The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Can I Hold Your Hand?

Leaving the gifts at home, Oriana grabbed her bow and arrows to go hunting with her friend.

"Thank you for helping me again, Luke," Oriana said as she followed the aloof young man leading her way out of the village.

"You should stay away from them," she heard him say, his voice firm and commanding.

"I want to but those buffoons won't let me be," she complained. She then changed the subject, "What are we hunting today by the way?"

"Rabbits," he replied, his tone as if asking, 'Can you hunt anything but rabbits?'

Oriana hit him in the arm with her quiver. "Don't judge me! Not like I can't but more like I don't want to...Killing larger animals feels weird," her tone lowering the more she spoke.

"Small or large, a life is a life."

Oriana pouted as she had no come back to say.

"Stop pouting like a girl."

Hearing his mean remark, she sneered, 'Does he have eyes at the back of his head? I am a girl so I will pout.'

Their nameless village was situated at the outer regions of the forest, a place long cleared out of small preys it was relatively safe to traverse, even for children. Most seasoned hunters would go deeper into the forest, nearer the mountains, to hunt for larger prey like boars or deer; however, they would generally avoid the mountains themselves because it was rumored that predators like wolves and bears dwelled in that region.

Both Luke and Oriana were familiar with the forest path, and they did not need to talk, simply enjoying each other's silent companionship as they trekked through the dense greenery.

When they reached the banks of a rather shallow river merely knee-deep in depth, Luke moved with ease to cross it, stepping on the protruding rocks and boulders to avoid getting wet. Though getting his footwear and trousers wet would not hamper movement, most hunters found it uncomfortable to walk with drenched pants and sloggy boots.

Oriana admired his strong back as she followed him to cross the river.

'One would think a large fellow like him won't be so nimble—'

"Oh...oops!"

Luke immediately turned and caught Oriana's hand, preventing her from falling into the water. She hurried to move towards a less slippery rock with his help.

"Unlucky," she clicked her tongue. Only then did she recall she was wearing new boots. She was yet to get used to moving around with them.

Luke let go of her hand and commented, "Clumsy."

"Hey, I am not clumsy!" she frowned. 'I have crossed this river more times than I can count and I never slipped. Something always happens when I'm with Luke though. Is he some sort of jinx?'

Luke didn't deem necessary to reply, prompting Oriana to call him out.

"Luke, wait."

The young man looked over his shoulder, and saw the black-clothed lad smiling at him with large, twinkling hazel eyes.

Oriana carefully stepped on the rocks until she reached Luke and grabbed onto his arm. "There, better. You can start moving. We don't have all day." _{freewebnσvel.cøm}