The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 425

Chapter 425: Intruder

Oriana’s advance seemed to have no effect on the witch, who remained motionless in her stead. The moment Oriana took a step forward, the floor beneath her feet burst into radiant illumination, forming a mystical circle replete with ancient runes.

"Huh?" Oriana gasped, her gaze dropping to her feet. To her astonishment, she found herself immobilized, her every attempt to move thwarted. The circle pulsed with a blend of divine energy and potent darkness, a clear indication that it had been wrought using Arlan’s divine blood.

In the chamber, the witch’s laughter resounded, "Did you genuinely believe that allowing your earlier assaults to succeed would enable you to subdue me, the mightiest black witch?"

Oriana stared in disbelief. She had been certain that her previous attacks had taken their toll, but now she realized the witch had masterfully kept her occupied with conversation while secretly devising this trap. The witch had orchestrated everything.

’I underestimated her,’ Oriana admitted to herself.

"This enchantment, empowered by the most formidable ancient runes and infused with the essence of dragon’s blood, is a trap you, as a mere witch, cannot hope to escape. Inside it, you are powerless," the witch remarked, closing in on Oriana and pacing along the outer edge of the circle. "Did you genuinely believe your venomous words could influence me? You, a young witch, have barely scratched the surface of your own power, and yet you aspire to defeat me."

Gritting her teeth, Oriana watched the witch’s sinister orbit. "What is your intent?"

"I’ve already told you," the witch sneered as she continued her circumnavigation, "I intend to utilize your blood to free myself, and you’ve already agreed to surrender your body."

"Do you truly believe I’ll surrender my blood without a struggle?" Oriana challenged. "You’ll have to come to me to obtain it or release me from this trap. It’s not like you can simply extract it through the air."

"You will willingly offer me your blood," the witch continued to circle her, "I hold your vulnerability close to my heart."

Oriana grasped the implications. "You intend to use him against me. What if I prioritize my life over his? You can do whatever you wish with him, but I won’t comply with your demands."

"Really?" the witch said, her voice tinged with amusement, and then approached Arlan, who lay unconscious on the floor. Cloaked in dark attire, she gazed down at him. "My Prince, I don’t want to inflict further harm, but this woman here is reluctant to allow us to be together. You know that only through her can we be united eternally. So, endure this with me, alright?"

Her hand emitted a shroud of black magic that enveloped Arlan’s form. In the next instant, his body convulsed, contorted with pain even in his unconscious state, as if he could sense the torment.

Oriana’s eyes widened, her heart aching. She couldn’t fathom the intensity of his suffering, and she couldn’t bear to see him in such agony, even knowing he wouldn’t die, and the witch had no intention of killing him. It was her firsthand experience of his pain through his distressing memories that shattered her resolve.

"I agree," Oriana spoke, her voice trembling. "I agree to give you my blood."

The witch ceased tormenting Arlan and approached Oriana. "That’s a wise choice."

"I’m not finished speaking," Oriana continued.

"What do you desire?" the witch inquired.

"I’ll agree to your terms, but in return, you must release him," Oriana insisted.

"That’s impossible," the witch replied.

"If you understand that he is my weakness, and I’d do anything for him, then you must know I won’t consent without ensuring his well-being," Oriana declared.

"I will become his mate, and he..." the witch began.

"I’ve heard you, and I won’t entertain that idea," Oriana interrupted. "If I’m sacrificing my life for him, you have to make a sacrifice as well. You can have him, but you’ll remain trapped here forever, or you can free yourself using me and leave this place, and him, behind. The latter option seems better, granting you eternal freedom."

The witch remained silent for a moment, so Oriana pressed on, "Consider your choice: a lifetime of freedom or eternal entrapment here?"

"You’re hardly in a position to negotiate with me," the witch countered.

"Are you, then, in your current state, with no clear end in sight?" Oriana shot back, her courage undeterred.

The witch chuckled, and in the next moment, something stirred in the room.

"Ahh!" Oriana winced in pain as she realized a deep gash had appeared on her right hand, and blood flowed from the wound.

Swiftly, a shroud of black magic encircled her, collecting the droplets in the air, which moved toward the witch and were captured in a tiny glass bottle. "This should suffice to set me free," the witch declared.

Oriana was taken aback. The witch had clearly outmaneuvered her, leaving her uncertain of her next move. Despite being a Queen of witches, Oriana realized she still had much to learn. She berated herself for her inability to anticipate the witch’s tactics. Was she truly foolish, or was she just inexperienced in dealing with witches? Witches were renowned for their power, and Oriana had been utterly outwitted.

The witch noticed Oriana’s desperate gaze fixed on the door. She toyed with the small bottle in her hand as she spoke, "Are you holding out hope for someone to come to your aid?" She chuckled malevolently. "How naive of you. No one can open that door. There is no one powerful enough to challenge the black magic infused with Dragon’s divine blood." _{ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com}