"Do you have any idea where your mate is?" Lou asked. "I don’t mind protecting you, but he should be dealing with that ugly monster!"
This time, Iris read what Lou was saying, but she didn’t have any idea where Cane was, yet even if she knew, she wouldn’t bring this terrifying monster to him just so her mate could deal with it!
"I don’t know! I think we need to find the royal warriors! They must be on the way!" Iris said in panic, because they moved further away from the palace and went deeper into the woods. She didn’t think they would find any royal warriors here.
The huge monster that chased after them simply crushed and toppled down all the trees that blocked his way, as it had enormous strength.
"Lou!" Iris tapped his shoulder to get his attention, as he carried her in his arms. The merchant didn’t answer her at all.
Lou glanced at Iris and then grimaced. "Actually... I am lost. I don’t know the way out of here," he said honestly.
They went deeper into the woods and unexpectedly, this place was bigger than he imagined.
"We can retrace our way!" The monster left so much destruction in its wake when it followed them, thus it would be easy to turn around and go back to where they had left Hanna. Iris was also very worried about her.
"You are right!" Lou grinned foolishly and then stopped running and turned around to face the monster.
On the other hand, Iris furrowed her brows deeply because Lou acted so weirdly, there was no way he didn’t think about it, right?
However, instead of running back as planned, Lou put Iris down and looked at her with an apologetic look.
"But, the problem is... I don’t have the stamina to run back while carrying you," he said timidly, which made Iris’ face turn red. Seeing that, Lou immediately waved his hands dismissively. "I am not saying that you are heavy! No! And I am also not weak!"
Iris pursed her lips and gave him a look. "I didn’t say anything!"
"I can see it on your face, your expression is easy to read." He pointed at her red face and then added. "I have been on a long journey as well, you know, so my stamina has not returned yet and I am not a shifter either, who has enormous strength!"
It sounded like an excuse to Iris. "I can run, you don’t need to carry me." This was the first time someone told her that she was heavy, though implicitly. She was still a woman after all and this made her feel self- conscious.
"I doubt you can outrun the monster," Lou said bluntly, which only annoyed Iris even further, although she did think the same.
But, a second later, Lou reached out to her and hugged her again, as he threw his body to the side to prevent them from being crushed under the monster’s feet.
Iris could feel the hard and cold ground beneath her and the rocks that grazed her skin, but Lou took the brunt of their fall, as he hugged her tightly.
Gradually, Iris opened her eyes because the pain didn’t come and stumbled upon this whole scene. She immediately realized what was happening.
"You are a sorcerer..." she said in disbelief. She thought he was just a merchant from the Rosantine guild, a human, since people from the Karam continent usually dabbled in trade and except in the Andel continent, it was rare to find any magic users.
Lou glanced over his shoulder and winked at her. "This will be our little secret, okay?"
Iris was too surprised to learn about this, but they didn’t have the leisure for a chat when the five meters tall monster charged toward them right at this moment.
Seeing that, Lou let go of Iris’ hand and did the same with the second monster that was trying to attack them, but this one had a monstrous strength, and Lou’s magic was not sufficient to stop its movements.
Easily, the monster broke free from Lou’s barrier.
"Shit!" Lou cursed again, he tried for the second time, but his magic was not enough, just like he said, he was not in his best shape.
Therefore, he turned around and shielded Iris with his body to take the brunt of it, since it was too late for them to dodge it.
"No! Stop!" Iris cried, she looked the monster right in its red eyes.
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