Chapter 70
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 70
Inhaling the cool, rain-scented air, Barkas turned to fix his gaze on her.
A somber shadow loomed over his eyes, which remained as still as the break of dawn.
She wondered what thoughts flickered behind those eyes, cold as an icy lake. Was he worried about his own complicated future? Or was he belatedly regretting his decision?
As if mocking her vow to never wonder about him again, Thalia found herself questioning him once more.
Just as I thought. You didn’t want to marry Aila because you loved her, did you?
I knew it.
Because you’re a man incapable of feeling passion for anyone.
In truth, it probably didn’t matter who the person was.
That’s why you can play the part of a plausible guardian to me, just as you played the part of a devoted fiancé to Aila.
Thalia rubbed the corner of her mouth where Barkas had touched her, trying to erase the lingering sensation of his skin.
To him, Thalia Roem Guirta was nothing more than another burden to shoulder. Therefore, she would not be deceived by the meaningless kindness he tossed her way like alms.
She turned her back to him and pulled the duvet over her head.
* * *
At some point, she must have drifted off.
Her body, which had been tense all day, melted away instantly under the influence of the strong alcohol.
With her face buried in the pillow, she let her limbs go limp beneath the soft covers. She had been drifting through a hazy consciousness for some time when a prickling irritation began to gnaw at her knees.
Tossing and turning at the unpleasant sensation, Thalia felt the pain gradually intensify and forced her heavy eyelids open. Her blurred vision was met with thick darkness.
Suddenly, the drowsiness that had been weighing her down vanished. Thalia stared into the pitch-black void with terror-stricken eyes.
The cloying night, devoid of even a single ray of light, stifled her breath. She gasped for air, clutching her tightening throat, as the subtle ache that had started in her knees turned as violent as a lightning strike.
She hurriedly gripped her calves with both hands. Beneath her palms, she could feel her weakened muscles convulsing. A pain like a stabbing blade sent cold sweat pouring down her back.
Thalia bit her lower lip and clawed at her twisting leg muscles with her fingernails.
Just then, the sound of flint striking echoed, and a beam of light hit her face. Lifting her head abruptly, she saw a small, flickering candle and the pale silhouette of Barkas.
Barkas, watching her bloodless face with a grim expression, leaned over the bed.
Without a second thought, Thalia let out a shrill scream.
"Don’t touch me!"
She violently brushed away his hand as he tried to examine her legs and crawled toward the edge of the bed. However, it wasn’t long before he caught her.
Barkas, pinning her shoulders down firmly with one hand to keep her still, reached for her calves, which were already covered in fingernail marks.
Thalia screamed as if she were being doused in boiling oil.
"No! Don’t touch me!"
"Stay still. I’m only trying to check the injury."
"No! I said I don’t want you to!"
As she writhed, panting as if she were about to pass out, he muttered something unintelligible and pulled her upper body close to him. He bound her tightly so she couldn’t struggle and rang the bell hanging above the bed with one hand.
A moment later, the bedroom door burst open, and panicked maids rushed in.
Barkas shouted.
"Bring the healer at once!"
A commotion ensued.
While the old mage rushed into the bridal chamber to cast recovery magic, the maids lit candles throughout the room and burned calming incense at the head of the bed.
Even amidst the chaos, Barkas did not let go, holding her tightly in his arms.
Buried against his hard, thumping chest, Thalia looked around with frightened eyes. Her nerves were on edge, fearing that someone might lift her hem to examine her legs. She curled her legs in as much as possible and gripped her skirt like a shield.
After some time, the disheveled mage thrust a bluish glass bottle in front of her face.
"If you drink this, the pain will subside quickly."
Thalia glared at it with narrowed eyes.
If I drink that, I’ll surely lose consciousness. Someone might try to lift my skirt while I’m asleep.
She clamped her mouth shut and turned her head away.
Then, long fingers gripped her chin and forced her head up. Soon after, the mouth of the glass bottle was pressed against her lips. Thalia gritted her teeth and resisted.
Watching her with eyes as cold as thin ice, Barkas brought the medicine bottle to his own mouth.
Before she could even grasp the meaning of his action, lips wet with the potent herbal extract covered hers.
Thalia’s eyes flew wide open.
Barkas, cupping her chin and pressing firmly against her cheek, pushed his tongue into her parted mouth. Immediately, the bitter medicine flowed in.
Thalia gripped the fabric of his thin shirt as if she were going to tear it.
She couldn’t understand what was happening. Her throat, narrowed as she swallowed the liquid pooled in her mouth, tightened around his tongue.
Their tongues brushed against each other, a slow and natural friction. A broken moan filled her mouth.
Had he fed her poison? Her throat felt as hot as if it were on fire.
"Ha..."
Their lips, which had been overlapped for an unnaturally long time, slowly parted.
Thalia looked up at him, forgetting even the throbbing pain in her legs.
Barkas, staring straight into her unfocused eyes, tilted the bottle again and drained the remaining liquid into his mouth.
Once more, their lips met. Thalia dug her fingernails into his forearm.
The tongue that delved into her damp mouth gradually pushed the liquid, which carried a heavy scent of wild herbs, deep into her throat. Her throat gulped, drawing him in against her will.
Overwhelmed by confusion, shame, and a strange sensation she had never felt before, Thalia curled her toes.
Perhaps the medicine was already taking effect, as the world began to spin.
Lukewarm saliva continued to pass down her esophagus. Even though the liquid on her taste buds no longer tasted bitter, he continued to move through the narrow, wet space. It was a movement so lingering that it made her doubt the intention behind the act.
When she beat against his chest in her flustered state, he slowly withdrew.
Thalia gasped for breath and looked up at him.
Unlike her, who was a disheveled mess, his face was the same as usual. That calm expression made her already chaotic mind even more tangled.
Was what just happened merely a delusion?
While she was gripped by such doubt, he brushed his thumb over her lips. Only after hearing the wet sound did she realize her lips were completely drenched.
Thalia hastily hid her face under the duvet. A humid sigh fell over the crown of her head.
"...Sleep now."
He cupped her head and pressed it against his chest. She steadied her ragged breathing within his warm embrace.
Before long, the medicine began to spread through her body. Feeling her vision grow increasingly dim, she tightly gripped his shirt.
Don’t you dare touch my legs while I’m sleeping.
Whether he heard her mumbling or not, he lightly stroked her back.
Soon, the strength drained from her limbs, and her vision went black. She fell into sleep as if plunging into an abyss.
When she opened her eyes again, sunlight was shining brightly into the room.
Thalia, looking up at the ceiling with eyes still heavy with sleep, flinched and turned her head at the sense of someone’s presence.
She saw Barkas standing by the window, changing his clothes.
The light streaming through the glass slid over his body, making him look like a marble sculpture. As she watched him as if possessed, his quiet gaze shifted toward her.
Thalia hunched her shoulders.
As if everything that happened last night was entirely an illusion, Barkas scanned her with an indifferent face.