The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 408: He Tasted My Blood?

Chapter 408: He Tasted My Blood?

Arlan and Oriana made their way back to their separate residences following their visit to the lake. In the meantime, rumors about the Crown Prince taking his betrothed to the lake and the intimate moments they shared had spread like wildfire, effectively dispelling the earlier negative speculation about the Crown Prince’s treatment of his intended.

The news of this development also reached the Oak Palace.

"Is this true?" the King inquired with a cheerful tone as he gazed at his attendant, Garian.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It appears the Crown Prince and his betrothed have come to an understanding," Garian replied.

The King nodded, but the smile on his face was short-lived as he muttered, "Arlan is not one to yield easily, and she is quite the same. The more I think about it..."

The King turned back to Garian. "Any signs of discord between them?"

The two were alone in the gazebo, their conversation shielded from prying ears. Following the events they had witnessed, others had averted their gazes, leaving them in the dark about the exact details.

"And...?" the King prompted.

"The Crown Prince seems to have sustained an injury," Garian said, with a hint of awkwardness. "Your Majesty, there was a wound on his mouth."

The King chuckled, "Just as I expected."

"Your Majesty, you don’t appear concerned."

"If everything were proceeding smoothly between them, that would be cause for concern. However, both of them being forthright about their true feelings is far more preferable than concealing them. You can never predict the actions of those who choose to feign harmony."

"You are consistently wise, Your Majesty," Garian acknowledged. "But what if they continue to engage in such conflicts and never fully accept each other?"

"That lies in the hands of their destinies. For the time being, we can only focus on the present, and the present is meant for them to marry, with Arlan ascending the throne with her at his side," the King stated.

Garian could only nod in agreement.

----

Oriana arrived at the guest mansion, where she missed Ana before going to her chamber. She removed her veil and began to pace around the room.

"Was it just a figment of my imagination, or was I truly tempted to taste his blood? I must speak with Lord Yorian."

"Have you been missing me, Oriana?" she heard the familiar voice as she turned to find the elf sitting on the windowsill as if it was his favourite place. "Saying your name is pure bliss. You should miss me more often, Oriana."

Oriana sighed upon hearing him. "Are you flirting with me, Lord Yorian?"

He chuckled, "It’s delightful to be informal with you, but if you want to call it flirting, I can’t argue."

Oriana hesitated for a moment, uncertain of how to broach the subject. "I happened to... taste..." She cleared her throat awkwardly. "...his blood today."

Yorian regarded her nonchalantly, as if not quite grasping her meaning. "Whose blood?"

"Prince Arlan," she admitted, feeling a twinge of embarrassment as recounting the circumstances was no simple task.

Yorian chuckled, "You’re certainly bold enough to make a dragon bleed and even taste his blood."

"Um, it just happened," she replied, quickly coming to the point. "When I tasted his blood, I was tempted to have more. I felt an unusual thirst within me, and my thoughts became clouded by dangerous intentions. Is it because his blood is divine, and I belong to the clan known for their insatiable desire for power?"

Yorian nodded knowingly. "Indeed, it has to do with your identity as a Black Witch. Witches possess inherent abilities that make them formidable without conscious effort, in addition to the knowledge they amass over their lifetimes. It’s how you recognized that divine blood and were tempted to consume it. Your innate ability guided you toward another path to power."

Oriana grasped the concept and continued with her inquiry, "Lord Yorian, do you think that witch is also using his blood... I mean, drinking his blood?"

"It’s a possibility," Yorian admitted.

"If she is using his blood, she must already possess tremendous power. But why is she hiding, causing suffering for both the King and the Prince? What else could she desire beyond power and control over a divine beast?"

"That’s precisely what we need to discover. If power were her sole objective, she would have revealed herself, subjugating those around her openly. But she continues to conceal her existence, suggesting another motive."

"Shall we attempt to infiltrate rear of Queen’s palace tonight?" Oriana proposed.

Rather than giving a direct response, a teasing smirk graced Yorian’s lips. "It seems like you’ve been hurt as well."

Oriana noticed Yorian’s gaze fixated on her injured lips and scowled as she gingerly touched her mouth. "That infuriating Dragon. I should have bitten him even harder."

Yorian chuckled, reveling in her angered expression, which only enhanced her beauty as her cheeks flushed with vexation. "What I’m curious about is how he reacted when he tasted your blood."

Oriana’s eyes widened in shock. "He tasted my blood? How did I miss that? Will he now discover I’m not human, that I’m a witch with divine blood as well?"

"I can’t say whether he recognized it, but did you glean any hints from his reaction?" Yorian inquired.

Oriana shook her head. "I was so angry at the time, in pain and struggling for breath... I mean, I couldn’t pay attention." Her face reddened as she realized how candidly she was confiding in Yorian.

Yorian relished the array of emotions playing out on the Witch’s face.

"Prince Arlan would likely have been taken aback and questioned you if he had realized you possessed divine blood. If he said nothing, it’s probable he didn’t discern it," Yorian explained.

Oriana breathed a sigh of relief. "He already despises me and wants me gone. If he were to discover I’m a Black Witch, he’d probably kill me immediately, given his strong aversion to Black Witches. For my grandfather’s sake, I can’t risk revealing it to him just yet. If he was human, I would have risked but knowing he is Dragon, I surely can not reveal myself to him."

Even Yorian was not sure how Arlan would react knowing Oriana was a black witch. Yorian inquired, "Is there anything else on your mind?"

Oriana contemplated the question and then responded, "In the book I read, it was mentioned that dragons are exceedingly gentle and attentive to their mates, almost like slaves. But can the same dragon be so different with other women, being cruel and even wanting to harm them?"

Yorian chuckled at her words and mumbled, "I don’t see any ’other’ women here."

"What do you mean, Lord Yorian?" she inquired.

He didn’t answer immediately but urged her to continue.

"They can only engage intimately with their mates, right?" she asked.

Yorian nodded.