Chapter 109 Put Up This Façade

"Emma!" he rasped and pulled the reins of the horse. Titan came to a stop. Lazarus curled his fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face. He tilted his head to see her. "Don't cry." He hated to see tears in her eyes. "That man did a terrible thing. He drugged you. It could have been dangerous. The drug that was used wasn't an ordinary one."

"But why…?" she whined. "I didn't even know him."

"You know me," he said. "And that is more than enough for my enemies to target you. With that drug, you would have stayed drugged for a few days and then some more. If I hadn't eaten the food as well, I would have never come to know. It was possible that you would have died. And that was what some people wanted — to push you to the brink of death just before the soul casting ritual."

She gasped when she heard the extent of the plan, horror coiling in her chest.

His throat choked when he added, "If Shira hadn't pulled the drug out of your system, I don't know—" he couldn't speak any further, his throat going hoarse.

She placed her hand on his upper arm. "I am right here," she said as a tear rolled out of her left eye. "I am not going anywhere."

His jaws clenched as strong emotions swirled in his chest. "I will keep you safe always, love," he murmured. "No one will be able to touch you."

A weak smile came to her lips. He leaned down and kissed her, taking his time, assuring himself that she was there with him. The inn owner had tried to take her life and he had punished him appropriately. He had fractured his limbs. Then he pulled him inside the inn and made his family see what he could do to those who would aggravate him or even think of killing his mate.

Lazarus had taken out the gold coins from the bag and littered it on the surface. After that, he destroyed everything and razed the inn to the ground. The owner died and was now buried under the pile of debris.

They started back and Emma stared at all the destruction that took place. She let out a rough exhale. There were so many perils they had to face together. When they were about to reach the palace of Wilyra, Lazarus said, "Can I trace you? Are you feeling well?"

"Yes, Lord Lorza," she replied firmly. "You can trace me, but I have questions."

He grabbed her waist and the next moment he traced her to his room in the palace. She coughed and wheezed a bit and found herself tightly tucked in his embrace upon their bed. He didn't release her until she was fine. When he saw that she was breathing steadily, he made her lie against the pillows. He grabbed a glass of water from the bedside table and gave it to her. She gulped it down greedily down her dry throat. When her breath evened out, she shook her head. "I thought I was fine. I wonder when I will be able to get through this tracing."

He tucked her in soft blankets. "You were drugged heavily by a very dangerous drug. It will take time to recover. It's not your fault." He sat down at the edge of the bed and held her small hands in his large ones.

"How are we going to hide our bond?" she asked, worry etched her beautiful face.

"We have to Emma," he said as he brought his thumb to caress her lower lip. It was difficult to stay without touching her. He came to realize that touching her in intimate ways soothed him because it meant that she belonged to him. "Once you are well, I am going to move you back to your room. We need to put up this façade for Maeve."

"Where are Lord Magnus and Olya?"

"They are still in the cabin, but I think that Magnus will return to the palace before the ritual."

"Can't you postpone the ritual?" she asked with a frown. "Or just cancel it?"

"I wish it was that easy. I can cancel the ritual, but there is a lot at stake." He didn't want to worry her by telling her that Maeve had threatened him that she would enter every girl alive and possess her until no girl is left in Wilyra.

She lowered her head and fidgeted with her fingers. "If only I was as strong as her…"

"Emma," he brought his hand over her hand. All at once, another sparkle of electricity made him pull away his hand instantly. His brows furrowed. "What is happening?" he said in a shocking tone. This was the second time it happened.

Emma could feel the jolt of the electricity in her heart. Her chest jerked out and she let out a muffled shriek. She felt as if something very dark, very smoky, coiled its way in her blood. Was she imagining? She shook her head to shove that feeling. "I don't know…" she said and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Maybe you are tired…" he said as he picked up her hands again and examined them.

"Maybe…" she said absentmindedly. "Where is Nephie?"

He tucked her hands in between his. "I saw her circling above us and then disappearing above the clouds. Don't worry about her. She knows how to hide herself well and even feed herself. She is the mate of the dragon of the King of Aztec. She is going to stay here until she has mated with him. And for that she will take care of herself."

"Oh!" Emma said, her eyes going wide with surprise. "That's interesting."

His lips curled up because he saw her relaxed after a long time. He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "Yes, she is going to lay eggs in this world or wherever she feels it is safe and go back to Yizinia."

"Won't her eggs be in danger? I mean how can she simply lay eggs and leave?" Emma was amused.