The Dragon King's Hated Bride
Chapter 59: What Is Wrong?

Chapter 59: What Is Wrong?

>>Draegon

She glanced at us both but said nothing. Her lips pressed together, and for a moment, I thought she might speak. But then, she turned away and walked toward the drinks table.

I followed, exchanging another worried look with Ariston as I did.

She looks visibly shaken, where the hell did she go?

She reached for a glass of wine, her hand trembling slightly as she brought it to her lips. She downed it quickly, then grabbed another glass just as she placed the empty one back on the table.

"Aelin," I said softly, placing a hand on her arm. "What’s wrong? Talk to me."

She shook her head, avoiding my gaze. "I’m fine," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just tired." She was about to down the second glass when I stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"If you’re tired, why are you drinking?" I didn’t want to hurt her, so I kept my grip light, it was only strong enough to stop her from drinking, but even then she winced and I immediately let her go.

She didn’t waste a second and drank, finishing the second glass of wine. I noticed that her movements were slow and deliberate, as if she were forcing herself to go through the motions.

Ariston leaned closer to her, his voice coaxing but edged with worry. "Come on, princess, at least tell us where you went?"

I watched her, hoping for any kind of response—an explanation, a denial, anything. But she just stared at the wine glass in her hand, her fingers curling tightly around it as though it were the only thing grounding her.

Then, she finally lifted her head, her gaze locking on mine and Ariston’s. Her lips parted, and her voice came out flat, void of the warmth "I tried not to go with the devil," she whispered

Both Ariston and I froze, her words hanging in the air like a storm cloud. Ariston blinked, his brows furrowing in confusion. "What? What does that mean?" he asked, his voice low, as though afraid to push her too hard.

I stepped closer, trying to catch her eyes again. "Aelin," I said, softer this time, "what happened? What do you mean—"

Before I could finish, she moved. Her steps were unsteady, her body swaying like a reed in the wind. She took one step toward us, her gaze distant now, and then she collapsed.

!?!?

"Aelin!" I caught her as she slumped forward, her weight falling heavily against me, "Hey?" I stared at the for a moment, only to realize She’d passed out, just like that.

Ariston was at my side in an instant, his face pale with worry. "What happened?"

"I don’t know," I said through gritted teeth, gently lowering her into a nearby chair. My hands hovered over her, unsure of what to do. Her breathing was steady, but her complexion was still too pale for my liking.

Ariston crouched beside her, his brow furrowed. "She wasn’t like this earlier. Something must have happened."

I nodded, my mind racing. "She was fine before she disappeared. But now—" I glanced at her peaceful, albeit unnaturally pale face, then at the two glasses she drank,. "Now she’s like this." I looked at the human, "Did she use to drink before?"

Ariston glanced back at me and shook his head, "I have never seen her drink before."

I looked back at my wife and let out a sigh.

Neither of us spoke for a moment, the weight of the situation settling over us. Then Ariston looked up at me, his expression grim. "Her words were far too strange." He frowned

"Let’s get her to her room." I cradled her against my chest as I picked her up in my arms. Her body was limp, her breathing faint but steady. My heart clenched as I looked down at her pale face, framed by stray locks of her hair.

"Damn it," Ariston muttered

Before I could say anything the soft hum of the ballroom fell into a shocked silence, or perhaps I just realized it a bit late because I had all my focus on my wife. I felt dozens of eyes on us, the weight of their stares pressing down like a physical force. The whispers were spreading through the crowd like wildfire.

"Is she alright?" someone murmured.

"What happened to the princess?"

"She looks ill."

"Why did she faint?"

I straightened, keeping Aelin close to me as I turned to address the crowd. My face was calm, but my mind was racing. If this turned into a full-blown scandal, it could spiral out of control.

"My wife has been feeling unwell since morning," I said, my voice carrying over the hushed murmurs. I forced a small, apologetic smile onto my face. "She’s been trying her best to appear strong but she almost fainted on her guard earlier, too." I glanced around the room, making sure to meet the gazes of the most curious onlookers. It wasn’t a good situation, but it provided the opportunity to explain what happened before, so people wouldn’t talk, "I believe it’s best if I take her to our room to rest."

The explanation seemed to do the trick. Some of the tension in the air eased, and the murmurs became more subdued. A few people even nodded sympathetically.

"I do apologize for the disruption," I added, giving a polite nod to Duke Sebastian, who was watching from across the room with narrowed eyes. "Please, enjoy the rest of the evening."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and began to leave, Aelin still secure in my arms. Ariston followed close behind, his expression dark as he scanned the room, likely ensuring no one dared approach us. As we exited the ballroom, I kept my focus on Aelin, ignoring the lingering whispers behind us.

***

Ariston and I scoured every corner, speaking to anyone who might have seen something—anything—but the results were the same at every turn. The humans wouldn’t talk, their lips sealed tight as if bound by some unspoken fear or loyalty. The demons? They hadn’t even noticed anything out of the ordinary.

Each failure stoked the embers of my frustration, my patience wearing thin. Ariston, for all his sharp instincts and quick tongue, was equally unsuccessful. By the time we regrouped in the hallway outside the bedroom, it was clear neither of us was getting any answers tonight.

"This is ridiculous," Ariston muttered, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "How can no one have seen anything? She didn’t just vanish into thin air."

I didn’t respond, my gaze fixed on the door to our bedroom. Aelin was inside, finally resting after everything that had happened. My chest felt heavy with guilt. I should have stayed by her side. I should have protected her better. Instead, I let her out of my sight, and something happened—something I don’t even understand.

I am never there for her, even though as her husband I should always be there.

She’s healthy physically. So, did someone say something to her? Did she have a fight with someone? Did someone threaten her?

’I tried not to go with the devil’

She went- no, someone took her somewhere. But considering how no one noticed, the other party might have used concealment magic.

Ariston sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I’ll keep an eye on things, but... you should stay with her." His tone was softer now, almost resigned. "She needs you more than anyone right now."

For all the anger I feel towards him, his loyalty towards my wife has kept me from harming him. That, and the weird obsession Drakkar has towards him.

"Hm," I gave him a nod and he left without another word, leaving me alone to face the silence of my failures.

When I entered the room, Aelin was still asleep, her breathing soft and even. She looked so small lying there, her face peaceful but pale. I sat down beside her, the bed dipping under my weight, and let out a slow, heavy breath. My fingers brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, and I found myself tracing the curve of her cheek with my thumb.

My wife

...

This was my fault. I should have known better. Aelin wasn’t like the female demons I grew up around—strong, resilient, and unyielding in the face of anything. She was human. Delicate in ways I didn’t fully understand.

In all my years, I had never encountered someone like her. Someone who could be hurt so deeply. Someone who could stir feelings in me I didn’t even know I was capable of.

And that was the problem, wasn’t it? I didn’t understand her. Demons and humans have never given a second thought about the other.

And that is the exact place where I failed.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and ran a hand through my hair in frustration.

I looked at her again, my hand moving to her hair, brushing through the soft strands with a gentleness I didn’t think I possessed. She stirred slightly at the touch, but didn’t wake.

I thought about our interaction in the ballroom. I had tried asking her what was wrong, but she didn’t say anything clearly.

Either she doesn’t trust me, or she hates me too. Or perhaps, as visibly seen, she’s still scared of me.

I softly touched her cheek with the back of my index finger. It glided downwards on her pale skin.

"Do not hate me..." I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I’ll try to understand you better."

Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m