Return of the General's Daughter
Chapter 146: Trapped

Chapter 146: Trapped

Lara attempted to rise, but her legs buckled beneath her, weak and unsteady, as if they were made of jelly. A frustrated breath left her lips as she swayed, barely able to hold herself upright.

Alaric was meticulously wrapping the lifeless body of the python in tattered brown cloth when a flicker of motion caught his attention in his peripheral vision. The subtle shift stirred a mixture of curiosity and unease within him, prompting him to glance over, his heart quickening in anticipation.

"Don’t push yourself too hard," Alaric’s voice came through, soothing yet resolute, like a steady breeze that cut through the tension of a sweltering day.

She barely had time to register his words when he was beside her, his movements swift and effortless. The rippling water barely resisted him as he waded through the shallow part, his presence as steady as the earth beneath her.

Alaric adjusted his cloak, smoothing it out carefully. He folded the upper part into three to serve as a pillow for her head. Realizing she had no choice, Lara exhaled and sank back onto the rock, her body aching with every motion.

"Rest for a while. There’s no need to rush," he said, his voice gentler this time.

Lara nodded. She had no choice but to rest to recover her strength. She lifted her legs, as she wanted to lie down on the rock. Only then did she realize something. The cool air brushed against her bare skin.

She glanced down, her breath catching in her throat. Her shorts, damp and snug, clung to her like a second skin, barely reaching mid-thigh. Most of her long, slender legs were exposed to the open air. No wonder Alaric’s face was flushed throughout.

Lara had a sly grin on her face. She wanted to tease Alaric but changed her mind in the end. She felt so weak. She would tease him another day.

Her gaze flicked toward the top of the rock where she had left her clothes earlier. Alaric followed her line of sight, his keen eyes immediately grasping her silent request. Without a word, he turned and strode toward the southeastern end of the spring, where her garments lay undisturbed.

Returning swiftly, he extended the clothes toward her, his expression unreadable, his gaze firmly averted.

Lara took them as she thanked him. However, dressing proved more challenging than she anticipated. Every movement—every slight twist or bend—sent pain lancing through her body.

Lara put on her trousers with great difficulty. Twisting and bending caused her so much pain that she had stopped trying. She looked so stiff when she put on her trousers but she endured. She did not want to ask Alaric for help.

She did not notice the extent of her injuries, so when she lifted her shirt, she had a horrified expression when she saw that her entire torso had turned purple.

"Don’t worry," Alaric said, his voice low yet reassuring. He towered beside her, his eyes narrowing as they traced the bruises. "I used an effective medicine. The swelling and the bruises should go down soon."

Lara swallowed past the lump in her throat, shifting her gaze back to him. "Thank you," she said, sincerity lacing her words.

She had thanked Alaric so many times and the prince was starting to get flustered.

"Don’t mention it." He said.

Before she could respond, a loud, unmistakable growl interrupted them.

Lara blinked. Then she laughed, the sound light and breathy. "I guess my stomach is complaining that I skipped breakfast."

"I suppose it’s a good thing I hadn’t eaten before leaving," she mused, her tone laced with humor. "Otherwise, things might have gotten a lot messier. Imagine having a full stomach and then being squeezed like that."

Alaric let out a soft huff, amusement flickering behind his usually stoic gaze. "You’re still thinking about that?"

Lara chuckled. She reached into the side pocket of her backpack and pulled out a round, purple fruit—its smooth surface glistening in the sunlight—a star apple.

Alaric’s gaze lingered briefly on the fruit in her hand before he straightened. "Stay here. I’ll find something for you to eat." He turned, ready to leave.

"Wait!" Lara called, her voice loud but gentle, making him freeze in mid-step. The sudden urgency in her tone hung between them, electrifying the moment as he turned to face her, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.

"My knife," she said. "Can you help me retrieve it?"

Alaric didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he climbed a rock peak and scanned the pool below, his sharp eyes methodically searching the water. Within seconds, he spotted it—gleaming faintly beneath the crystalline depths.

Without hesitation, he stripped off his outer garment, his muscles shifting fluidly beneath the sun’s golden light. Then, in one powerful motion, he dove into the water, slicing through the surface like a blade through silk.

Then, just as swiftly as he had vanished, he emerged—his dark hair slicked back, water streaming from his broad shoulders. In his hand, glinting under the sunlight, was the missing knife.

He waded through the shallow water, each step sending ripples across the surface, until he reached her. With a graceful flick of his wrist, he presented the knife, the blade gleaming with a sharp brilliance that reflected the light, its keen edge promising both danger and protection.

Lara took it, her fingers brushing against his. "You didn’t have to go through all that trouble," she murmured.

Alaric shrugged. "You would have done the same."

She smiled, shaking her head slightly. He wasn’t wrong.

Lara looked at the man who offered her marriage because he had seen her body and he wanted to take responsibility. He was the most handsome man she ever met, and becoming his wife was not a loss at all.

But she just turned sixteen... not even eighteen.

Alaric left.

Alone inside the secret pool, Lara had the time to scrutinize the spring. It had been a month since she had last visited the place.

When she first discovered the spring two years ago, she wanted to believe that Galeya wasn’t a myth at all but an architect who designed such a beautiful place. She would often lie down on that flat surface as if it were a lounger at the beach, her feet dangling on the side, touching the clear water.

It was too bad the hidden spring had not survived the test of time. During the modern era, only a remnant of the limestone wall on the west side remained, and most of the walls collapsed.

Lara closed her eyes and savored the peace and tranquility.

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