The Minotaur King grabbed my foot, staring up at me before turning to who I assumed was the King of Norvalla. He peered up at me through black eyes, and I looked away from him. Someone else stepped into the room, causing the crowd to go silent, but I couldn’t see him since he was hidden by guards in armor that looked as if it was crafted from scales.
“She will break so beautifully, don’t you agree?” The Minotaur King asked.
“I heard you made a woman’s entrails come out her mouth one time, is it true?” The King of Norvalla asked, ignoring Gerald’s question.
“Yes, but she was a mere child. Seventeen, I think. I had captured her along with her mother, so I let her mother watch me with her daughter, and then I played with her, too,” he chuckled as I gagged. “Will you scream for me, pretty witch?”
“Maybe as I remove your fucking head,” I preened, watching his eyes narrow as he pulled on my leg, forcing my arms to burn, but I never screamed for him.
“Play tough while you can, but no woman can handle me for long, no matter how strong they think they are. They all break for me.”
The sound of metal clinking against glass drew his attention. Amara stood, preening beneath the attention of the crowd as she pointed at me with a beaming smile on her black lips. “I give you my sister, Aria Primrose Hecate. She’s a pureblood Hecate witch, and a virgin one at that, which, as you all know, is unheard of in our line. This is my gift to you, Sire. My own twin sister for you to play with, which I pray you do so violently, my king. It is a symbol of my devotion to you, and my new life here. I hope you enjoy her.”
“Choke on a dick, you evil bitch,” I screamed, but the words were drowned it out by the crowd clapping for Amara.
“Would you like to join me in raping her?” Gerald casually asked the King of Norvalla.
“She is a gift; you should enjoy her on your own.”
“Fine, but I insist you try out my new daughter-in-law before you go. She’s a gluttonous whore who enjoys pain. Amara dreams of being queen, but Garrett doesn’t have the heart to tell her my reign only started ten years ago.” He began stripping, and my eyes dipped to the mutilated organ that was knotted and deformed. He shed his clothes onto the floor, and I closed my eyes, praying to the beast within me to get the fuck with the program.
He reached up to touch me, and flames leapt over my flesh. I peered up at my hands as he growled and shouted at Amara, who apologized profusely. Metal dripped down my arms as I watched him backing up, gaping as he watched the flames consuming me. The moment I was free, I jumped into the air, feeling my fangs and claws extending. I landed on his shoulders, ripping through his throat with my claws and severing his head before pulling it from his shoulders, smiling when his spinal cord came along with it.
The entire assembly was silent for seconds before total chaos ensued. Guards in matching armor swarmed around the King of Norvalla, while I turned my head, staring at him to see if he would move against me. Amara’s screams ripped through the crowd as Garrett called for her from across the room. I looked between them, knowing I couldn’t kill them both. I moved toward Amara with purpose, turning to miss people that jumped out of my way. Launching myself into the air, I landed on her, using my claws to pin her to the ground.
“Told you, bitch.” I pushed my nails into her abdomen, slowly cutting my way through her stomach. She screamed in excruciating pain as I meticulously ripped her apart.
“I’m your sister!” Amara cried.
“No, my sister is dead, I know, because I’m about to remove her fucking head,” I smiled coldly, slashing through her until her screams turned wet, and blood dripped from her mouth. “You earned this; blood of my blood, I banish you to the Void of Nothingness,” I whispered, drawing my nails down her legs until I flayed them open. “I grant you eternal pain for what you have allowed to happen to those innocent women you gave to that monster.”
“Aria,” she sobbed, so I smiled down at her coldly as her blood coated my hands.
“Oh, calm your tits, don’t lose your head over it, Amara.” I lifted her by the hair as I severed her head from her shoulders. “Oops, you always were a drama queen.” I stood, watching the wall of guards that were slowly approaching me.
I ran in the direction of the hallway, dripping flames as I went. People who rushed down the halls caught fire as I passed. They wailed as their silk turned into a weapon, and they cried as the flames licked their flesh. I could feel the drugs starting to enter my system and heard guards issuing orders behind me.
Turning a corner, I slammed into a body and bounced back, holding on to my sister’s head, amazed that it hadn’t turned to ash by now. Turned out, Amara was immune to my flames, not that it mattered now. Dismissing the thought, I jumped back to my feet and stared at the male who leaned against the wall.
“Took you fucking long enough,” Lore snorted. “Is that what I think it is?”
“My sister…Well, I took her head because she was…” I said, stuttering as I began swaying on my feet.
“Was a sadistic bitch that enjoyed watching women being raped and slaughtered? Yeah, we figured that out soon after they took you.”
“Why are you here?”
“Someone had to rescue you,” he chuckled as feet sounded down the hallway. He pushed me into a room and bolted the door, staring at the couple who watched us inside the room. “That’s a problem.” He withdrew a sword and sliced through the male as the woman screamed. The doors shook, indicating the guards heard it, and I turned to look at the door before looking back as Lore severed the man’s head, and then the woman’s. He moved to the window, peering down and whistling. “Tell me you’re not afraid of heights?”
“I’m not afraid of heights.” I moved to where he stood, peering down at the drop to the next tier. “That’s not realistically possible.”
“Oh, it’s possible. It’s also our only way out at the moment,” he exclaimed as more guards started beating against the barred door. “I’m going to step out, and you’re going to climb on my back, understood?”
“What if you drop me?”
He smirked, staring at me as if I was cute for asking such a thing. “I will not drop you.”
Lore climbed out, bracing his hands on the stone slabs etched with runes. At least Amara hadn’t lied about that part. Once he was securely holding on, I climbed up and exhaled slowly before slipping onto his back. His armor bit into my flesh, and the sword on his hip was luckily secured in a leather sheath. We both looked into the room as the door gave way, and guards began rushing in. Lore released his hand, and we started falling. I screamed, and I hugged him tightly as he searched for another window to grab. When he found one, we jerked to a stop, and I slid, holding onto him even tighter.
“Aria, I cannot breathe. I’m all about you climbing on me, or holding on, but I can’t save us if I can’t get air into my fucking lungs.”
“Sorry,” I whispered as my heart pounded, and my body trembled. He dropped again, and this time, I somehow managed not to scream as his feet hit stone, and we started sliding.
Lore gripped onto the stone roof and slowed us, but it wasn’t enough to keep us from going over. His hand caught the rough edge, and I slipped, crying out as his other hand grabbed mine. I stared into amber eyes and held my breath, even though my mouth was wide open.