Predatory Marriage — Chapter 50

PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT THIS IS THE LAST RESORT.

WE'LL BE TEMPORARILY NEUTRALIZING HER CURSE BY FORCE.

AS IT HAS HER IN SUCH A TIGHT GRIP, HER REACTION TO THE RITUAL WILL BE JUST AS SEVERE.

IF SHE'S ALREADY LOST AUTONOMY OVER HER BODY, HER MIND MUST ALSO BE ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE.

NORMALLY, GETTING TO THE POINT OF USING THIS RITUAL WOULD MEAN CERTAIN DEATH...

BUT WE HAVE HIM.

KURKANS HAVE A NATURALLY HIGH RESISTANCE TO SORCERY.

HOWEVER, KING ISHAKAN IS ON A WHOLLY DIFFERENT LEVEL.

HE IS TOTALLY UNAFFECTED BY IT.

BY USING HIS BLOOD AS A MEDIUM,

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AVOID THE QUEEN'S SCRUTINY UNTIL WE ARRIVE IN THE DESERT.

THIS WILL BE TREMENDOUSLY PAINFUL FOR HER.

SHE'S SURE TO THRASH OUT, SO KEEP HER RESTRAINED,

AND PLEASE BE CAREFUL THAT SHE DOESN'T BITE HER TONGUE.

LET US BEGIN.

HAVE HER DRINK THIS FIRST, AND THEN YOUR BLOOD.

HHHHHHHH!!

IT HURTS! IT HURTS SO BAD!

ISHAKAN, PLEASE...!

UGH... KILL ME! JUST KILL ME!

NO, LEAH.

ANY OTHER WISH I'D BE WILLING TO GRANT, BUT NOT THAT.

SO PLEASE DON'T SAY SUCH A THING...

AMONG THE KURKANS, MEMBERS OF THE WOLF TRIBE ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR ATTACHMENT TO THEIR MATES.

HOWEVER, I NEVER IMAGINED I WOULD SEE KING ISHAKAN LIKE THIS, OF ALL PEOPLE.

IF THE UNRIVALED KING OF THE KURKANS WERE TO BE ENGRAVED WITH THE MARK OF DEFEAT,

IT WOULD BE BY THE PRINCESS'S OWN HANDS.

KHANIN, DO YOU REMEMBER THE DAY WE FIRST MET KING ISHAKAN?

OF COURSE.

DURING THE REIGN OF THE PREVIOUS KING, HABAN AND I WITNESSED MANY MISDEEDS AS HIS PERSONAL GUARDS.

UNABLE TO BEAR IT ANY LONGER, WE ABANDONED OUR POST,

BUT WERE CAUGHT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND IMPRISONED TOGETHER.

WHILE WE WERE HOPELESSLY AWAITING OUR EXECUTION, THAT WAS WHEN HE APPEARED.

I HAVE NEVER MET SOMEONE AS STRONG OR BEAUTIFUL AS HIM,

NOR ANYONE AS DANGEROUS.

BUT HE'S LIKE A DIFFERENT PERSON WHEN HE'S WITH THE PRINCESS.

HONESTLY, I THINK SHE'S THE PERFECT SPOUSE FOR HIM.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE CROWN PRINCE IS LEADING THE MEN.

THE BASTARD TREATED THE PRINCESS HORRIBLY.

WE CAN'T LOSE HER TO SOMEONE LIKE HIM.

IF SHE WAS SO SPECIAL TO HIM, HE SHOULD'VE TREATED HER BETTER.

INDEED.

LEAH IS NO LONGER THE PRINCESS OF ESTIA.

HENCEFORTH, SHE WILL BE THE QUEEN OF KURKAN.

W-WAS THAT A NIGHTMARE?

IT WAS SO UNBEARABLY PAINFUL...

I BEGGED HIM TO KILL ME, BUT...

THANKS TO HIM,

I ENDURED.

WHERE AM I?

.....

THIS PLACE SMELLS JUST LIKE THE CIGARS ISHAKAN OFTEN SMOKES.

URGH!

WHAT ARE THESE MEMORIES?

THEY'RE ALL CHOPPED UP... I CAN'T MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL!

LEAH!

ISHAKAN...

HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN ASLEEP?

OVER 3 WEEKS.

NORMALLY, ONE WOULD BE DEAD HAVING SLEPT FOR SO LONG.

DID HE KEEP ME ALIVE THROUGH SORCERY?

THEN THIS MUST BE...

YES, WE'RE IN THE DESERT, CURRENTLY ON OUR WAY TO KURKAN.

WE SHOULD BE THERE IN 3 DAYS AT THE LATEST.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

UNCHAIN ME. BRING ME BACK TO ESTIA.

WHERE? TO THE MARGRAVIATE?

DO YOU THINK THEY'LL TREAT A WOMAN WHO WAS ABDUCTED IN A PREDATORY MARRIAGE WELL?

THEY'LL PROBABLY STONE YOU, SAYING YOU'RE AN IMPURE BRIDE. THAT'S THE WAY THE BASTARDS IN ESTIA ARE, RIGHT?

THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!

BESIDES, DON'T PRETEND LIKE YOU KNOW A THING ABOUT ME.

THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY TO FREE MYSELF.

IT TOOK ME SO MUCH RESOLVE TO ACCEPT DEATH...!

BUT THAT ISN'T THE SADDEST THING ABOUT ALL THIS.

RATHER, IT'S HOW ELATED I AM KNOWING THAT HE STILL HASN'T GIVEN UP ON ME.

I DON'T KNOW A THING, YOU SAY?

TELL ME, THEN. WHAT IS IT THAT I DON'T KNOW?

THE FACT THAT THE QUEEN PUT A CURSE ON YOU TO MAKE YOU HER PUPPET?

H-HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?

THE FACT THAT YOU DELIBERATELY BOMBARDED ME WITH CRUEL WORDS?

OR THE FACT THAT YOU WERE PLANNING TO COMMIT SUICIDE AFTER YOUR WEDDING NIGHT WITH THAT MARGRAVE YOU SO DESPISE?

COME ON. TELL ME.

WHAT IS IT THAT I DON'T KNOW,

LEAH?