After the explosive climaxes that shook them to their cores, the air between the two hung thick and heavy with the scent of sweat and desire.
But before Asher could say or think anything, his vision began to blur as a flood of exhaustion suddenly overwhelmed him.
He was never to doze off after just cumming twice, but he knew it must be because of whatever was going on with his body.
And before he knew it, his consciousness slipped into darkness.
In the regal dressing room of the Demonstone Castle, the morning light streamed through the windows, casting a crimson hue over the room. Rowena sat before a large mirror, her reflection poised and stately. Maids fluttered around her, dressing her in royal attire, their movements precise and reverent.
Ceti, standing by Rowena's side, had just provided the day's schedule, her voice a soft but firm presence in the room. Once the maids finished their task, Rowena gestured for them to leave. As the door closed behind them, a heavy silence filled the room.
Rowena's gaze remained fixed on her reflection, a myriad of thoughts flickering behind her eyes. Ceti, observing Rowena's pensive mood, ventured cautiously, "Your Majesty... I understand what you are feeling, as I feel the same too. But I am sure he will return to us safely."
Ceti observed how distant and distracted Rowena seemed after he left, so she wanted to reassure her even though she herself was gravely worried as well.
As Rowena slowly turned her gaze from the mirror, a knock sounded at the door. "It's me. Can I come in?"
The familiar, melodious voice of Isola echoed within the room. The door opened on its own accord, revealing Isola, who entered with a soft smile and a respectful bow.
After greeting Rowena and acknowledging Ceti with a glance, Isola proposed, "I was hoping we could prepare something to welcome Asher once he's back. To celebrate not only his safe return but also the fact that he conquered the Tower of Torment. It would lift the spirits of our people and ours as well. Things have been quite tense around here after he left, even though it hasn't been long."
Ceti responded with an approving smile, "That's a great idea." However, her smile faded as she noticed Rowena's expression, still marked with seriousness.
Rowena, her voice tinged with unease, agreed, "We can do that, but I am not feeling good about this. Asher conquered the tower, and he should be coming home. But Drakar invited him for a celebration. Asher would never accept any such invitation unless there was something that didn't give him a choice. He has no reason to show them any diplomacy."
Ceti sighed, her brows furrowing with concern, "I also find it quite strange that someone like Drakar would be holding a celebration for our king. Who does that for their enemies? Drakar is a bastard who wouldn't try to destroy us the first chance he gets if not for the pact."
The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense.
Isola, sensing the shift, tried to inject a note of optimism, "I know. But this is Asher we are talking about. Even if he is in a bad situation, he always finds a way to come out of it. And we can be sure that he must have received some powerful reward for conquering the tower. Or maybe he came out even stronger, despite what people say about his aura remaining unchanged."
Rowena and Ceti appeared somewhat reassured by Isola's words since they personally witnessed how he had always overcome every challenge, no matter how daunting they were.
However, Isola's next words were cut short by an urgent interruption, "Your Majesty!" A maid's voice, laced with panic, echoed through the door, making Rowena furrow her brows.
The door swung open, revealing the maid who entered with a deep bow, "His Majesty is in trouble! The draconians have declared war, and they have trapped our king and everyone with him in their lands. It seems that the pact has been rendered void with the disappearance of the Tower of Torment."
Rowena's composure shattered at the news, her crimson eyes trembling intensely as she rose to her feet. Isola and Ceti's expressions mirrored her concern, turning grave and serious.
Hearing the Devourer's Pact being rendered void was more than enough to deal a severe blow to any soul in this kingdom. But hearing that their king has been trapped as well would definitely make any bloodburn citizen panic.
"Have they been imprisoned?" Rowena asked, her voice cold, her eyes briefly flashing with a deadly intent, wondering if Drakar was torturing Asher.
The maid, trembling under the intense aura emanating from the queen, quickly replied, "N-No...as far as we know. It seems that His Majesty and the others managed to escape when the draconian king tried to ambush them because of some 'key'. But they weren't able to leave the kingdom yet. We also heard rumors that His Majesty seems to be in a weakened state after exerting himself too much during the trial. All this happened just an hour ago, and the Royal Advisor sent me to pass this message to you first before the people could know."
