Chapter 00
Prologue
“Lady Skyler! This way!”
A knight rushed ahead, opening the flap of the tent with urgency.
Inside was a space as dark as a predator’s den. The air was so thick with lethal intent that it felt impossible to take a single step forward.
Skyler glanced at the knight, who was instinctively backing away in fear, and stepped into the tent. At that moment, a low growl, like claws scraping the floor, rumbled through the space.
“No one was supposed to enter.”
The voice was rough and hoarse.
The intensity of it made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and broke out cold sweat on her forehead.
Moving carefully as if walking on a blade, Skyler scanned the dangerous air and found someone.
“Lord Declan.”
On a partially ruined bed, a massive figure lay crouched, almost collapsed. None other than the paladin commander.
The one who crossed borders at every opportunity to wipe out monsters invading the people, who explored lawless lands and cut down savages.
“I’ve come.”
A dark, holy aura enveloped him, raging like untamed flames.
Just taking a few steps closer made Skyler’s chest tighten and her legs tremble. It wasn’t surprising that all the knights around the barracks had fled as if in panic.
“So the noble saint has come herself.”
The man chuckled coldly and lifted his head.
Skyler met his sharp, icy-blue gaze through strands of hair damp with sweat.
“To personally come to such a dangerous place, your sense of duty brings tears to my eyes.”
“It’s part of the job.”
She had expected a reaction like this. Skyler replied calmly.
She could feel his body flinch slightly each time she drew near, as if barely restraining the urge to lunge violently.
The broad muscles of his back twitched.
“Look at me.”
Hiding her own tension, Skyler placed her hand on his body. He immediately pushed it away coldly, like brushing off dirt.
“Get your hand off me.”
“……”
“Bring me the one who brought you here.”
“Do you want me dead?”
Skyler whispered, looking at the hand that had been refused. His expression seemed to ask, Are you stating the obvious?
“How cruel of you.”
“Have I ever pretended not to be?”
“Never.”
Skyler gave a bitter smile.
She was drawn to him even knowing this. He had been the first light she saw when she was at the very bottom of her life.
“Did you go to Soleil?”
It happened in an instant. A hand approached, and Skyler was pressed onto the mattress.
His gaze, dripping with spit as if ready to devour her, pierced through without filter.
“……”
“Did you tell that bastard you loved him? Did you cling and kiss?”
It was absurd. When had she ever cared about such things?
Skyler felt as if this entire scene was part of some farce.
“Well… I wonder.”
“How miserable.”
“Me? Or you?”
Declan laughed and wrapped his arms around her neck. It was barely more than a handful; with the slightest pressure, it could be broken.
“You should’ve stayed quietly tucked away in that countryside like I said. Then you wouldn’t be going back and forth between this man and that man.”
Snap.
Unable to bear it, Skyler slapped his cheek.
Even hitting as hard as she could, only her palm stung. Truly a horrifically cruel man.
Her eyes burned and her throat tightened.
“Why did you save me then? You could have just left me.”
“Because you were mine the moment I found you.”
You don’t know anything.
Swallowing a bitter smile at his arrogant reply, Skyler felt the weight of coming here, of reaching this place. He wouldn’t wonder why, nor did he need to.
“Fine, if you insist on giving yourself to me, I can’t refuse.”
In the tense standoff, his hand around her neck roughly tore at her clothing.
Declan lowered his head, teeth poised as if to bite her neck at any moment. Skyler widened her eyes and screamed.
“Ah!”
Blood trickled from her neck, crossing her pale, elegant skin like a necklace. Licking it as if both poison and cure, he commanded:
“Shut your mouth and spread your legs.”
Skyler’s eyes traced his massive body. Her hand brushed past his solid chest and down the ridged abs, only to be met with a sharp, violent pressure against her own body.
Meeting the wolf-like eyes of a man ready to strike at any second, Skyler gripped his jet-black hair and bowed her head.
His tongue, mixed with hot breath, filled her mouth.
Feeling his hand trail down her back, Skyler closed her eyes softly.
There was no turning back.
If so, she had no choice but to go all the way.
