The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 560: Animal’s Way Of Healing

Chapter 560: Animal’s Way Of Healing

Arlan eventually broke away from their kiss, leaving them both breathless. Stepping back, he mentioned, "We have to go."

Still caught in the moment, she asked, "Where?"

"To take care of you, since you’re hurt," he explained, then swiftly wrapped her in the sheets and lifted her into his arms before she could inquire further.

In an instant, they were teleported back to their chamber. Arlan carried her towards the bath, prompting a puzzled Oriana to ask, "Why are we going to the bath?" She was apprehensive at the thought of possibly sharing a bath, which would be mortifyingly intimate.

"To take care of you," he repeated, stepping into the bathroom.

There, Oriana saw a bathtub filled with steaming hot water, evidently freshly prepared. Arlan set her down and began to gently remove the sheet she was wrapped in. She held onto it tightly, her modesty surfacing. "I..I can manage... Please, don’t trouble yourself..."

"It’s no trouble," he assured her, meeting her shy eyes. "If you’re feeling shy, remember that I’ve seen and touched every part of you, even places you can’t reach yourself." His voice was gentle yet firm, conveying both understanding and a deep familiarity with her.

Overwhelmed by his audacity yet unable to resist, Oriana let him take the sheet from her. He then lifted her once again, gently placing her in the center of the oval wooden bathtub. Despite her shyness, she couldn’t deny the comfort of the warm water embracing her body. All of a sudden she found his decision to bring her here undoubtedly the best but...

The next moment she found him unbuttoning his pants. She averted her gaze, her legs sinking back to fold them in front of her chest, her hands wrapping around her folded legs. Through the corner of her eyes she watched him walking towards the tub, stark naked.

She gulped, ’Is he going to join me in the tub? I thought I would get some private time relaxing here.’

Her heart skipped a beat when he stepped into the water, the displaced water alerting her to his proximity. Instinctively, her body tensed, and she closed her eyes. His legs stretched out on either side of her in the tub, and he wrapped his arm around her, drawing her back against his chest, making her aware of his very nakedness.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, feeling the contrast between her cool back and his warm chest.

His chin rested gently on her shoulder as he replied, "I’m doing what a husband should." His hand traced along her arms, wrapped around her knees, coaxing, "Let them go."

Hesitantly, Oriana allowed his hands to guide hers away, feeling his hand then rest on her knees, gently encouraging them to part.

However, she instinctively tightened her legs together, resisting the motion.

"If you keep your legs closed like this, the warm water can’t soothe the places where you’re hurt," he whispered near her ear, his breath warm against her skin.

Realizing his intent, Oriana acquiesced, allowing him to gently part her legs. He then withdrew his hands, wrapping them around her waist instead. "Let’s relax like this," he suggested.

As she closed her eyes, trying to relax fully, she felt a slight involuntary movement from her body, a small release from her intimate place that left her deeply embarrassed.

"What happened?" he inquired, noticing her reaction.

"N-Nothing," she replied faintly, hoping he wouldn’t pursue it further.

"You are not on your fertile days so it’s alright it comes out. Also, we do not need to have kids yet," Arlan said as he moved his hand down her stomach, his finger tips touching further below her belly, "I can help you get rid of it."

She quickly grasped his hand. "No need. Please," her voice was a mix of embarrassment and pleading.

He suggested an alternative. "You can do it yourself, then. Don’t mind me."

Internally, Oriana was exasperated. ’How can he say such embarrassing things so casually and with a straight face?’

"It’s alright," she responded, hoping the topic would end there.

A peaceful silence enveloped them for a while. Arlan continued to hear Oriana’s heart beat and her breathing that told him she was finally calm and was not wary of him holding her like this.

Breaking the quiet, Arlan ventured into a new topic. "Do you know how animals heal their wounds without medicine?"

Oriana nodded, responding to his question. "They lick their wounds. Their saliva has medicinal properties that help heal them faster." Her answer reflected a basic understanding of natural healing.

"What if the wound is somewhere they can’t reach themselves?" he asked again.

Oriana pondered, her response cautious. "I’m not entirely sure about all animals, but I think some, like cats and dogs, might lick each other’s wounds. It could be out of affection or a communal healing instinct. My expertise is in healing humans, so I’m not entirely certain about animal behaviors."

"Your husband is not human either, a beast or if you like to address a dragon as an animal as well, we can use this opportunity to study how healing works in animals," Arlan added.

Confused, Oriana turned her face to look at him. "What do you mean?"

Arlan lowered his gaze to meet her puzzled one with a serious expression. "You’re injured. Maybe we should test if licking and using saliva can help in your healing."

Oriana’s eyes widened as she finally understood what he meant. This man, just when she thought she could relax in water without any worry, he had something else in his mind. Her stomach almost clenched inside with the thought of imagining what he exactly meant.

Turning her face away, unwilling to face him, she insisted, "I don’t think that’s necessary."

"I believe it is," Arlan countered, and before Oriana could fully grasp his intention, she found her water drenched body lifted in his arms, spilling the water from the tub all around it.

"Arlan," she protested, panic edging into her voice, "I’m healed."

"I need to verify that myself," he stated, stepping out of the bathtub with her in his arms.

"Arlan," she tried to resist, but his serious gaze silenced her, leaving her speechless and at a loss.