The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 436

Chapter 436: Swearing At The Witch

A tall figure emerged from the door in that dark hallway, taking one unsteady step at a time, visibly struggling to maintain his balance. Oriana had an impulse to rush towards him, but Yorian gently held her hand, preventing her from doing so. She shot him a questioning look, silently conveying, ’What now?’

The last time Yorian had restrained her, but now she felt an overwhelming need to reach Arlan. She was determined not to act recklessly, though.

Yorian’s grip on her hand tightened, and he shook his head, silently signaling her to stay put. Oriana understood that this elf was resolute in not allowing her to go any closer, so she complied without resistance.

The door to the witch’s chamber remained ajar, and Yorian was concerned that, upon seeing Arlan’s condition, Oriana might impulsively rush into the room. Her behavior was unpredictable at times, and her emotions could easily overrule her rationality.

They observed Arlan’s painstaking progress as he moved forward with great effort. However, he lost his balance and tumbled to the ground. This alarmed Oriana, and she made a move to approach, but Yorian still held onto her hand firmly, unwavering in his determination to keep her in place.

’Arlan,’ Oriana called out to him silently in her thoughts, her eyes filled with concern as she watched his feeble figure struggling on the floor in an attempt to crawl away. Even the act of crawling seemed to drain him, and just when it appeared he had given up, his body ceased its efforts, leaving him motionless on the ground.

Oriana turned her gaze towards the elf, her eyes pleading with him to release her, but he remained resolute. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her lips moved as if to implore him, yet Yorian’s focus remained fixed on the still-open door to the chamber.

Why was the door left ajar? Was that witch expecting something, or was she savoring the sight of Arlan, weak and crawling on the floor like an insect?

Suddenly, a heavy thud resonated through the corridor.

Finally, the door closed, and Yorian released Oriana’s hand. Without a moment’s hesitation, the young witch rushed towards Arlan. She knelt on the floor and gently touched his back. "Your Highness."

There was no response from him, which sent panic coursing through Oriana. Yorian arrived and knelt beside Arlan. "He’s unconscious."

Oriana, her voice trembling with worry, asked, "What did she do to him? He can’t even—"

"He was already weakened from last night," Yorian interrupted. "Since waking up, he’s been using his powers to teleport and arrived here without nourishing his body."

Oriana clenched her teeth and stood up, her gaze fixed on the door. "Open the door, you wretch." Her angry words reverberated through the corridor.

This was precisely what Yorian had feared when the door to the room had remained open. He knew all too well how Oriana would react. But this time, he didn’t stop her, as she was already charging down the corridor in a fit of rage.

"You damn witch, if you want me, I’m here. Open the door now!" Oriana yelled again, but there was no response.

"Open the door and see how I drag you out by your hair, you wretch! How dare you hurt him again and again. I swear I’ll tear open that vile brain of yours!"

Sure this young witch was good with foul words.

There was no response, and the door stubbornly refused to open. This only fueled the young witch’s anger. "Are you scared now? Open the door," Oriana taunted as she strode toward the door with the intention of forcing it open. However, the moment she made contact with it, her body froze. Just like the last time she touched the door, a flood of painful images from Arlan’s past filled her mind.

Yorian, who had remained by Arlan’s side, harnessed his lightning-speed power and whisked to her side, pulling her away before the malevolent memories, infused with dark magic, could affect her as they had done the last time she touched this very door. He held her trembling form firmly in his arms, wrapping her in a comforting aura of his divine magic to shield her from the worst of the impact this time.

The previous time, Yorian had needed to assess the effects of the black magic and understand what Oriana had witnessed, so he hadn’t tried to protect her entirely, allowing her to endure some suffering. However, there was no need for such an approach now.

Her trembling hands clung to his clothes, her petite form seeking solace in his embrace amidst the chaos of her mind, which the memories had unleashed.

Oriana followed his instructions and soon managed to do as he advised. Yorian watched her progress and eventually said, "You can stop now."

Reluctant to halt, Oriana obeyed, understanding that she had to heed Yorian’s instructions. After experiencing his cold and stern demeanor during their previous encounter, when he had warned her about teleporting, she had learned not to defy the elf. Moreover, she recognized that his guidance was ultimately for her benefit.

Oriana opened her eyes and met Yorian’s gaze. He remarked, "You must know when to cease. Just because you can improve his condition doesn’t mean you should exhaust your own strength. Before assisting others, you must learn to safeguard yourself. That’s the fundamental and vital rule when transferring your essence to someone else. If you neglect this, you’re not truly prepared to aid others."

"I’ll keep that in mind," she replied.

Yorian gently held her hand and said, "You’ve been affected by the black magic as well." Closing his eyes, he began chanting a spell. Strands of divine power flowed from his body to hers. After a moment, he ceased and regarded her. "Did you observe how I did it?"

She nodded and affirmed, "I’ll do the same next time."

"Are you feeling better now?"

She nodded once more, and Yorian added, "Take care of him, and you should get some rest as well."

Yorian turned to leave but heard her speak in a hushed tone, "I had new visions this time."

He halted but didn’t turn back to face her. "I’m aware. We’ll discuss it tomorrow. It’s late, and you should rest."

Oriana couldn’t detain him and watched as he disappeared, leaving her to ponder why the elf hadn’t inquired about her recent visions, as he had done before.