I won't fall for the queen who burned my world-Chapter 102: You thought you could outrun me

Elysia refused to accept defeat.

Her breathing was heavy, her wrist still tingled from where Malvoria had twisted it, but the sting of losing burned far worse than any physical ache.

She could still hear Malvoria's smug voice in her head—Better than last time, but still not good enough.

Elysia hated that voice.

She gritted her teeth, her mind racing. Malvoria had already stepped back, confident in her victory, expecting Elysia to simply accept her loss like she had before.

But not this time.

Not again.

With a sharp intake of breath, Elysia moved.

Her sword was still on the ground, but she didn't need it. Malvoria was tall, stronger, faster—but Elysia was quick, and she knew how to use surprise.

Before Malvoria could react, Elysia lunged—aiming not with a weapon, but with her bare hands.

The gathered soldiers gasped.

For a brief moment, she thought it would work.

Her momentum carried her forward, her fingers reaching for Malvoria's sword arm, intending to twist it away, disarm her.

But then, like a shadow shifting, Malvoria vanished.

One second, Elysia was reaching for her—

The next, Malvoria was behind her.

Before she could react, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her backward.

A startled gasp left Elysia's lips as she felt herself being pulled against Malvoria's chest, her movements completely caged.

The entire training ground went silent.

Malvoria's breath was warm against her ear. "Did you really think that would work?"

Elysia struggled—she knew she had lost, but she refused to stand there trapped like some helpless fool.

Malvoria, of course, didn't budge.

Her grip was iron, her strength unshakable.

Then, Malvoria spoke again, her tone shifting—lower, darker.

"Everyone, leave."

Elysia's breath hitched.

The soldiers hesitated, exchanging wary glances, but none of them dared to disobey.

One by one, they left the training yard, until only the two of them remained.

And then...

Malvoria let her go.

Elysia spun around immediately, stepping back, putting distance between them.

The tension in the air was thick.

Malvoria's gray eyes studied her, unreadable, but Elysia could feel the weight of that gaze.

She refused to look away.

Seconds passed.

Then—Malvoria tilted her head slightly.

"You're persistent," she mused.

Elysia clenched her fists. "You sound annoyed."

Malvoria smirked. "Not annoyed. Amused."

Elysia scowled.

Malvoria took a slow step forward.

Elysia immediately took a step back.

The smirk on Malvoria's lips deepened.

A step forward.

Elysia stepped back again.

And that was when she realized—

She was retreating.

Like prey.

Malvoria took another step.

Elysia bolted.

Elysia barely made it three steps before it was over.

One moment, she was running, her feet pounding against the dirt, her breath sharp with the adrenaline of escape—

The next, a powerful force yanked her backward.

She barely had time to process before she crashed against something solid—warm, unyielding—Malvoria.

Her entire body tensed, her mind scrambling for a way to twist free, to fight, to—

A low, infuriatingly smug voice interrupted her thoughts.

"That was pathetic."

Elysia froze.

Then, with pure indignation burning in her chest, she jerked her head up to glare at Malvoria.

"You cheated!" she snapped, her silver hair whipping over her shoulder as she twisted in Malvoria's grip.

Malvoria arched a brow, not even slightly out of breath. "Cheated?" she echoed, her voice laced with amusement. "What part of me catching you easily was cheating?"

Elysia scowled.

Everything about this was humiliating.

She had planned to at least get somewhere before Malvoria caught her—to dodge, to maneuver, to make her work for it.

Instead, she had lasted about as long as a child trying to run from a predator.

Even she was disappointed.

Malvoria, of course, had the nerve to smirk down at her.

"You thought you could outrun me?" she mused, her grip on Elysia's waist still unbreakable. "I almost feel insulted."

Elysia clenched her jaw, her mind racing for something—anything—to regain some semblance of dignity.

Instead, all she could say was—

"You didn't have to grab me so fast."

Malvoria chuckled. "Would you have preferred I let you believe you had a chance before catching you?"

"Yes!"

Malvoria laughed.

Elysia bristled.

"You—You could've at least pretended I was a challenge!"

Malvoria hummed, tilting her head in mock thought. "I suppose I could have. But that would've been a lie."

Elysia let out a sharp, frustrated huff, her arms crossing over her chest.

Malvoria's smirk widened.

And then, in a movement so effortless, she scooped Elysia up into her arms.

"—What the hell are you doing?!"

Malvoria, completely unbothered, adjusted Elysia's weight with ease. "Carrying you back."

