The Devil's Son and His Fated Bride
Chapter 243: Dark crystals.

Chapter 243: Dark crystals.

Ren couldn’t believe how much strength the spell drained from her. Nimoieth’s power was overwhelming. She had only managed to extract the darkness and form three dark crystals before sweat began dripping from her brow.

Kai noticed her labored breathing and stood up. "That’s enough, wife. Let me take you back to your bathtub."

Ren gave him a weary, strained smile. "Do you feel better?"

"Much better."

He kissed the top of her head, then gently undressed her. As he stepped into the water with her, Ren felt the last of her energy slipping away. Clasping his hand tightly, she whispered, "Stay with me tonight."

Kai blinked, hesitating. He couldn’t afford to risk it. The dark aura inside him was still rising, no matter how much she extracted. He had only let her continue to ease her distress. She must worry about her own health. Two lives were growing inside her. Not regular ones, their children were half demon, and delivering them wouldn’t be easy.

"Wife, I must meet my generals. But I’ll stay long enough to wash you, alright?"

She nodded, and he knelt before her, carefully washing her trembling body. His eyes kept returning to the small swell of her belly, once flat, now subtly curved. Time was passing and soon they would embrace their babies.

"Have you been alright?" he asked, his voice low with concern.

Ren let out a breath, eyes heavy with the weight of the day. "Today was a storm," she said softly. "My father is paralyzed. The once-unbeatable King, brought down to a shadow of himself. Frail. Silent. Useless. His enemies... they rejoice in it. They love seeing him broken."

Kai froze, the sponge slipping from his hand. He leaned forward and kissed her lips, slowly, with reverence, as if trying to pull the ache from her soul.

She opened her eyes, glassy with unshed tears, and touched his face. Her fingers trembled.

"All he ever did was fight for people. For humankind. He wanted to protect them, to build a world where no one had to suffer like he did. It was his dream, even as a boy, to give others the life he was denied. He even sold his soul."

Kai searched her eyes, speaking gently but firmly. "And he did. Maybe not perfectly, maybe not kindly, but he struck down tyrants, one after another. He fought wars the rest of us were too afraid to even name. That’s why Anarya loved him. And maybe... maybe your mother saw a part of his soul none of us could understand."

A tear slipped down Ren’s cheek. She moved toward him without a word and buried herself in his chest. He held her, as if shielding her from all the broken pieces the world kept throwing at her feet.

"I saw that in him too," she whispered. "A lost man who bargained with devils to destroy worse ones, just to carve out some happiness for others. He sold his own joy to buy it for the world."

She pressed her body closer to Kai, seeking comfort in his warmth. Kai closed his eyes, biting his lower lip to keep his own anguish at bay. It hurt, deeply, to know there was nothing he could do to ease her sorrow.

"Is it hard for you to see him like this?" he asked quietly.

Ren didn’t answer. Instead, her voice came soft but certain: "Will you take me with you to visit him?"

Kai’s lips curved into a smile. He kissed her forehead gently, a promise behind the touch.

"You’ll come with me tomorrow."

...

The next morning, golden sunlight spilled across the stone floor, warm and quiet. Ren stirred awake to find the curtains drawn open, the scent of morning dew drifting in with the breeze.

Lora stood at her bedside, her tone cheerful yet gentle. "My Queen, I’ve brought you breakfast."

Ren sat upright, her muscles sore and her head aching. "I overslept... Is my husband gone?"

A frown touched her lips as the memory of his promise flickered. He’d said they would go together. She pressed a hand to her forehead, wincing. The dark crystal spell had drained her more than she thought.

"You didn’t sleep much, my lady," Lora said, worrying about her lady. "It’s still early. His Highness has a meeting with his Alphas."

Ren nodded silently and, with Lora’s help, swung her legs out of bed. The cool floor grounded her, but her thoughts were already far away, on her father, on Kai, and on the task that still lay ahead.

"My head hurts a lot... Can you ask Master Agara to bring me a potion?" Ren murmured, pressing her fingers to her throbbing temples.

Lora nodded quickly. "Of course, but let me help you get dressed first!"

Ren shook her head. "No...I’ll dress myself. Please, just go."

There was urgency in her tone, and Lora didn’t press further. With a respectful nod, she turned and left the room.

Ren moved slowly to the washroom, her steps unsteady. After washing and dressing herself, she forced down a few bites of food, but the pounding in her skull only intensified. She closed her eyes and cradled her head in both hands, cursing under her breath. Foolish... I pushed too hard with that spell. It was wrong.

A sudden knock at the door broke through the fog in her mind.

"May I come in, niece?" came Agara’s familiar voice.

"Yes...yes, come in," she called out.

The door opened to reveal Agara and Lora. But before Ren could rise, Kai appeared in a flash, his presence charged with tension.

"What happened to my wife?" he demanded, eyes scanning her quickly.

For a brief moment, Ren’s eyes widened. She had forgotten, Kai could hear her when her thoughts turned to him.

"My Queen, I didn’t..."

Lora stammered, panic rising in her voice.

"I know, Lora. It wasn’t you," Ren said gently, resting a hand over her own chest. "I... thought too loudly." She smiled at her panicked maiden.

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