The Lycan's Forbidden Mate novel Chapter 190

190 Just a demon?

After meeting Esmeralda, they retreated to the main sitting room of the castle for hot tea. Ophelia was astounded to be served by the maids‘ maids and to see guards positioned all about. All her surroundings, the castle, were evolving. Nikolai was becoming really relaxed.

With a polite wave, she motioned for the maids and guards to depart. It was ideal for her to be by herself with Esmeralda.

Esmeralda sighed softly as she took a sip. “Lia,”

Ophelia gave her a quick glance. “Esme? “Why do you look so worried when you just woke up?”

“I was so tired that I was shocked when I woke up in the castle. In all my years, I have never felt so worn out.” Esmeralda mumbled.

“What do you mean that you’ve never felt so worn out? Rhaziel did mention that you had to have unknowingly used a lot of energy.” Ophelia gripped the cup tightly muttering under her breath. “Did it have to do with our exchange of mystical weapons?”

Esmeralda gave a nod. “Our species has never engaged in friendly combat, but it doesn’t imply that we see one another as rivals. However, employing each other’s magical weapons is a whole different matter. As soon as I touched your sword’s handle, I felt really strong. That energy burst is unlike anything I have ever felt! I believed that I could defeat an entire army.”

“Esme… Did your powers… Transform?” Ophelia questioned, her intense curiosity causing her eyes to widen.

Esmeralda gently shook her head. “I.. I am not sure.”

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Ophelia exhaled. “I do not know what to say but if it weakens you greatly, I do not think we should do that again.”

“I agree.” Muttered Esmeralda. “Apart from that, though, there’s

something about Vladmir’s voice loss. I believe that the moonstone may be the cause.”

Ophelia smiled. “I felt the same way, and Nikolai concurred. However, how are you aware?”

“A full moon, lying awake during the day, Vladmir was born on such a day. It is in accordance with the strength of his powers since he hears the voices of the gods. I believe he is able to communicate with gods other than the moon gods.” Esmeralda quietly clarified.

Ophelia rose up, nodding. “I have an idea. A perilous strategy that I believe can only be accomplished by you and me.”

Esmeralda raised a glance at her with startled eyes. “Huh… You look so serious right now. It’s unsettling.

Hearing those remarks, Ophelia forced a smile and sat down, placing her tea cup on its saucer. “Ever since I arrived in Celestia, a fire god has plagued me. He would constantly shout that I was violating an order by being close to Nikolai, and he would torment me till I would generally find myself on the verge of death.”

“What the…!” Esmeralda cried out, startled.

“It appears I’ve been cursed by him. I cannot recall anything beyond that.” Blurting out, Ophelia clutched the fabric of her dress and took a long breath.

Esmeralda was shocked beyond belief. “This can’t be happening.” She got up and delved her fingers into her curly hair. “Does Nikolai know…”

“I’m not certain. This is something that only you are aware of.” Ophelia

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whispered, lowering her gaze. “I need you to do something for me.”

Esmeralda shook her head and waved her hands disapprovingly. “No, no, no, I refuse to listen to you.”

Ophelia looked up at her friend, who was clearly deeply impacted by her disclosure. “Hear me out.”

“If you are going to talk about death, I am not going to listen to you!” Esmeralda suddenly snapped, causing Ophelia’s eyes to enlarge. “Do you have any idea why I’m here? Nikolai and you! Both of you! You two have come close to death and have come through for each other! Before you two reunited in Celestia, you had sobbed in each other’s arms, pleading for help! Is it even clear to you why he deleted your memories? he did it to save you! I cannot stand losing any of you! I get strength from watching you two! Your union is in no manner opposed to any bullshit order!”

“No I… Listen to me.” Ophelia stood up, walking towards Esmeralda, and lowered her eyes. “Please.”

Esmeralda trembled, tears welling up in her eyes. “Very well…”

“If anything happens… To me… Any drastic change.. I want you to support me no matter what. But. If it’s death that ends up being that shift, I want you to forget about me and protect Nikolai.”

Esmeralda shook her head, tears streaming from her eyes. “W…why are you suddenly speaking like this?” She then forced a grin as she brushed away her own tears. “Why am I crying?!”

Ophelia took a big breath. “The curse of a god… it never fails. For two weeks, Nikolai and I were unconscious due to my curse. The gods were attempting to disrupt the ceremony and transformed a straightforward marriage into something incredibly strange.”

“No.. You are simply blaming yourself. Nothing happened! Perhaps that

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was only the result of the moonstone’s influence.” Esmeralda shook her head trying to control herself from crying.

“We were protected by the moonstone. If the moonstone hadn’t been involved, Vladmir, Nikolai, and I would have all perished right then.” Ophelia slowly came to light.

Esmeralda rebuffed Ophelia’s comments with another shake of her head and retreated a step. “Enough!” She took deep breaths.

Ophelia took a deep breath and attempted a smile as she looked at her friend. “Nikolai intends to eradicate Celestia. I intend to prevent him from acting in that way, as well as to stop anyone who wants to use him as their puppet.”

Frustrated, Esmeralda shook her head, turned aside, and hurried out, pushing the door open. She abruptly ran into Rhaziel, who saw her coming and immediately wrapped his arms around her.

“Are you alright?” Rhaziel inquired, startled by their unexpected impact. Whilst, she looked at him with wide eyes.

“I…” Her mouth opened slightly, but she quickly closed it, shut her eyes, and took a long breath. “I am.”

Rhaziel arched an eyebrow, finding it hard to believe. His gaze drifted across to Ophelia, who was standing there looking at him as if she had seen a ghost.

Pain, who had been following him, growled softly as he walked into the room and started to circle her, bringing her attention to him.

“Pain.” Ophelia smiled spontaneously, got down on her knees and stroked his fur. He closed his eyes and purred, in response to her.

Sensing that she was preoccupied, Rhaziel left, holding Esmeralda in his arms, and made his way to a separate hallway.

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“Did something happen?” Letting her go, he questioned and saw her amber eyes pop wide.

“Do you know that the gods were involved in that ceremony? Did you try

to stop me for that reason?” She asked slowly.

Rhaziel was surprised, but he covered it up with his typical glum demeanor. “Yes.”

“You knew that they would have all died, didn’t you?” Esmeralda bowed her head and requested again, her face growing gloomy.

“I did.”

“And you were willing to risk it?” Esmeralda asked, tightening her fists.

“I…”

“What if the moonstone was not protecting them?!” She screamed, glaring at him and angrily pounding his chest.

Rhaziel did not move to move away from her, nor did his expression change. “I knew it was. That was why I stopped you.”

“Liar.” Esmeralda growled. “You have no idea how important Nikolai and Ophelia are to me. You are just a demon!”

Rhaziel’s gaze dilated. He blinked, a dark memory flickering in his mind… The supreme master blood moon god and a sun goddess impaled with a mystical spear… emerged in his mind. “Just a demon?” With a deep snarl, his eyes took on their thick, black demon form. “You know nothing.”

The calmness in his speech sent shivers down her spine. She stepped back and gasped in fear as her back struck the wall without warning.

Rhaziel let out a long sigh and his eyes returned to normal. “I am sorry.”

“No.. it’s my fault.” Esmeralda broke out, hesitantly.

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“Had the moonstone not been shielding them, I would not have allowed them die. Never again.” He exhaled and turned to leave.

Shocked, Esmeralda fixed her gaze on him. “A…again?”

Even though Rhaziel heard her, he did not stop or turn around. He inhaled deeply to steady his emotions.

Entering the royal room, he noticed that Nikolai, who was sitting on the throne and wearing a bland look, was focused on the present reporting guards.

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