"I can walk!"

"I know," Malvoria said smoothly. "You're the one who decided to run."

Elysia groaned in frustration. "I hate you."

"Mm," Malvoria mused, her grip on Elysia firm as she strode forward. "And yet—you keep challenging me."

Elysia glared at her.

Malvoria simply smirked and kept walking.

Elysia squirmed in Malvoria's arms, her frustration bubbling with each step the demon queen took.

"Put me down," she demanded, her voice edged with irritation.

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Malvoria didn't even acknowledge her request. She walked with purpose, her grip on Elysia firm, her jaw tight. There was no teasing smirk now, no smug amusement—just a heavy, simmering tension that made Elysia uneasy.

This wasn't about the training.

This was about Zera.

Elysia gritted her teeth, twisting slightly in Malvoria's hold, but the queen barely reacted. If anything, her grip tightened, a silent warning.

The hallways blurred past them as Malvoria moved deeper into the castle. Elysia had expected her to take her back to her chambers, but the moment they turned down a familiar corridor, her stomach dropped.

She knew where they were going.

"Malvoria," she said, her voice lowering.

No response.

Elysia hated being ignored.

"Malvoria," she repeated, sharper this time. "Take me to my room."

Malvoria finally spoke, her tone eerily calm. "No."

Elysia stiffened. "No?"

Malvoria didn't elaborate. She just kept walking—until they reached her own chambers.

The massive doors swung open with ease, and before Elysia could react, Malvoria stepped inside and kicked the doors shut behind them.

The click of the lock sent a shiver down Elysia's spine.

Malvoria carried her across the room with zero effort, her expression unreadable, her grip unrelenting. The tension between them was thick, unspoken, but Elysia knew what this was about.

It had been there since this morning—since Malvoria had walked in and seen Zera in bed with her.

Elysia's stomach twisted.

Malvoria reached the bed and finally set her down—not gently, but not rough either, just purposefully.

Elysia immediately tried to stand. "I'm not staying here—"

Malvoria's hands pressed down on her shoulders, forcing her to sit.

"You are," she said smoothly. "For tonight."

Elysia's breath caught, her pulse spiking. "What?"

Malvoria leaned down, her silver-gray eyes locking onto Elysia's.

"You spent last night in bed with someone else," she murmured, her voice calm—too calm. "I don't like that."

Elysia's jaw clenched. "It wasn't what you think—"

"Then explain it," Malvoria cut in, her tone still controlled—but the way her fingers pressed into Elysia's shoulders? That told a different story.

Elysia exhaled sharply, trying to find the right words. "Zera—she—"

But how was she supposed to explain it? That she had let Zera cry in her arms, that she had felt guilty even if she shouldn't have, that despite everything, there was still a part of her that wanted to believe Zera could be forgiven?

That wasn't something Malvoria would understand.

Or rather, Malvoria would understand—too well.

And that was what made this so dangerous.

Elysia licked her lips, searching Malvoria's face. "You're being ridiculous," she said finally, her voice softer, trying to diffuse the situation.

Malvoria tilted her head. "Am I?"

"Yes."

Malvoria let out a quiet hum, her fingers trailing slowly from Elysia's shoulders down her arms, her touch lingering, taunting.

"You don't get to share a bed with another woman," she said, her voice dipping into something darker, "and expect me to be fine with it."

Elysia huffed, her frustration flaring. "It wasn't like that—"

"But you let her stay."

"She needed comfort."

"Comfort," Malvoria echoed, her smirk returning—but this time, it wasn't amused. It was dangerous. "And tell me, Elysia—how many times have you come to me for comfort?"

Elysia froze.

Her breath hitched, her cheeks heating, and she hated that Malvoria had turned this into that.

"You're insufferable," she muttered, trying to stand again.

Malvoria stopped her.

This time, instead of her hands pressing down on Elysia's shoulders, her fingers slid to her chin, tilting it up, forcing Elysia to look at her.

"Maybe," Malvoria murmured. "But I'm still the one you belong to."

Elysia's breath caught.

For a split second, Malvoria looked like she was going to kiss her.

Elysia wasn't sure if she wanted to fight it or let it happen.

But then—

Malvoria pulled away.

Her smirk returned, but her eyes held something deeper, something unspoken.

"Rest," she said smoothly, as if nothing had happened. "I won't make you stay here forever."

Elysia barely had time to process before Malvoria stepped away and turned toward the doors.

She left without another word.

And only then did Elysia realize—

She had been holding her breath.