273: Shadows of shame (part 1)

Shadows of shame (part 1)

"You should have considered the repercussions before heedlessly riding like a maniac in these terrible conditions on an innocent creature's back!"0

Adela's gaze darted back to the horse, sympathy coursing through her. If Aldric's situation hadn't been so dire, she might have found herself more concerned for the horse's well-being than his own.

"Why did you put yourself through this ordeal? Do you even grasp the reality of your actions? I've had enough of this. I no longer wish to engage in conversation with you! Especially not for the sake of your... senseless harassment!"

"…Go...away…Argh!..."

A sharp pang shot through Adela's head. He had caused this predicament with his reckless actions, and now he was wasting his breath on his usual obnoxious behavior.

She clenched her teeth, refraining from hurling her accusation at him right then and there.

Did he really murder the Emorian King due to some twisted delusion of being her protector? This young King who acted as though he had no kingdom to govern and no wife to return to.

"You...Do you even remember the wife you left in the Kingdom you left!"

As his eyes rolled back, revealing their eerie white hue, her apprehension deepened.

"L-…Leave... me."

"Take shallow breaths and refrain from speaking!" A chill of urgency surged through her, realizing the gravity of his condition. "Help!" She cried out in vain, scanning the surroundings for any sign of a knight, but once again, there was no one in sight. If she were to abandon Aldric in this state, the powerful warlock might die in the mud of her homeland. Lanark could forever be remembered as the place where the young King of Varinthia perished, only a short time after the Emorian King was murdered on the same soil.

The consequences would be catastrophic.

If only she could gain a clearer insight into his injury. Her stomach churned with unease; bone injuries were among the most challenging for her to handle. Far more daunting than open wounds, they demanded physical strength she lacked and a precise technique to realign the affected bones.

Retrieving a sharp-edged hairpin from her hair, she carefully extracted it and used it to shred his shirt.

No visible deformities marred his chest. Could it be an internal injury then? She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Whatever ailed Aldric, it demanded the intervention of a skilled Healer. It was the most she could offer, for his sake and, more significantly, for the good of her Kingdom.

With her eyes closed, palms hovering above his chest, Adela conjured the image of light coursing through her veins, concentrating it into her hands.

"Don't…" He strained weakly. "I will...suck you dry…"

She sensed it, a resistance pushing against her energy, demanding her full strength to breach the unseen dark barrier enveloping the warlock. Her heart raced, sweat trickling down her neck and back. Experience allowed her to discern that she stood on the verge of performing another miracle.

Unlike the one she had performed on Egon, this was an entirely distinct ordeal. More arduous than the one in the dungeon, it dragged on for a considerably longer duration.

"Adela."

As Aldric's breathing grew less strained and his hisses lessened, her body slouched and her consciousness weakened.

Was her effort fruitful? Was his struggle finally concluding?

She inwardly recoiled as her cheek brushed against his bare chest.

His arms enveloped her, holding her in place, one around her shoulders and the other covering her eyes. Fatigue overtook her, and she was too drained to protest.

"Who's the fool between us, Adela?" His voice sounded annoyed. "Why must you be so reckless, so willing to sacrifice yourself?"

"Get…Get off…"

Her feeble attempt to push him away only brushed his chest.

"Your touch, it excites me."

His fingers grazed her hair, unsettling her further.

"I could have you right here, right now, on this ground. I could show you a pleasure that monster could never fathom... And you can blame it all on me, hm? How about that?"

His words were vile, and her revulsion surged. How could anybody be so twisted, so consumed by darkness?

"My husband… He is no monster."

"Don't delude yourself. He's a monstrosity, an existence that should never have been permitted."

Aldric's ugly words emanated from below her ear, causing her eyes to sting. Her desire to cry out on Egon's behalf took over her.

Forgive me.

"Unlike him, I am human, Adela. But if you harbor a fondness for inhuman feats in bed, we can indulge endlessly... Last night must have been a nightmare for you, it's not too late. Put your pride aside and come to me willingly."

While she sought to silence him by covering his mouth, her efforts inadvertently placed her hand there, where he pressed fervent kisses against her palm.

She blinked her tears, feeling his palms that pressed still against her eyes dampening.

"Who do you cry for, him? Me? Or you?"

More tears welled up as she battled against her own shame.

Adela felt a burning sense of disgrace for having ended up in Aldric's embrace, especially on the very day Egon had expressly cautioned her against interacting with him. But how could she have acted differently when she couldn't bring herself to regret saving his life for her kingdom, even if it had drained her own energy?

"Should I switch to a different target for my kisses?" He suggested with a tone that pricked at her nerves. "Perhaps your first human kiss. Should I claim that?"

...Human?

"A human…someone who takes life…an old man's life…is not truly human."

The resounding thuds of heavy footsteps rapidly approached, and Adela's heart raced with disbelief. Could it be a knight rushing to her rescue?

"Please…" she uttered, her voice shaky, unable to distinguish a face in the approaching commotion.

"…Adela, you are a married woman now. I care for you deeply, but I cannot."

Aldric's words caught her off guard, their context and urgency confounding her. What was he trying to convey all of a sudden?

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