You’re wrong.” My argument sounded weak, even to my ears. Despite my awareness of the possibility, Knox made no mention of my extended absence upon my return. “It wasn’t even an entire five days,” I argued. My mind fought against the need to recklessly rush to retrieve Knox and what Killian had said. “How the fuck could you think I was gone an entire six months?” My lips quivered as the words trickled out through the narrowing of my throat.
“Because youweregone that much time. At least, you were for them, Aria,” Zyion specified from behind me, forcing me to turn on my heel. “In the mountains of the new realm, time moves vastly different. For you, it was only a few hours. But for the outside world, it could be weeks, months, sometimes even years.”
His explanation sent surprise joining the already overwhelming emotions tearing through me. I’d suspected a few days difference, or maybe even a week. Never had I imagined it would be six fucking months. Zyion studied the pain his words caused, adding salt to the injury I'd inflicted on my return. Lowering his head, he frowned at the silence that followed. Once the tension and pregnant silence became too much, he spoke once more, offering an apology.
“If there had been another way to protect you from what was occurring there, I’d have taken it. I didn’t have any way else to get you to safety, and Basilius was near enough to hear my instruction to protect the heir at all cost.”
“How long has Knox been with her?” The room went silent with an uncomfortable silence, which gave me an idea of just how long she’d waited once she’d realized that I’d snuck out of the realms.
“Four months,” Brander answered. “That isn’t the worst part, though.”
I lost the train of thought I’d held as the thought of just how long he’d been suffering while I’d been gone. My ability to speak was stolen by the claws gripping it in a merciless choke hold. Quick, shallow breaths left my lips, but I felt as if I couldn’t get air into my lungs. The coppery tang I tasted on my tongue told me I’d bitten it hard enough to draw blood. Repeatedly clenching and releasing my hands into fists, I shook my head in denial.
This had to be a nightmare. It had to be, right? Everyone watched as I constantly shook my head, then began yanking off the jewelry I’d been adorned with before leaving the other realm. It felt as if it were strangling me. The crown I’d never wanted went sailing across the room first. Next, the earrings that jingled in my ears noisily. The palpitations in my chest incessantly beat faster, harder, until I thought it would break from my chest and run to who it truly belonged with. A tightening in my chest had my fists pressing against it, rubbing where it ached.
“I’ll be right back.” The words were a faint hiss of air as I moved toward my side of the library. I didn’t make it over ten steps past the shelves before the tears fell. An image of Knox bloodied from Hecate, punishing him for being with me, ripped through my head. I slammed my palms against it, needing it not to be true. One after another, images flashed through my mind, as if I was being fed memories instead of panic induced scenarios. Inside my head, I watched him rutting into the goddess. His ass slamming forcefully as he turned, looking at me over his shoulder, smiling coldly. My palms flattened against my eyes, needing to stop the images from entering my head.
A strangled scream ripped from my lungs. It held every ounce of frustration, pain, and panic with it as it tore through the library. My rattle came, Ember sensing my pain as she realized what had happened, adding to the sound of grief ripping from us all at once.
“Where is Hecate holding Knox now?” I demanded with strength and resolve laden in my voice.
“She isn’t holding Knox anywhere, Aria. He stays with her willingly.” Brander’s words compelled my eyes to narrow, even as I tried to understand why Knox would stay beside her.
“What does she have that keeps him there?”
“He’s no longer Knox. He’s tainted in the darkness, he’s agreed to serve.” Killian dropped his stare the moment I glanced at him.
“That’s not possible,” I argued in disbelief. “Knox was protected from her control.”
“He was,” Greer corrected.
Greer’s words caused my head to skip a beat. “You’re saying that Hecate has Knox, and he’s not warded against her?” I felt the color draining from my face. The normal shiver that rushed down my spine at scary shit was missing. My entire body shivered, then my mouth dropped open. “What the fuck!” The reins of my control snapped, shattering the armor I wore. “That’s fucking fuckity, fucked up!” Stepping back, I sucked in air. Big gulps of air into my lungs, refusing to hold anything. Without another word, I walked back to the shelves, then bent over, holding my middle.
“Peasant?” Greer’s voice held worry, but it also had a hitch in it, which was worrisome.
