Demon Prince's Forsaken Bride-Chapter 84: Lareina is dead (2)

Tears rolled Moira’s face. She cupped her mouth as her shoulders trembled, ’’She...’’

Azrael’s eyes burned red and a craze burned in them.

Moira staggered and gulped, ’’Your Highness, I was late. The lady fell off this cliff before I could help her...’’ Tears marred her face as she spoke, ’’But even as things have come to this, we cannot sit still. Your Highness, you must come with me and avenge her. When I came here, I saw a man running away. That should be the culprit.’’

As she spoke, she grabbed Azrael’s hand and led him away. Like a lifeless doll, he walked after her but she could feel the rage simmering in those violet eyes. Like a snake that was gathering its poison slowly to sink it all into its enemy’s blood.

A layer of goosebumps covered Moira’s body, heart trembling in her chest, ’’Your Highness, you must look for that man and avenge Lady Lareina... I will need to go back and look for Astra. She was also in peril, surrounded by assassins when she sent me away to save me...’’

’’Which way?" Two words were softly uttered by the man who pulled his hand back and looked at her.

’’Ah?" Moira was in a daze. Her heart was shaking with an intensity that made her speech incoherent. Her gaze also flitted around, looking anywhere but at the man who was emanating a murderous aura.

’’Which way did the assassin take?"

’’T-That way!" Moira promptly pointed in the opposite direction. An enemy’s enemy is always a friend.

As she watched the man walking away with heavy steps, Moira almost slumped on the ground. After a long time, she wiped the cold sweat on her forehead with both her palms and staggered in the opposite way of which Azrael had left.

Once Moira was gone, Azrael walked back to the spot. He spared only one glance in the direction Moira had disappeared in before rushing towards the cliff.

In his haste, the man bumped into a rock and fell on his face but he pushed himself up, half crawling and half running.

Yet the moment he reached the cliff, he turned around.

Above the cliff, Azrael stood stonily, his back turning towards the place where Lareina had fallen. The thudding of his heart was ringing loud in his ears.

’’I am sorry,’’ a whisper left his mouth, ’’I am sorry,’’ This time, his words came out in a scream.

’’I am a coward. I do not dare to turn around to know if I have lost you forever so I left without looking back,’’ Azrael turned and dropped to his knees, ’’I am sorry for coming late. I am sorry for putting you through this. I am sorry for everything you have had to endure.’’

Azrael closed his eyes and a drop of tear escaped the corner of his eyes. He covered his face in his palms, ’’This marriage was unwanted on your part but you have been everything I ever desired. But our wedding night made me realize that everything between us was unacceptable to you in every way. I was so selfish and wrong that I could not look you into the eyes knowing that the woman I wanted was only ever disgusted by me. You hated me. And it remained a thorn in my heart for as long as I could remember, growing and twisting with my feelings whenever I saw you.’’

"You hated me and still, I could not keep myself away from you. I hated myself for that. I believed we were doomed to a fate like this. But...’’ Azrael opened his eyes, a hint of begging remained in his voice as he spoke, ’’But hate me if you must, Lareina. Don’t die without me. You should have lived and breathed every moment to despise me even more.’’

He slowly stood up and stepped forward, standing on the edge of the cliff and looking into the abyss.

If things could start over again, perhaps he would never resent her resentment. If she hated him, so be it. Whatever she wanted, he would have given her that. A truth. A life. Or a death.

It wasn’t until the moment she was held with a knife by her throat and dragged away from him did he realize that the very thought of him existing in a world where she wasn’t, made him want to kill himself.

She could die in peace. But even in death, he must accompany her.

’’Hate me if you must, my little rebel. But even in death, I cannot leave you alone.’’

The man stepped forward but at this moment, a small familiar voice rang.

’’Wait... no...’’

...

Below the cliff.

Lareina leaned the side of her head on her shoulder. Her left hand that was holding onto a rocky cliff face was covered in blood. And her right hand hung loose in her sleeve, motionless, after it was clutched and broken by Moira.

Her lips were cracked and her face had turned into a deathly shade of white. She had never really trusted Moira but in that situation, there was no other choice left. Had she not grabbed the extended hand, she would have just waited for that branch to break off.

She thought about not taking Moira’s hand but there was always an unpredictability in human’s heart. What if? What if that hand really could have saved her? What if she refused to take the only opportunity that could have saved her life?

When the branch broke, she thought she was going to fall to her death this time. But as luck would have it, she managed to hold onto a rocky surface and it was only a headpiece that fell into the abyss.

Azrael’s voice had filled her with an indescribable hope. Even as things stood, she had wanted to hear his response. She had wanted him to question Moira or to even look for her. To check once if there were any signs of breath left in her even if she fell to her death.

But all her hopes... shattered one by one when the man trusted Moira blinded and left the place without looking for her even once.

Lareina looked at the vast gloomy sky. The darkness did not leave her heart at peace at all but rather, a bitterness gradually spread through her being like a slow poison.

She closed her eyes and hopelessness consumed her.

At this moment, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps and her body immediately turned alert. Lareina held her breath.