The Hidden King's Stolen Wife-Chapter 42: Vulnerable Position

Soleia paced around the campsite, idly rubbing her arms in a bid to keep herself warm. Despite being the lady of the household, none of Orion’s men bothered to offer her any help― whether it was a spare blanket or gruel from their breakfast.

Soleia tried not to take it too personally. Their breakfast portions were miserly enough to begin with. She guessed that Orion must have wanted to ride for the palace almost immediately that he hadn’t managed supplies properly.

Instead, she decided to wait for Sir Ralph’s return. She needed to relieve herself, but she wasn’t comfortable going off alone and unguarded to do it, and she didn’t trust the guards enough to be left with them in such a vulnerable position.

So she waited. Soleia rubbed at her palms and held the sunstone in her hands. It had long gone cold. Idly, she wondered what Sir Ralph was doing. Perhaps he had also gone to relieve himself, but then he froze to death. Perhaps he had been mauled to death by wolves.

Either way, his presence was sorely missed. Soleia shifted her feet as the pressure she felt grew.

She couldn’t wait any longer. With one last careful glance at the encampment, Soleia hurriedly ran towards a relatively deserted spot, far away from any men’s prying eyes. As a princess, powerless and neglected as she was, she had never been forced into such a dire state of having to relieve herself in public! Lily would have been beside herself with horror if she found out.

But beggars couldn’t be choosers. Soleia squatted and hastily dug a small enough hole with the sunstone, before relieving herself. She closed her eyes as the pressure inside her finally abated.

Then, she heard the sound of crunching snow. It sounded like footsteps.

Immediately Soleia stood up and tidied herself, her eyes darting around to find out who was approaching.

"Who’s there?" She called out. "Sir Ralph? Is it you?"

A huff was the only response. It was also the only warning she received before a creature pounced on her, causing her to fall back into the cold snow at the sudden impact. Sharp teeth snapped at her face, and it was only sheer dumb luck that prevented Soleia’s face from being chewed off by her newest attacker.

Instinctively, she raised her hands to push the creature away, only to wince in pain as spikes pricked her bare skin, drawing blood.

Her eyes widened in shock.

She was dealing with a thornhound! Soleia could recognize their prickly hides from the books. Their teeth were sharp and long, and she felt her knees weaken when she felt its fangs graze her skin. They caught on her dress, and there was a sickening rip as they tore through the fabric like a hot knife through butter.

Soleia didn’t waste any time, she immediately opened her mouth and let out the loudest, most blood-curdling scream she could muster, all while scrambling as far as she could. She didn’t dare to turn around― she might die from one pounce! frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

"Help! Someone! Anyone?! Thornhounds are here!" Soleia screamed, trying to climb the nearest tree for dear life. Her arms hung pathetically from the lowest tree branch as she tried to pull herself up.

The thornhound snapped eagerly at her heels, and Soleia screamed again, her legs flailing around as she tried to kick it in the face. Thankfully, her desperation reaped a reward, as she managed to kick it hard enough that it gave her enough momentum to swing herself on the tree branch.

Now, Soleia’s upper body was on the branch, but her lower body still hung precariously in range of the thornhound’s fangs. The thornhound growled, furious at her blow. It raised its head and let out an awfully long howl.

Goosebumps rose on Soleia’s arms. Oh no...

What she feared had indeed happened. In response to the howl, more thornhounds emerged from the area and they surrounded her in no time at all, snapping and snarling at her.

Soleia felt her arms weaken, and her grip was slowly but surely slipping the longer she held on. Even the thornhounds knew she didn’t have much time left, gone was their earlier urgency― instead of the hostility from earlier, the thornhounds were taking turns lunging at her body as though it was a toy meant for their amusement.

In the end, Soleia could hold on no longer. The last of her strength failed her. She closed her eyes in despair, hoping that her death would be swift.

Only for a warm arm to catch her just before she hit the ground.

"Sir Ralph?" Soleia gasped out in joy as she opened her eyes, but then her mouth fell open when she caught sight of her rescuer.

It was none other than Orion.

"What are you doing here?" Soleia blurted out in shock.

Orion’s nostrils flared up in irritation as he glared down at her. "Saving you. Now don’t get in my way!"

His response was even more mind-boggling, especially when Orion threw her over his shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes.

Get in his way? Soleia couldn’t do anything more than hang on for dear life, her mouth gaping open as she watched Orion take down the thornhounds as though they were nothing more than a litter of pesky puppies with his sword.

Soon, the white snow was stained with fresh blood, along with the corpses of the thornhounds. The air was silent and still, and if not for the cold air nipping at Soleia’s exposed skin, she could have almost believed the attack was simply a fragment of imagination.

But there was no denying the tangy, coppery smell of blood that filled the air.

"You’re truly... a monster," Soleia breathed out, incredulous at such a feat of strength. Orion wasn’t even breathing heavily after all his exertion. "You didn’t even use any magic on them!"

"I don’t need it to deal with the likes of them," Orion scoffed and without any hesitation, threw her back into the snow.

Soleia squawked inelegantly as she ended up sprawled in front of him, the cold snow hitting her skin. She leaped up quickly, shivering from the cold.

"Thanks for that," Soleia muttered, trying to fix her ruined dress. "Why are you here?"

"I should be asking you that question," Orion shot back. "What were you doing here, all alone?"

"I was... handling some private business!" Soleia explained hastily.

Orion stepped closer, looming impressively over her. "A likely story. Out with it. Were you waiting for Ralph here?"