The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 423

Chapter 423: Ask Your Mother

Oriana’s cry of shock pierced the air as she found herself in a situation she could never have anticipated. Arlan, in his most vulnerable state, had intervened on her behalf, and it left her astounded. His immobility had rendered him powerless, making his swift action seem almost superhuman. The effort he must have exerted was undoubtedly immense, perhaps even at the cost of his last reserves of strength. It pained her to see his frail form withstand such a powerful attack. The question echoed in her mind: Why had he protected her?

"Your Highness?" Oriana called out, struggling under the weight of Arlan’s body, which now draped protectively over her. She cradled him in her arms.

Arlan, utterly depleted, couldn’t respond. The last vestiges of strength had abandoned him, rendering him unable to even stand. Gently, Oriana guided him to sit on the ground, holding him close in her delicate embrace. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched him violently cough up blood.

"Why did you..." Oriana’s voice trailed off, met with Arlan’s silence as he closed his eyes, consciousness slipping away.

"I thought he despised you, but it appears that may not be the case," the witch’s voice hissed with an underlying threat. "Or perhaps, he’s more afraid that if you were to fall into my hands, I would gain freedom from this prison."

The witch’s words stoked the flames of Oriana’s anger. She glared into the darkness, her gaze intensifying as her fury deepened. "How dare you hurt him?" she seethed.

The witch responded with a wicked chuckle. "That question, you should direct towards yourself and your mother."

"What do you mean?" Oriana demanded, her voice a volatile mixture of anger and apprehension.

The witch’s laughter sent shivers down Oriana’s spine, and her words were like daggers to her heart. Arlan’s condition tore at her, and now this witch was dragging her mother into the conversation. Oriana knew she had to stay composed, as this witch might hold the answers to questions no one else could provide.

She questioned the witch, her voice steady despite her inner turmoil, "What did my mother do? Are you trying to shift the blame for your wickedness onto someone else?"

"Your mother?" the witch sneered, her words dripping with malice. "That wretch is the very reason Prince Arlan is no longer human. That wretch dared to imprison me here."

Oriana’s anger flared in response. "Beings as despicable as you deserve to be trapped in a hell of your own making. My mother did what was necessary. If I were in her place, I might have done much worse."

A tense silence settled in for a moment before the witch continued, "You speak too boldly. I wonder where your confidence comes from. Aren’t you curious about your mother and Prince Arlan? Don’t you want to know how I tormented the young prince and how your mother met her end?" The witch’s laughter was a cruel echo. "Your mother... oh, how I relished watching her slowly wither away as warm blood flowed down her body."

Oriana remained silent at those chilling words, remembering her master’s counsel about the sadistic nature of such evil witches. In this moment, it was clear that the witch had discerned Oriana’s vulnerability, Arlan, and was using her mother as a bargaining chip to manipulate her further.

"I will ensure you pay for what you’ve done to them," Oriana stated calmly, though her anger seethed beneath the surface.

The witch responded, a sly tone in her voice, "Everything comes with a price. Do you think I will simply divulge everything?"

"What do you want?" Oriana inquired.