The Dragon King's Hated Bride
Chapter 58: Reminder

Chapter 58: Reminder

>>Aelin

As soon as I felt Reagan’s hand grip my arm, I froze. His touch was rough, there was an unspoken warning in it. I glanced around the crowded hall, hoping someone might notice, but his assistant, with his usual calculated demeanor, stood close by, scanning the area to ensure no one was paying attention.

I turned my head, desperately looking in the direction Draegon went, uselessly hoping that he would turn back and look at me.

I could see Draegon’s back and I opened my mouth to let out a sound when Reagan spoke, "You better not," And out of fear, my lips closed again but my eyes desperately stayed on Draegon.

Yet he didn’t look back.

My stomach churned as I realized there would be no help here.

"Walk," Reagan muttered under his breath, his tone low but firm.

I didn’t dare resist. He guided me swiftly through the hall, his assistant trailing behind us, keeping a watchful eye on any prying eyes. The music and laughter from the banquet faded as we moved further away, out of the ballroom from a staff used door, the noise replaced by the heavy thud of my own heartbeat.

We stopped in front of a side door, one of the many unused rooms in the Duke’s sprawling estate. Reagan opened it without a word and ushered me inside, his grip tightening just enough to make me wince.

The door shut behind us with a sharp click.

I turned to him immediately, my hands trembling as I clutched the fabric of my dress. "Brother, please," I began, my voice shaking. "I didn’t do anything—"

"Didn’t do anything?" he interrupted, his voice cold and mocking. He stepped closer, and I instinctively backed away until my back hit the wall. "I saw everything. Everything."

"I don’t understand—"

"Don’t lie to me!" he snapped, his voice rising slightly as he towered over me. "Do you think I didn’t see how you acted when that demon woman approached Draegon? The way you looked at him, the way you clung to that guard of yours? Do you think no one noticed your pathetic attempt to make Draegon jealous?"

!!!

My breath hitched, and I shook my head desperately. "I wasn’t—I didn’t mean—"

"You sent your guard away," he continued, his tone dripping with disdain. "You dismissed him the moment Draegon approached, making it seem like you were protecting him. Have you forgotten your place entirely? Are you trying to showcase an affair?!"

I felt tears prick my eyes as his words cut deep, each accusation weighing heavier than the last. "I didn’t mean to— It was a m-mistake, I-"

"Enough," he snapped, his eyes narrowing as he stepped closer. "You’ve embarrassed yourself, me, and this entire family with your foolishness. You need to be reminded of your place."

"Brother-I-"

"Don’t you dare!" He roared, "Call me ’brother’"

"I didn’t cling onto Ariston with any bad intention-" I didn’t get to complete my words before he struck me right across the face

!!!

The force of his attack was strong enough to get me to stumble back and fall to the ground. I was on my knees with my eyes wide open while my face was turned in the direction he struck me.

"You, as a married woman, clung onto another man," He stepped towards me, making my heart pound, "What was going through that tiny head of yours?"

"I-" I knew it was stupid. I shouldn’t have done that.

I know. I know. I know

His hand shot out, gripping my chin and forcing me to look up at him. His touch wasn’t kind—it never was—but the fury in his eyes made me flinch. "Do you think you’re something special just because you’re married to a demon prince?" he hissed. "You’re nothing but a tool for this truce. Nothing more."

My chest tightened as his words

"It was an accident," I tried to lie

"Accident?" His grip on me tightened, hurting me, "Everyone saw you wanted to make him jealous."

I couldn’t deny it.

Reagan’s glare was like a blade, slicing through me as I sat frozen, backed against the wall. His lips curled into a mocking sneer, and his voice was calm—too calm—as he said, "For once, you’re useful. For once in your entire life, you’re actually doing something that benefits this family. And yet, here you are, making things difficult."

My stomach churned. "I didn’t mean to make things difficult," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I didn’t—"

"Didn’t mean to?" he cut me off, his tone sharp and biting. "Do you think intent matters? Do you think your intentions will excuse your actions when they cause chaos for the rest of us?"

I shook my head desperately, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I swear, I didn’t mean—"

Before I could finish, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with a vice-like grip. I gasped, my eyes going wide in fear because I knew what was coming next, "Please-" I tried to beg but he didn’t listen.

It was a pathetic attempt.

I knew he’d never show me mercy but I still tried to beg. A plea, he refused to hear. I gasped as a sudden jolt of electricity coursed through my body, sending sharp, stinging pain through every nerve.

