Sold to the Demon Lycan Prince のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

That evening, Azriel came to my room."You're really going to do this," he said. It wasn't a question."I told you I would.""I know." He paused, his amber eyes searching my face. "But I need to hear it again. Are you ready for this?"I met his gaze. "I'm ready."He didn't smile. He just nodded, once, and then he was gone.For some weird reason, that night, Fatima didn't torment me. -——————————-The journey began badly. I never told Ariel that I hated horses. But I did. I had always hated horses, the smell, the size, the way they seemed to look at me with disdain and Windseeker was no exception. He was a beautiful animal, all black mane and powerful muscles, but he clearly resented having me on his back."He's testing you," Azriel said, watching as I struggled to stay mounted. "Show him who's in charge.""I'm not in charge of anything," I snapped. "I'm not a horsewoman.""You're doing fine.""I'm going to fall off and die before we even have a chance to break the curse." "You won't.

We spent the night in the village to find out more. Lord Corwin talked to the village chief to find out more about the shrine and their strange illness. The villagers were suspicious, but they were also desperate to be healed. They gave us a small hut at the edge of the settlement, a single room with a dirt floor and a fire pit in the center. It wasn't much, but it was shelter.Azriel stood by the door, his expression brooding."I'll keep watch," he said. "You should sleep.""Azriel..." "I need to think." He didn't look at me. "About what Corwin said. About my people. About everything I've been ignoring."I wanted to argue, to tell him that it wasn't an accusation and that he wasn't to blame for it all. But something in his posture told me he needed space. So I nodded and retreated to the corner of the hut, where a thin blanket was spread over a pile of straw.I changed into my sleeping clothes, a simple shift that Quill had packed for me and lay down, staring at the ceiling. The fir

Lord Corwin was waiting in the main chamber when we returned. He had prepared the space, the broken altar had been cleared, candles lit in a circle around it, ancient symbols drawn on the floor in what looked like silver paint. The air hummed with magic, heavy and expectant."Lady Anastasia Snow," he said, his grey eyes steady. "Are you ready?"I looked at Azriel. He was watching me, his expression unreadable and his hands clenched at his sides."I'm ready," I said.Lord Corwin nodded. He gestured for us to stand on either side of the altar, facing each other. Then he began to speak, words in a language I didn't recognize, words that seemed to resonate in my bones, words that made the air around us vibrate with power.He took my hand and Azriel's, bringing them together over the altar. Then he drew a small knife from his belt and made a cut on each of our palms. The pain was sharp, and then the blood was flowing, my blood mixing with Azriel's, dripping onto the stone. The moment our b

He was human again, naked, panting with his body slick with sweat and the black markings receding like shadows fleeing the dawn. He fell to his knees, then to his side, his chest heaving and his eyes closed.I caught him before his head struck the ground."Azriel," I whispered, pulling him into my arms. "Azriel, I'm here. I've got you."He didn't respond. But his breathing steadied, his heartbeat slowing, his body relaxing against mine.I held him there, in the middle of the forest, the guards and Lord Corwin watching from a distance, and I didn't let go.-———————We made it back to Azriel's pack in two days. We didn't stop for anything, not even food or to rest. And as someone who had grown accustomed to going to bed hungry many nights, I could endure two days of hunger, I knew there would be a feast waiting when we got to the castle. Azriel was unconscious and wrapped in blankets when we arrived, his face pale but peaceful. The fever had broken, his body finally resting after the o

The three-day journey was the worst I had ever endured. Not because of the cold, though the northern forests were bitter and unforgiving. Not because of the food, the dried meat, hard bread and fruits seemed like luxury when you’ve lived in somewhere like the orphanage. Not even because of the endless hours on horseback, which left my thighs aching and my back screaming in protest.It was because of Azriel. He rode ahead of me the entire journey, his back straight, his shoulders rigid and his face a mask of cold indifference. He didn't speak to me or even look at me. When we stopped to rest, he disappeared into his tent and didn't emerge until it was time to leave again. When I tried to catch his eye, he looked through me as if I wasn't there.The man who had held me in the forest, who had covered me with a blanket, who had looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered. He was gone. Replaced by the cold and arrogant prince I had first met in that bedroom.I didn't know what I