CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT (38)
The northern fortress never truly slept that night.
Prince Damiel never returned to his chambers.
After leaving room, he buried himself in work.
Returning to the room meant returning to Reyna.
And after what had happened in the bathhouse...
He wasn't certain what would happen if they were alone again.
So he chose the only option.
He stayed away.
Even when General Varos, Kael and Roan urged him to rest, Damiel merely shook his head.
"Don't concern yourselves with me."
"I'll supervise everything myself."
Unlike humans, demons had little need for sleep.
To them, sleep was much like a human enjoying a delicious meal.
A pleasure.
Not a necessity.
So Damiel walked from one end of the fortress to the other.
Inspecting.
Correcting.
Commanding.
He ordered more patrols.
He inspected the supplies prepared for the journey, keeping them minimum.
He personally oversaw the rebuilding of the broken perimeter where the werewolves had breached the fortress during their first attack.
"Double the height."
He looked at the damaged wall.
"And the thickness."
The workers immediately obeyed.
Damiel continued through the fortress without pause.
Occasionally...
His silver eyes drifted toward the balcony of his chambers.
Empty.
Every time.
Then he would continue walking as though nothing had happened.
Around midnight...
The first patrol returned.
They bowed deeply.
"Your Highness."
"The forest remains quiet."
"No unusual activity."
Damiel gave a single nod.
"Hmm."
The soldiers saluted before disappearing into the fotress.
The night passed quietly.
Before dawn...
Everything had been completed.
Servants hurried through the courtyard carrying food prepared for the journey.
Other soldiers led out the demon beasts that would carry Prince Damiel and his men back to the Heart of Avalon.
Damiel surveyed the fortress one final time.
Then his gaze settled on Zaiel.
"Go fetch her."
Zaiel bowed.
"Yes, Commander."
He turned and walked toward the chambers.
He knew exactly who Prince Damiel was referring to,
After all...
They had all arrived together.
Reyna was long awake.
She had slept on the bed that night.
After falling asleep waiting for Prince Damiel
Remembering how he had scolded her for sleeping on the balcony before, she hadn't dared sleep there again.
After washing in the servants' quarters, she returned to tidy the room they had occupied.
She straightened the bed.
Folded the blankets neatly.
When she was done, her eyes drifted toward the balcony.
Outside...
Prince Damiel stood speaking with General Varos.
Kael and Roan stood nearby, listening quietly.
A knock interrupted her.
She walked over and opened the door.
Zaiel stood outside.
She immediately bowed.
"Prince Damiel asked me to fetch you."
"We're leaving."
Reyna nodded.
"I'll bring our belongings."
She hurried back inside.
Slipping her cloth bag over her shoulder, she lifted the small wooden chest containing Prince Damiel belongings.
When she stepped outside...
Zaiel was still waiting.
"Allow me."
He reached for the chest.
Reyna immediately shook her head, stepping back.
"No,It's my duty." She said.
She held it a little tighter.
He was one of Prince Damiel's personal men.
She wasn't even a servant.
She was a slave.
A human at that.
If Prince Damiel saw one of his soldiers doing her job, she was certain he wouldn't like that.
Zaiel smiled gently.
"I insist."
Before she could refuse again, he carefully lifted the chest from her hands.
Compared to him...
She looked far too fragile to carry it, as he carried it with ease.
He walked ahead.
"I don't think you should—" Reyna started.
"I want to." Zaiel cut her off.
His tone remained gentle.
But left no room for argument.
Reyna quietly followed behind him.
As they crossed the courtyard, servants and soldiers greeted Zaiel respectfully, she preferred this, being invisible like they did here than in the Capital were everything she did was being monitored.
Zaiel acknowledged each greeting with a nod.
Soon they arrived beside Prince Damiel's demon beast.
Zaiel secured the wooden chest to the saddle before gently rubbing the beast's side.
The enormous creature answered with a deep rumble of recognition.
Then Zaiel extended a hand toward Reyna.
She blinked in confusion.
"...Your bag."
"Oh."
Realizing what he meant, she quickly removed the cloth bag from her shoulder and handed it to him.
He fastened it securely beside the chest.
Reyna looked at the heavily loaded beast for a moment before speaking.
"...Do you think..."
"...I could ride with you instead?"
Zaiel looked at her, then turned as he continue saddling her things to the beast.
"The beast is already carrying quite a lot, I don't want to burden it with two people." She continued.
That was only half the truth.
Ever since yesterday...
Ever since the bath...
Prince Damiel had never returned to the room.
She couldn't help but think, he did that on purpose because he was avoiding her.
And she had no idea why.
The thought of riding with him would make both of them uncomfortable. She thought.
Zaiel looked at her for a moment before he looked past her as he answered.
"I don't think that would be a good idea." Zaiel said.
"...Why?" She asked in disappointment.
Zaiel simply smiled as he bowed, then turned and walked away with a quiet smile.
Reyna stared in confusion as she turned around, she was startled to see prince Damiel there, his eyes on Zaiel who was already walking away.
Prince Damiel expression was as usual, cold, expressionless, but Zaiel could feel the daggers the stare shot at his back.
She immediately lowered her head.
"Y-Your Highness."
"Hm."
He acknowledged her with a quiet nod, still staring at Zaiel.
Moments earlier, Prince Damiel had been speaking with General Varos.
The general had volunteered to accompany him to the capital.
Damiel had refused.
"I need you here."
"Someone must watch over the northern territory."
"If anything unusual happens..."
"Report back to me immediately."
"Even if it seems insignificant."
General Varos struck a fist against his chest.
"It will be done, Your Highness."
It was during that conversation that Damiel had noticed Zaiel and Reyna approaching.
She held her hands in front of her, as she walked with her head bowed, a small clothe bag on her shoulder.
Zaiel held a small chest, which she occasionally tried to take from him but he refused, good, Damiel thought, as he tried to focus on what Kael was saying when, his super hearing ability easily picked up what Reyna said.
Do you think I could ride with you instead?
The sentence replayed itself in his mind
Azaelth stirred violently.
She wants to ride with another male?
Why?
Because she pities a beast?
The irritation wasn't Azaelth's alone.
Damiel concealed it behind his usual unreadable expression.
"Kael."
Kael stepped forward immediately, when Reyna saw him she greeted with a bow, as Kael responded with a small nod.
"Commander."
"Move the chest and the supplies from my beast onto yours."
Kael glanced briefly between Damiel and Reyna.
He didn't question the order.
"Yes, Commander."
Within moments, the luggage had been transferred.
As soon as Kael finished...
Damiel stepped forward.
Without warning...
He slipped his hands around Reyna's waist
Before she could even react—
He lifted her effortlessly.
Her eyes widened.
"W-What—"
In one smooth motion...
He placed her atop his demon beast.
Then, with the same effortless grace, Damiel mounted behind her, holding the reins of the beast.
The beast let out a low rumble before rising to its full height.
Roan looked away, biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing.
Kael calmly adjusted the straps on his own beast, pretending he hadn't seen anything.
Zaiel's smile grew even wider.
Not a single one of them spoke.
None of them wanted to be the first to tease their Commander.