Married To The Villain
Chapter 70: Sus! Sus! Sus!

Chapter 70: Sus! Sus! Sus!

Chapter 70: Sus! Sus! Sus!

"Finally..."

The carriage rocked as Lirian sat back, her arms crossed and she was looking at the road ahead.

It had taken her hours of pleading in the town square, waving coins and promises of more to come, before someone had finally agreed to take her into the remote mountain range.

Most drivers had laughed nervously, muttering about curses and dangers, their refusal was very obvious.

It wasn’t until a lone man in a tattered cloak approached her with a curious look and a small grin that she found her guide.

Now, as the horse trotted through the muddy, winding path, she stole a glance at him.

He sat tall at the reins, his long black hair was tied loosely at the nape of his neck, the scar beneath his bright blue eyes gave him some rugged mystery.

His sleeves were rolled up, revealing strong, muscular arms that flexed with each move he was making.

He had the confident, relaxed aura of someone who had seen his fair share of danger—and survived it.

Pedro was perched on her shoulder, silent for once, darting between the stranger and the road.

The man turned his head slightly, catching her staring.

His grin widened.

"You’ve got quite the nerve, miss, heading into the cursed lands without much of a plan."

Lirian straightened her posture, meeting him with determination. "I have a plan."

He chuckled softly, his voice sounded so smooth. "Oh? And what’s that? Pray to the gods and hope they take pity on you?"

"Something like that," Lirian replied curtly in a cool tone.

The man laughed again, shaking his head. "You’re bold, I’ll give you that. Bold, or just plain reckless."

Pedro flapped his wings, finally speaking up.

"Reckless, maybe, but with vibes you wouldn’t understand, bro."

The man raised an eyebrow, glancing at the parrot.

"Does it always talk like that?"

"Unfortunately," Lirian muttered, though there was a faint smile tugging at her lips.

The man shrugged, returning his focus to the road.

"Well, you’re lucky I’m the one who said yes. Name’s Kael, by the way." He glanced at her again. "And you?"

"Lirian," she said, as she wasn’t in the mood for small talk, not with Gabriel’s life on the line.

Still, something about Kael’s presence felt oddly reassuring, even if he did have a way of getting under her skin.

"Lirian," Kael repeated, as if testing the sound of her name.

"Nice to meet you, Lirian. Though I’ll admit, I’m curious—what’s so important that you’d risk your life heading into those mountains? Most folks don’t come back, you know."

Lirian hesitated, her eyes droppee to her hands.

She didn’t want to reveal too much to a stranger, even one as seemingly capable as Kael.

"I’m looking for someone," she said finally. "Someone who needs my help."

Kael’s expression softened, though his tone remained skeptical. "Must be someone important."

"He is," she said firmly, leaving no room for further questions.

Kael nodded slowly, looking at the horizon.

"Fair enough. Just don’t expect it to be easy. The cursed lands aren’t just stories to scare children. I’ve seen things out there that would make your blood run cold."

Lirian raised an eyebrow. "And yet, you agreed to take me."

Kael’s grin returned, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

"I’m not afraid of a little danger. Besides," he added, nodding toward Pedro, "your bird seemed pretty confident about this whole thing. Figured I’d see what all the fuss was about."

Pedro puffed up his chest proudly. "Big W move, Kael. Respect."

Kael snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "You’ve got quite the companion, Lirian. I’ll give you that."

They fell into a tense silence after that, the only sounds the creak of the carriage wheels and the steady clop of hooves against the dirt road.

Lirian couldn’t help but steal another glance at Kael, wondering what kind of man he was.

He seemed experienced, competent, but there was something else—something guarded in his expression, as though he had his own secrets.

Eventually, Kael broke the silence.

"You know," he said casually, "you remind me of someone I knew a long time ago. She had that same fire in her eyes, like she’d take on the whole world if it meant protecting someone she cared about."

Lirian decided to lift her head, intrigued despite herself. "What happened to her?"

Kael’s smile disappeared, and for a moment, he looked far away.

"She didn’t make it. Some fights are too big, no matter how much you care."