Rowena's response was curt, "Leave and tell the Royal Advisor to not tell anybody else." The maid bowed deeply and hurried out of the room, leaving the three women alone with the grave news.
In the wake of the shocking news, a heavy air of tension and fear enveloped the room. Isola, grappling with her own anxieties, felt a deep sense of dread. Her fears, which she had tried to suppress, now seemed to materialize before her.
Ceti, her frustration and anger palpable, clenched her teeth in fury, "I can't believe my worst thoughts came true. Those draconian bastards...how dare they try to ambush our king like this," she fumed. Turning to Rowena, her expression laced with worry, she asked, "What are we going to do, Your Majesty?" The urgency of the situation was clear, but the path forward was fraught with peril.
Rowena, after a brief moment of contemplation, opened her eyes and responded with unexpected calmness, "We will do nothing...not yet."
Her answer caught Ceti and Isola off guard, their brows furrowing in confusion at her seemingly passive approach.
Sensing their bewilderment, Rowena explained, "Right now, Asher's life isn't in grave danger. He must have managed to hide himself for the time being. Otherwise, Drakar would have caught him by now. We won't make any reckless moves since Asher wouldn't want us to do that as well. Maybe Asher has a plan, or maybe he doesn't. So we will plan things by keeping the worst in mind."
Isola, finding reassurance in Rowena's composed analysis, nodded in agreement, "Yes. We should do that. I shall ask my father if he can help in any way. I am sure he can come up with something."
Ceti, still concerned, posed another question, "But what if the draconians attack us now? Maybe they will do so to force Asher out from his hiding."
Rowena's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "The draconians would still need time to prepare to start a war or even launch an attack because of the vast distance between us and other things to consider. If Asher manages to escape before they are ready, then we have less to worry about. But if he doesn't, then I will take care of it."
Isola and Ceti exchanged glances, wondering what Rowena was planning.
Still, as if they exchanged a silent understanding, both of them looked at Rowena as Isola said with firm determination in her eyes, "Whatever it is, we are ready to do whatever it takes to get him back home safely."
Asher blinked groggily, his senses slowly returning to him. A weighty lethargy enveloped his limbs, but the intense pain had subsided considerably. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing a sight both captivating and mysterious. The silhouette of an exquisite figure was standing by the bed, gracefully donning a scarlet robe, trying to zip up the back of her dress. Her elegantly arched spine beckoned Asher's gaze as she turned towards him.
The next morning, Asher awoke, feeling an unfamiliar heaviness in his body. Memories of the previous night's events came rushing back to Asher, filling his mind as he fully awakened, making his eyes fully wide.
He struggled to sit upright, causing Naida to glance over at him with a gentle sigh. She moved silently towards him and whispered, "I did not intend to awaken you. I was about to get something for you to eat. Your body is still in a weakened state.."
Asher opened his mouth to speak, expecting Naida to address the intimate moment they had shared, but she seemed to be acting as if everything was normal.
It was the best steamy night he experienced, yet he also was feeling concerned about it now that his head was completely clear.
Finally, he broached the subject with a heavy sigh, "About yesterday night..."
Naida sat beside him and looked at him with a soft smile, "My king, we should never think twice about anything that makes us happy. So tell me... do you regret what happened?"
Her directness took Asher by surprise.
However, he considered her question earnestly and shook his head, "No." He didn't care if his feelings were because of Raziel's memories, but all he knew was that his heart was harboring these feelings, and that was enough to make a decision.
Still, he added with furrowed brows, "But what about your—" Naida gently placed a finger on his lips, stopping him mid-sentence, "That is all I wanted to hear. As long as we are happy with each other, I won't let anything else come in our way. You can trust me on that," she said reassuringly, her smile warm and comforting.
Asher was struck by the depth of her words, realizing that he never really understood this woman. But he felt he was starting to truly learn about her and wanted to know her even more.
However, hearing the way she said it, he asked with knitted brows, "Are you telling me... you were never happy with him?"
