Demon Prince's Forsaken Bride-Chapter 77: That village (4)

"Ahhh... Wait... I twisted my ankle...’’

Astra glanced at Moira in disbelief. The woman had plopped on the ground, holding onto her leg as she cried like it had been uprooted from her body, ’’Earlier you were rushing me to follow them but now...’’ 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

’’Can’t you see I am injured? Will you take responsibility if I die?"

Astra glanced towards the river. Earlier, the boat and the two people on it had still been visible but right now, they seemed to have camouflaged in the darkness of the night. It has been a long time yet there were no movements on the other side.

She could not help but think back to how the prince had refused to use his powers straightforwardly.

In a war that lasted for years, there has been no such precedence to this incident. Even when Azrael was bruised and bloodied on the verge of death, he had used his powers to the full extent to maximize the chances for the army before he finally relaxed. Then, why now, did he seem so reluctant to unleash his powers?

From where they stood, Astra could figure out that the boat had been encircled by spirits. Given Azrael’s powers, it would have posed them no threat but now it has been so long without any movements from the other side.

That only meant...

’His Highness is waiting for me to make the move,’ Astra’s eyes trembled. She shot Moira a cold look.

’’You... you... What are you doing?" Moira shrieked when the other woman picked her up like a potato sack and threw her above her shoulder.

Unlike Moira’s fragile and delicate build, Astra had a tall and heroic figure and an air of ruthlessness around her.

’’You dare to mistreat me like this... Do you think his Highness will let you go...?"

’’You are stalling me here while His Highness’s current whereabouts are unknown. Do you think you are worthy of mentioning him?" Moira was not Lareina and Astra had no tender feelings nor respect nor obligation towards such a person so she tossed her into the boat without the slightest hint of courtesy, before kicking the boat into the river and stepping on it.

’’Ahh... How dare you....’’

’’Shut up or I will toss you into the water.’’

Astra’s cold eyes pierced into Moira, telling her that she was not joking.

...

’’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. ’’They seem to be growing in numbers.’’ At first, the moonlight seemed to pervade through the shadows but now, it was pitch black.

The shadows had completely enveloped them and Lareina did not know if it was an illusion, but she felt like they were being watched by countless eyes. Goosebumps broke out on her body and her heart nearly popped out of her chest.

’’What? WIll you abandon me if I am weak?" Azrael spoke with such calmness that Lareina wanted to push him off herself.

Had she not been afraid of plopping into the water and becoming one of these creatures, she would have done just that.

With a ’whoosh’, those shadows moved suddenly as they circled around them. Lareina closed her eyes, one of her hands gripping Azrael’s thumb while the other tightly clutched the wooden oar he had handed her.

Finally, the man behind her moved.

A sharp sword glare blinded Lareina momentarily when she opened her eyes and a white light spread around them. Howls and screams erupted from the shadows as dissipated in the thin air.

The moon was once again visible in the sky. When Lareina lowered her gaze, she realized that a large stretch of water had turned blue again, no longer looking dark and bottomless.

’’You can do that too?" She was awestruck.

’’It won’t last for long.’’

Initially, she did not understand what he was saying. However, in the blink of an eye, the water again turned black and she understood. Perhaps, these places would expend a lot of power before they could be purified properly.

’’All of that disappeared,’’ Lareina marvelled.

Azrael hummed and snapped his fingers. The half disintegrated boat tightened again, looking completely new and strong, ’’So, do you think I am powerful now?"

A corner of her lips twitched but before she could retort, the man suddenly let go of her. Her eyes widened as the dark water enlarged in front of her vision all of a sudden. But just when she felt like she could not escape her doom this time, Azrael grabbed her wrist and pulled her up, stabilizing her on her feet.

’’Just sit there and you won’t fall,’’ Azrael spoke softly. his voice gruff and somewhat aloof as he pointed at a corner of the boat.

Lareina frowned.

Veins popped up on his neck and his wrist. His grip on his sword tightened till his knuckles turned pale. After a while, he looked away from Lareina, letting the sword disappear from his hand.

But suddenly he felt a gentle tap on his back.

’’Your Highness...’’

He turned to look at the woman but before he could utter a word, she grabbed his collar and pulled him down. Caught off guard, he was lowered to her height.

Without any warning, Lareina pressed her lips onto his and mimicked his actions from the riverbank.

This was the scene that Astra and Moira witnessed when they approached close. Moira dropped on the boat, her eyes wide as if she could not believe the sight in front of her.

Feeling the soft touch on his lips, Azrael’s eyes widened. The glaring veins on his neck disappeared and the immense pain that had clutched his heart when he used his powers seemed to be an illusion suddenly.

When Lareina stepped back from Azrael, she gasped a little. A faint blush had crept onto her cheeks as she looked around and breathed in some air, ’’It seems better now...’’

Azrael blinked, still dumbstruck, ’’What... is better?" He touched his lips. Did she mean she liked it better when she initiated it? Then shouldn’t she have let him know that before...?