The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 157

Chapter 157: Esmeray, Come To Me!

"Orian, it’s Damien," the voice from the other side of the door said. "Are you up?"

Her body sat upright in bed, her hand hurrying to check whether her headwrap was in place. "I’m awake! I’m awake! Do you need anything—"

"No. Just go downstairs and have a meal first. We are done eating but you didn’t join us so Neil thought you probably fell asleep."

Oriana had a hearty meal before heading to Arlan’s room, exchanging shifts with the other two attendants.

The prince was clad in his night robes, and she saw him putting away the stack of paper from the table. Out of habit, she moved towards the nightstand, intending to put out the flames from the lamps when Arlan stopped her.

"I am working and I need no disturbances."

As if to prove his point, he took out a new stack of papers. _{freeωebnovēl.c૦m}

’Is it the time for work? That means he won’t sleep and I won’t either.’ She felt like screaming her heart out in frustration. ’Sleep. All I want is decent sleep. Not half-hour naps, nor me nodding off on the side.

’I already took a step back and adjusted my mentality to accept sleeping on a chair, and now you’re saying you won’t even let me sleep tonight? Do I have to burn the midnight oil along with you? I will go crazy at this rate and might end up killing you.’

Just then, Arlan looked at her with a serious gaze.

"Retire for now. I will summon you when I need you."

Oriana was surprised but she obeyed him and went back to her room.

’What is he reading? He looked serious. Is it something related to what that giant knight told him before the morning ceremony? He looked serious at that time as well. Nevermind, it’s good for me. I can at least lie on my bed instead of standing in his room to attend to him.’

She went straight to her bed, her heaven at the moment. She happily buried herself in the warm blanket, hugging one of the pillows as a bolster.

"Till that brat calls for me, I will just lay in my bed." She was visibly purring in contentment. "Bed at last! This pillow is so soft and fluffy..."

The prince working next door heard her words and smiled lightly. ’Isn’t that why I sent you back to your room? Be gracious that your master is kind.’ He leaned back in his chair. ’Though, she keeps calling me a brat again and again. I shall show her how bratty I can be for real.’

He continued to read the proposals and counter-proposals meant for the alliance summit on the table, revising a number of clauses which he found loopholes in. As the head of the delegation, he had to review the issues that would be possibly raised during the continent-wide conference.

An hour passed by and there was no sound from the room next door.

’Seems like she fell asleep.’

Arlan finally put down the pen and parchment in his hands and stood up to leisurely stretch. He went towards the window to relax himself with the view of the starry sky. For a moment, he wondered if he should have Neil bring him a fresh pot of tea as sleep didn’t seem to be an option for him tonight.

Just as he had that thought, his ears caught something, making his brows furrowed and his form instantly disappeared from the room.

—--

While waiting to be called by the prince, Oriana didn’t realize she fell asleep.

Exhaustion took over her and her body gave into it. Not having any intentions of sleeping in the first place, she didn’t get her talisman knife under her pillow. As she was not permitted to carry any weapon on her as a royal servant, she would generally hide it in her luggage.

The consequence was obvious. Without protection, once she fell into deep slumber, she found herself surrounded by suffocating darkness.