"Reagan!" I cried out, my knees buckling as the shocks intensified. "Please! I didn’t do it!"

"Don’t you call my name!!!" He didn’t let go. His expression was cold, unyielding, as if my pain meant nothing to him. "You’ll never learn, will you?" he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "You think your excuses will get you out of this?"

The shocks grew stronger, and I fell further downwards, towards the floor, clutching his wrist as I begged. "I won’t do it again! I promise, I won’t!" I yelled out with a trembling voice, laced with fear.

"Say it again," he demanded, his grip tightening as another wave of electricity ripped through me.

"I won’t do it again!" I sobbed, my voice hoarse from screaming. "I promise. I promise!"

Finally, he released me, and I crumpled to the floor, my body trembling uncontrollably from the lingering shocks. My breath came in ragged gasps as I tried to steady myself, but the pain left me weak, my limbs heavy and unresponsive.

The pain immense but also nostalgic.

"Good," he said coldly, brushing invisible dust off his sleeve. "At least you’re capable of learning when enough pressure is applied."

He turned to the door and called out, "Glyer, come in."

The door opened, and his aide stepped inside, his expression unreadable as he approached me. Glyer knelt beside me, his hands already glowing with a soft, golden light. He pressed them gently to my shoulders, and a soothing warmth began to spread through my body, easing the pain and mending the damage Reagan’s magic had caused.

"Make sure there’s no evidence," Reagan ordered, his voice curt.

Glyer nodded silently, his healing magic working quickly and efficiently. The trembling in my limbs subsided, the stinging in my nerves faded, and the burns left by the shocks disappeared as if they’d never been there.

When Glyer finished, he stood and stepped back, his hands clasped in front of him as he awaited further orders.

Reagan glanced at me one last time, his expression hard and unfeeling. "Let this be a reminder," he said. "You’re here for the truce, for this family. And if you can’t do that without causing trouble, then you’ll face the consequences. Do you understand me?"

I nodded weakly as I lay on the ground, my voice barely a whisper. "Yes."

With a final glare, he turned on his heel and left the room, Glyer following close behind. The door closed with a soft click, leaving me alone in the deafening silence.

My breathing didn’t calm down. The panic he had left in me didn’t fade away for a while.

This is why I didn’t want Reagan to be the one coming to the meeting.

I gulped.

He’s always like this. Ever since mom died, he has hated me to the core of his being.

***

>>Draegon

I’d searched every corner of the hall and the surrounding areas, but there was no trace of her. My pulse pounded in my ears as panic clawed at my chest.

Where could she have gone? I merely left for a minute or two. How could she leave without a word or without anyone noticing?

Across the room, I caught sight of Ariston weaving through the crowd. His expression was tight, a mirror of my own concern. I strode over to him, ignoring the curious glances thrown my way.

"She’s not anywhere," I said as soon as I reached him.

Ariston shook his head, his usual calm shaken. "I couldn’t find her either. I searched the corridors outside the ballroom and checked with the guards." He kept shaking his head, "Nothing." He grimaced, "I shouldn’t have moved so far away." He frowned, "I should have kept her in my sight."

My jaw clenched, and I forced myself to take a deep breath, though it did little to quell the storm inside me. "We can’t just let this go unnoticed. If she’s missing—"

"We’ll have to announce it," Ariston finished grimly, his eyes scanning the room. "But if we do, it’ll cause a scene. People will start asking questions we can’t answer."

I nodded reluctantly. As much as I hated the idea of waiting, causing a public stir might do more harm than good. Still, the thought of Aelin—my wife—being possibly in danger, was enough to make my blood boil.

We stood there in a corner of the ballroom, strategizing our next move when the side door opening near us caught our attention. I turned my head instinctively, expecting staff members or something to come out of there but what I saw made me freeze

There she was.

Aelin.

She stepped into the ballroom quietly, her appearance as composed as ever, but something was off. Her posture was stiff, and her eyes looked uncertain and nervous. Her face was pale, almost unnaturally so, and though she wore the same dress she’d been wearing earlier, something about the way she carried herself made my chest tighten with unease.

"Aelin?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the din of the ballroom.

Ariston and I exchanged a quick glance, both of us startled by her sudden reappearance and the strange aura around her. Without wasting another second, we both moved toward her, our steps hurried.

"Aelin," I said more firmly, my tone lined with both relief and concern. "Where have you been?"

Ariston added, "Are you alright? You look—" He hesitated, likely searching for a word that wouldn’t upset her. "—different."

She stopped, then glanced at us both

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