How to Survive as the Wife of the Monster Duke - Chapter 91

“The range is further than we had anticipated. There is nothing we can do if they attack Biflten from the warm region,” said Idith, the concern evident in his voice.

“We will-”

With the current conversation, Ilyin couldn’t help but bury her face in Aden’s embrace in worry. Aden held her tight but right at that moment jolted with surprise.

“Your Majesty!” shouted Idith as he saw an arrow sharply fly by. Blood spurted out from Aden’s shirt where the arrow had scraped him. A few drops splattered on Ilyin’s face, her eyes wide with shock.

“A-Are you okay?” she managed to sputter out while looking at Aden.

Ilyin instinctively tried to reach for Aden’s back with worry but was stopped by Aden’s right hand.

“You’re going to hurt yourself,” he said.

When Ilyin did not feel anything on Aden’s back she looked at Aden and uttered, “The arrow?”

“I’m okay,” said Aden trying to calm Ilyin down. The blood had now soaked his left arm but all he was focused on was wiping the blood on Ilyin’s face. If Aden was hurt he didn’t show it with his face void of any expression.

“Idith,” said Aden, looking ahead.

“Yes,” came a reply immediately, the air surrounding them was heavy with tension.

“How many can you spot?”

“Four of them.”

Ilyin clenched her hand till her knuckles turned white. Everything that was happening was eerily similar to her foresight and she could feel that there was more to come. There was still every chance that foresight might come true.

“Kill them,” ordered Aden in a cold voice that was unlike Ilyin’s foresight.

At that command Idith and Etra nodded and slowed their horses. Aden picked up the pace and held Ilyin close to him. As they rode off they could hear the clashing of swords, chilling screams and eventually silence.

The piercing screams and commotion of battle did not help ease Ilyin’s worry in the slightest. Worried about Idith and Etra, Ilyin tried to look over Aden’s shoulder.

“Are you more worried about them than me?” said Aden. When Ilyin couldn’t reply, Aden laughed, “I’m joking.”

As Ilyin realized how tightly she was holding onto Aden’s shoulders she looked down and noticed that his wound was much deeper than it looked.

“Your hand will get dirty,” was all Aden said as he looked at her.

“B-blood,” was all she could manage out.

“Don’t worry. The wound will heal quickly in the winter region,” Aden assured Ilyin as he tightened his hold around her and sped up.

“There’s still time till then,” said Ilyin more to herself than anyone, the horse running faster below her.

Ilyin couldn’t help the slight relief that washed over her as she looked at Aden and remembered what he had said a few days back, ‘Let’s deceive the dream.’

Aden laughed as if he had read her thoughts, “We’re already in winter.”

He then pulled Ilyin’s blue hood over her head, as if he was trying to shield her from something. She then saw a blinding light in his right hand.

It was as if someone had pressed fast-forward on time which triggered the changing of weather. The clear blue sky they were riding under slowly disappeared giving way to rainclouds that soon covered the sky. There was a clear distinct line between the two regions. The overhanging gloomy clouds were a welcome sight as Bilften’s sky was always grey. The moon was instantly covered by the dark clouds.

As it got dark, Ilyin felt little crystals fall from the sky, something she was all too familiar with. It was Bilften’s April which was rougher because of the northern wind. With the snow and the wind, the place that previously reflected the warm region was transformed into a beautiful winter.

As they rode into the darkness, a snowstorm covered everything in sight but Ilyin felt safe in the embrace of her Winter Duke, Aden.

As the horse slowed to a stop, Ilyin wrapped her clothes tightly around her and looked back. Idith and Etra were getting off their horses. They were unharmed but the same couldn’t be said about the four dead bodies they had brought with them.

As Ilyin got off the horse, she tightly clutched Aden’s hand as she couldn’t take her eyes off the four bodies in front of her. They were frozen, their eyes glossed over. Even though they were lying there like statues, they looked aggressive and ready to pounce on anyone at the slightest provocation.

“I kept my promise,” said Aden and opened his palm, lightening the heavy snowstorm.

“It’s the reward for believing in winter,” he whispered softly with a smile as he looked at Ilyin.

As Ilyin looked at Aden she realized that her foresight had come true albeit with a slight but very welcome twist. Aden was hurt just like in her foresight but he was not hurt too badly. It was Aden that orchestrated the changed vision.