Predatory Marriage (Web Novel)
chapter-235

Chapter 235 – Reasons (1)

Translator: Atlas / Editor: Regan

As she walked away, Leah looked back to see his golden eyes following her, even as Blain grabbed for her wrists, tugging her onto his horse before him. Accompanied by the knights, they galloped away through the orchard. Though the fire was burning widely, there were still some places it had not yet reached.

A carriage was waiting outside the orchard. The attendants settled Leah inside it with a blanket, and her fingers trembled as she clutched it. The moment the door closed, the carriage set off, and she was glued to the window as she watched the flames rising to the sky.

She knew Ishakan would not be hurt, but she couldn’t take her eyes away. She was worried for him. Though he had the strength to keep her by force, he had let her go. Ishakan had always respected her will.

“Leah.”

She stiffened, looking away from the window. Blain was seated beside her and drew a deep breath before he spoke.

“What did Lady Mirael do to you?”

Her heart raced. Some part of her automatically acted as if she was pleased at his nearness, but now she was sure. What she felt for Ishakan was completely different.

“Answer!” Blain shouted. Leah glared at him.

“If I don’t answer, will you slap me?”

“You…!”

“Will you threaten to kill someone else, to make me obey? Or threaten to kill yourself?” He grabbed her wrist, and she wrenched away. “Let me go.”

He looked shocked, looking from his hand to Leah and back again. Her face was cold and impassive.

“……”

He bit his lip so hard it bled, but it no longer hurt her to see his pain.

“The wedding, if the wedding takes place…”

Leah turned away and covered her ears. She didn’t want to hear his muttering. Her eyes went back to the window, and she felt so uncomfortable being trapped in this small space with Blain. She couldn’t believe she had ever wanted to be near him.

The carriage rolled on for a long time. Eventually she saw the palace in the distance. She had seen it hundreds of times, but now it looked completely alien to her. It was no longer a beautiful place without its gardens and green vegetation. It looked unfamiliar and gloomy.

Even though she had grown up there, it no longer felt like home. As her prison approached, she thought, I will find a way back to him.

***

Haban watched Leah walk away. Though it had been her decision to leave, she looked back more than once.

Estia’s knights hurried after her and King Blain, and the fire roared on, so hot and close it was dangerous. The peach trees were falling over all around them. The Kurkans would be trapped in the fire if they didn’t leave soon.

But they didn’t move. They were waiting for their King’s command.

Ishakan was still staring in the direction where Leah had vanished and didn’t so much as twitch as Haban approached him.

“Did you know?” The question burst out instead of the warning that they had to leave. Ishakan’s gaze shifted slowly to Haban’s, and though everything else was glowing in the fire, his eyes were dark, as if they could not reflect light.

“Did you know Leah would leave?” Haban repeated the question in spite of his fear. Ishakan’s lips moved slowly.

“…Why would you think that?”

“It’s the only reason to keep those people alive.”

The King didn’t answer. He only smiled bitterly. The Kurkans had gone with Ishakan to the palace the night before. They had helped to kill Lady Mirael and their knights and left the decapitated heads in Blain’s room. They had indiscriminately killed every Tomari that crossed their path. But they had not harmed Cerdina or Blain, who deserved death more than anyone else.

Ishakan had kept them alive, just in case Leah wanted to regain her memories.

Of course, he wanted to take her to the desert. He did not care what happened to Estia or the people there. He wanted to take his wife to the safest possible place. His only concern was her well-being. He would worry about the rest once Leah had safely given birth and grown strong again.

Then he would come back and conquer Estia.

But Leah would not run away. Of her own will, she had returned to the palace to try to take back her lost memories. She chose to face the danger head on.

And she had gone with his baby in her womb.