Demon Prince's Forsaken Bride-Chapter 76: That village (3)

Suddenly, Moira cried, ’’Your Highness, you must rush back. The boat is sinking!"

"Don’t!" Lareina clutched his arm tightly, ’’If we go back now, we won’t be able to land on the boat again...’’

"Have you gone mad?" Moira looked at Lareina in disbelief, ’’Even if you want to kill your Highness, you don’t have to go to such extremes...’’ 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"If I wanted to kill him, I would not be taking myself down with him,’’ Lareina shot the woman a look. For most matters, she could not understand how Moira’s mind worked. Sometimes, she was annoyingly naive and sometimes she was extremely provocative and scheming. It was as if every face she wore was a mask. This feeling had persisted in Lareina for a long time before she let it go, unable to solve this mystery.

When Azrael moved a little, Lareina looked up at him, startled, "If you go back now...’’

’’What are you saying? I was just taken aback by your treasonous words so I stumbled a little. I am not going anywhere,’’ As he spoke, he bent to the side while holding her and grabbed the oar before he began rowing the boat.

Lareina looked at him.

’’What?" Azrael sighed, "The boat seemed to sink because of our sudden weight. Had it not been sustainable, it would have given away the moment it touched the water. You were not nervous because you thought your idea failed but rather, because you had no confidence in our boat making skills. You were afraid that it was poorly done and water would enter it.’’

’’You knew it,’’ Lareina looked at him in surprise as she moved to free herself from the arm that had wrapped around her waist.

"Princess, how can you be so prideful and think so little of me?"

Lareina smiled softly, ’’Your Highness, you fail to see people for what they are. I assumed this tendency of yours goes in situations too,’’ she pushed him back gently and he finally released her waist.

’’What do you mean by that?" He raised an eyebrow.

Lareina glanced at him innocently as if she had already forgotten the words she uttered.

On the riverbank.

’’They have already left. Why are we still standing here?" Moira was kicking a fuss while Astra remained standing there with a straight face as she watched the other boat moving away.

’’Since you were doubting Her Highness’s abilities, we should stand here and wait for them to travel a little further before following them,’’ Astra blew on her nails idly.

’’You... It obviously worked. They are getting far from us. Are you doing it on purpose?"

’’If you want to go, you can. When did I stop you, Lady Moira?" As she watched the woman shrinking and becoming silent, Astra laughed in her heart.

This woman has been causing troubles the entire way. Astra only hoped that by holding this woman back and giving her master some quality time with the princess, she could earn herself some merits.

...

On the other side...

Lareina remained close to Azrael. The river was peaceful but it was too soon for them to relax. Suddenly, the boat swayed a little.

Lareina looked down and the vast river of dark water seemed to be eager to hold her in its embrace. With tiny steps, she inched back to Azrael.

"Hmm?"

’’Your Highness, the boat is small. If we occupy the center, it will remain balanced and move smoothly,’’ As she spoke, she smiled at him.

The smile looked like she was doing him a favor by putting so much thoughts into this.’’

"Careful!" Azrael pulled her into his arms as the soft ripples of the river water suddenly turned violent.

The boat nearly flipped but Azrael held the wooden oar tightly in his hand. He pressed down on the edge of the boat with a firm force that prevented it from moving too violently.

The boat could barely be classified as a boat in the first place. The woods were roughly strung with the spell and it was more like a flat surface that could barely float with effort. Yet under such violent currents, the spell on the boat seemed to weaken. One long wood from the corner came loose and floated away.

’’Why is the force here so strong?" Lareina let her be held by the man and she leaned back into him, giving him enough space to move as she spoke.

’’Water polluted by ghost air becomes the breeding ground for malevolent spirits. We have almost reached the middle of the river and the water here is the darkest...’’ As Azrael spoke, he shifted the wooden oar in his hand to Lareina’s hand.

’’Does that mean...’’ Lareina’s heart trembled, ’’Are we floating above the territory of some fearsome spirit?"

A chuckle sounded in her ear followed by Azrael’s teasing voice, ’’Now you know fear?"

"You... Even if you don’t care about me, how can you be willing to die here just like that... Ahh...’’ Lareina tugged at his sleeves as dark shadows floated out of the water, encircling the boat. And the boat seemed to be about to disintegrate at any point.

"Isn’t it worth it if we die here together?" Azrael spoke, his gaze flitting across the shadows that slowly emerged from the river.

Lareina’s face whipped towards him, her eyes wide open, ’’You...’’

Her face seemed to scream—’Did you scheme this? Die if you want to! Don’t drag me down with you.’’

"Heartless woman....’’ Azrael clicked his tongue.

’’Your Highness, you are the heartless one now. Even if things have not been smooth for us, we are still a married couple. I married you with all the rituals and I prayed for your wellbeing each day you were in war. How can you push your wife to death now... Ahhh...’’ Lareina shrieked when a shadow shot towards her and instinctively bent her head to dodge it.

’’You finally remember you are my wife?"

Lareina never saw death this close and never before did she have such an intense urge to kill someone, ’’I.. Tell me honestly, are you not as powerful as they say?" she asked him in a trembling voice, her tone containing some doubt.

The darkness around them grew and she instinctively stepped back, the back of her head hitting his chest. Suddenly, her eyes widened, ’’They...’’