Lirian’s chest tightened at his words, but she refused to let them shake her body.

"This fight isn’t too big," she said quietly. "I won’t let it be."

Kael glanced at her, lowering his eyebrows a little.

"Let’s hope you’re right."

As they continued their journey, the landscape grew wilder, the trees twisted and gnarled as if shaped by some evil force.

The was becoming colder, and the silence settled over the forest, broken only by the occasional call of a distant crow.

Kael slowed the carriage, tensing his body a little.

"We’re getting close," he said in a low voice. "You sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Lirian said without hesitation.

Kael looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

"All right. But stay close to me when we get there. I don’t care how determined you are—you’re no use to whoever you’re trying to save if you get yourself killed."

Lirian bristled at his tone, but she couldn’t argue with his logic. "Fine."

Pedro squawked from her shoulder. "Big vibes ahead. Stay strapped, fam."

Kael gave the parrot a bemused look. "Does he ever shut up?"

"No," Lirian said flatly.

Kael sighed, shaking his head. "Figures."

They reached the base of the mountain range just as the sun dipped below the horizon, there were long shadows over the rocky terrain.

Kael pulled the carriage to a stop, pressing his lips together, looking grim.

"This is as far as the horses will go," he said, climbing down and offering Lirian a hand.

"We’ll have to go the rest of the way on foot."

Lirian hesitated for only a moment before accepting his help, her boots crunched against the gravel as she stepped down.

She adjusted her satchel, her fingers brushed against the map tucked inside.

Kael grabbed a pack from the carriage, slinging it over one shoulder.

"Stay close," he said again, leaving no room for argument.

"And keep your bird quiet. We don’t want to attract any unnecessary attention."

Pedro puffed up angrily but said nothing, sensing the seriousness of the situation.

The three of them began their ascent, the path grew steeper and more treacherous with every step.

The wind howled through the mountains, carrying with it a faint, almost whispering sound that set Lirian’s nerves on edge.

Kael walked ahead, he looked so sure and confident.

He glanced back occasionally to make sure Lirian was keeping up.

"You doing all right?" he asked after a while.

"I’m fine," she said, though her legs were already starting to ache.

Kael smirked. "Tougher than you look, huh?"

"Stronger than you think," she replied back, sharpening her tone.

Kael chuckled, clearly amused. "Fair enough."

As they climbed higher, the whispers grew louder, more distinct.

Lirian couldn’t make out the words, but they seemed to be coming from all around them, echoing off the rocks and trees.

Kael’s expression darkened.

"Ignore it," he said, his voice tight. "It’s just the mountains trying to get in your head."

Lirian nodded, gripping the strap of her satchel tightly.

She wouldn’t let anything distract her—not now.

They reached a narrow ledge, the ground dropping away to reveal a dizzying drop below.

Kael moved carefully, searching for the path ahead.

Lirian followed closely, her heart pounded in her chest faster with every beat.

Suddenly, Pedro squawked loudly, his wings flapped, trying to alarm them.

"Danger! Incoming vibes! High-key bad!"

Kael froze, his hand moved instinctively to the hilt of a dagger at his belt.

"What is it?" he asked sharply.

Before Pedro could answer, a low growl echoed through the air, sending a chill down Lirian’s spine.

Kael turned slowly, his eyes looked around as a pair of glowing red eyes came from the shadows ahead.

"Stay behind me," Kael said, drawing his dagger as the creature stepped into the light—a massive wolf, its fur matted and its teeth bared in a snarl.

Lirian’s breath caught in her throat, but she forced herself to stand her ground.

She wasn’t going to let fear control her—not now.

Kael glanced back at her, his blue eyes looked as fierce as the blade.

"You wanted to save someone, right?" he said, looking back at her.

"Then don’t die before you get the chance."

This was like a dagger at Lirian’s heart. The monster didn’t even look terrifying enough, knowing how Gabriel might be tortured.

"No...I’m not going to give up on my goal."

Pedro looked at Lirian, "me too!" He flapped his wings high into the air, disappearing.