CHAPTER THIRTY -NINE
The moment they came out of northern fortress as they kept on moving with speed...
Damiel spoke.
"We won't be stopping."
His voice carried over the rhythmic pounding of clawed feet against the earth.
"We have to reach the capital as soon as possible."
No one questioned the order.
Kael.
Roan.
Zaiel.
Each simply nodded.
General Varos and the others had wanted him to send a messager ahead to the capital, to tell them about the war.
He refused.
Not because there wasn't enough time.
But because there was only a handful of people he trusted and he needed them by his side, as for the rest he couldn't say.
An ancient demon had walked freely into the northern fortress.
It had known too much.
About him.
About the supposed key.
If it possessed followers it would be more disastrous
Or rather it was the creature he didnt trust.
If even one messenger fell into his hand he could force him to tell everyone of the war, instead of reporting directly to the King.
And Damiel knew that fear is greater than any army he had intact.
The news of an ancient demon awoken will be the beginning of something he didn't want to think about.
Everything would fall out of place.
No.
He would deliver the warning himself.
---
The demon beasts surged forward.
The world became a blur.
Trees raced past.
The wind howled around them.
Branches bent beneath their passing.
Reyna instinctively grabbed the saddle.
The speed was far greater than before.
She felt the beast gather even more momentum.
Just then...
A deep voice sounded beside her ear.
"Hold on."
His breath brushed lightly against her ear.
"We're going faster."
Reyna nodded quickly, she didn't want to be a burden.
"Y-Yes, Your Highness."
Without thinking...
She tightened her grip even more.
The beast leapt over a fallen tree.
Its powerful legs barely seemed to touch the earth before bounding forward again.
Behind them...
Roan glanced at Kael with a sarcastic smile.
"I almost forgot how much the Commander enjoys making these beasts run."
Kael shot him a dry look, as they continued riding behind Prince Damiel.
"You know, you can drop the brooding, mysterious warrior act now," Roan teased.
"Prince Damiel isn't here to admire your dark, tragic soul, and I promise your jaw won't break if you actually relax it for two seconds." Roan continued.
Kael looked over at Roan, as he responded.
"And you can drop the act where you pretend to have a functioning brain. It must be completely exhausting for you."Kael said as Roan gasped dramatically.
"Wow. There he is. The legend of the realm." Roan said with a smirk as he finally got Kael to speak.
"Clearly, the Prince chose you for your incredible ability to distract our enemies by boring them to death," Kael said, his voice flat as he continued.
"Honestly, your constant need to fill the air with noise is exactly why you shouldn't be part of Prince Damiel men in the first place. It's a miracle you haven't given away our coordinates to the rest of the realm."Kael said as Roan rolled his eyes.
"I liked you better before you learnt sarcasm."
Kael's smile.
"I liked you better when you aren't talking."
"He's always talking.'' Zaiel muttered from behind them as they both turned to look at him.
"Exactly." Kael said as he rode faster to catch up with Prince Damiel, while Zaiel followed closely behind.
"Here I was trying to keep them entertained, how ungrateful." Roan said as he looked at Zaiel and Kael back with disappointment as he urged his beast faster to catch up with the rest
Within moments...
The northern fortress had completely disappeared behind them.
---
Hours passed.
It was nighttime already as they rode endlessly.
No one spoke much.
Only the endless rhythm of the journey.
The wind.
The pounding footsteps.
The heavy breathing from one beast to another.
Reyna tried to remain alert.
She truly did.
But the rocking of the beast...
The wind slamming her face...
The warmth of Prince Damiel behind her...
The lack of good sleep from the previous night and the fact she had to wake up early...
Her eyelids became heavier.
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
No.
She couldn't sleep.
They were in a hurry.
Everyone else remained alert.
She couldn't become another burden,she remembered what happened the last time they tried stopping.
She straightened herself.
Moments later...
Her head dipped forward.
She quickly jerked herself awake.
Damiel noticed.
Without turning his head, he said quietly,
"Are you feeling sleepy?."
Reyna stiffened.
"N-No, Your Highness."
"I'm awake."
A few more minutes passed.
Her head drooped again.
This time...
Damiel spoke more firmly.
"You'll fall."
"I won't."
"You almost did."
She fell silent.
He wasn't wrong.
After a few moment he spoke again,
"Lean on me."
She froze.
"...Your Highness?"
"You need rest."
"I don't wish to slow everyone down."
"You won't."
She bit her lower lip.
"I can endure."
"You don't have to punish yourself."
The words were simple.
Matter-of-fact.
Not gentle.
Not cold.
Simply true.
Damiel's voice softened.
"Turn around."
Reyna turned her head slightly as she looked at him in confusion.
"Your Highness?"
"Turn around." He stated firmly as he slowed his beast to let her move more freely.
Slowly, she obeyed.
She shifted until she was facing him.
Damiel adjusted his arm around her waist, keeping her steady as the beast continued its rapid pace, then he used his other hand on the reins to hold her head putting it on his chest.
"Go to sleep."
The fight left her almost immediately.
"...Forgive me, your highness." Reyna said as she slowly turned her head sideways on his chest, careful not to inconvenience him.
Damiel arm around her waist never left.
His other hand remained on the reins.
The moment her head rested against his chest...
She fell asleep.
Her breathing became slow.
Even.
Peaceful.
Damiel looked down briefly.
He looked down at her.
Something about the sight unsettled him.
Not because he hated it.
Quite the opposite.
He liked the warmth of her against him.
More than he should.
Azaelth had been quiet since the night before.
But the moment Reyna rested against Damiel's chest...
He woke up immediately.
Azaelth stirred.
Instead of taking control, however, the ancient presence moved closer.
Damiel felt it beneath his skin, as he stirred closer, like a curious child discovering something new.
A strange crawling sensation traveled across his chest and settled precisely where Reyna rested against him.
Azaelth had moved closer to her presence, as though savouring the warmth surrounding her.
Damiel frowned.
What are you doing?
No answer.
Azaelth simply remained there.
Content.
Damiel's arm tightened slightly around Reyna waist.
He found azealth behavior strange.
But what was more strange was that
Something beneath Azaelth's presence.
Something quieter.
Something unfamiliar.
Stirred.
It wasn't Azaelth.
His grip unconsciously tightened around Reyna, making sure she remained secure as the beast thundered onward.
...Strange.
He had never felt anything like it before.
And for reasons he couldn't explain...
It felt.....
Behind them, Kael had noticed.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
He exchanged a glance with Roan.
Neither spoke.
Kael was too observant to miss something like this.
Their commander had always been distant.
Controlled.
Even with those closest to him.
Yet now...
He was holding a slave against his chest, and a human at that, as though her safety mattered more than the journey itself.
Kael said nothing.
He simply watched.
Roan, however, noticed the look on Kael's face.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're thinking."
"I always think."
Roan scoffed.
"That's unfortunate."
Zaiel laughed quietly.
But unlike the others...
Zaiel eyes remained on Damiel.
There was something different about his expression.
Almost knowing.
A small smile touched his lips.
He looked ahead.
I can't wait to go home and tell HER.
Roan noticed.
"What are you smiling about?"
Zaiel's smile widened.
"No one."
Kael glanced at him.
"That's never a convincing answer."
Zaiel only chuckled.
His gaze returned briefly to Damiel and Reyna.
There were things happening around their commander that even Kael hadn't noticed yet.
But
Who was Her?, Zaiel referred to.
And what exactly does Zaiel know about Prince Damiel?.