Chapter 115
My lips dropped in utter shock
“Y-your maiden?” I asked, confused as to what they were referring to.
The high priestess looked at me, her face still solemn.
I realized I had blurted in the middle of a ritual and looked down at the floor.
“His maiden.” The high priestess said to me.
“W-who me?” I asked in surprise.
“But of course.” She said. “I see no one else around.”
“No, he just brought me because I couldn’t walk well,” I said.
The man coughed, and then I realized what I had said.
“N-no, I don’t mean I couldn’t walk because of anything we did. I just.” I realized I was talking too much, so I stopped and took a deep breath. “He was just assisting me. I’m not the maiden.”
“But you are.” She smiled as she gave away her left palm and one of the priestesses handed her a bowl of blood. Your entire presence is radiating. Can’t you feel it yourself? You’ve been bestowed with the spirit of the goddess, and because of your sacrifice and mating, we’ve been given great power.”
The high priestess dipped her hand inside the bowl and drew the blood on my forehead.
“If you hadn’t, we would have plunged into great winter and had our powers taken from us, ” she said, and then she dipped her finger again into the blood, this time putting it on Xaden.
I looked up at Xaden, hoping he would explain that I was not the maiden.
But he said nothing, and for a split second, it occurred to me that I probably was her.
Then, one of the high priestesses came around with a robe for Xaden.
“I believe I can walk now, my lord,” I said.
But he ignored me, and then the Robe was placed for him regardless of him holding me to him.
Then, the high priestess made some incantations, speaking words and using a language I did not understand.
Then, when he was done, he held unto her firmly.
I saw the king and Queen looking at me, and then memories of how I had seen the King kissing the Queen’s mother flashed through my mind, and I turned my face away to hide in the nook of Xaden’s arm.
The high priestess continued with the incantations, and then I heard hoofs.
I saw none other than Aurora approaching us with a few of the men from the pack.
About six of them all in all.
They rode down towards us, and Aurora got off her horse and walked towards the crowd.
She was about to say something when the high priestess used their spears to block her way.
She turned and saw the high priestesses making her incantations.
Then, when she saw us, her mouth dropped in shock.
I blushed as I saw her gazing at Xaden at me and how I was held firmly in his arms.
She was unable to say a word.
“You have given us the beauty of nature again. Renewed our world till the next halo festival. We are forever grateful for your sacrifice.” The high priestess concluded.
Then, the high priestess knelt to her knees. The other lesser priestesses followed her, and then the Alphas, before the King and Queen.
Aurora was forced to kneel even though, from her face and countenance, you could tell she didn’t want to and was only doing it grudgingly.
Were they bowing down to us? To me?
I held unto Xaden as he was my only support from this foreign occasion.
Then they rose to their feet and gave way.
I felt uncomfortable as Xaden passed the clearing given to us, and soon, we were inside the Castle.
I could feel the eyes of all the other servants looking at me and them whispering.
I was completely uncomfortable, and when we reached the steps, I forced myself down from him.
He looked at me with a frown.
“My apologies, Your Majesty,” I said, removing imaginary rumples from my dress. “But I am certain I am fit enough to walk alone.”
“You’re not strong.” He said, trying to hold me.
“I appreciate you caring for me, Your Majesty.” I started. “But I am pretty well enough for-
He started laughing, and it stunned me.
I had never seen him laugh before, but I could tell it was not genuine.
But a mean one.
“You said I am caring for you?” He asked me with a cocked brow.
I was at a loss for words.
“Isn’t that what you were doing, Your Majesty, when you assisted me with my weak legs?” I managed to ask him.
“Gods know, ” he said. I carried you so that I wouldn’t delay any time. You were stalling, and moreover, it would have been something else if they all saw me walking with a limping girl, wouldn’t it?”
I swallowed, clearing my dry throat.
What had I honestly thought? That he cared for me?
“I only fucked you because of the effect of the night ritual.” He said. “It was simply my male urges. What? You thought it was something more?”
I said nothing, and he turned to focus on me and then said.
“You thought it was something more than just me fucking you?” He asked darkly.
There were only a few inches left between us.
I felt my heart race like it would leap right out of my heart.
“You thought I could have something with you?” He asked me. “That maybe it was just past fucking and serving my duties.”
Reflex and I took a step back, surprised by the hurt and impact of his words on me.
“No, my lord,” I said quietly.
When I looked up, he had turned his back on me and was already gone.
The tears burning behind my eyes dropped, and then I looked up and saw Princess Belle staring hard at me from the other end of the stairs. Hate was vivid in her.
I quickly cleaned my tears and went my way.
But she was already catching up to me