Chapter 171: Chapter 171

DAHLIA:

Finally, the day for my death has come.

I watched the sunrise this morning, and although I initially thought I’d feel depressed since this might be the last time I’d see the morning sun, I was more than energized.

I used to stay up until morning making love with Tristan, but today, I stayed up with him just talking about the deeper reflections on our hearts.

Despite being in Samalah’s body, I was able to understand the depth of Tristan’s feelings for me. Even though this might be the last time I can be with Tristan, I felt my spirit getting lifted up.

It also seemed that the relationship between the real Samalah and Tristan were not bad. Perhaps, even if I disappeared, they’d be able to live with each other well.

The only thing that I was worried about now was our baby…

My child’s survival will dependend on my own survival today. I have spoken before hand with the spirit stone and Eva. The spirit stone assured me that she will always act to protect me and my child from harm. Eva too, although we cannot speak and I cannot channel her yet, she had made it clear she will be there when the need arises.

I am deathly nervous, but there’s no other way.

“How are we going to Laudicia? Do you know the way?”

“There are several ways to get there, but the one we will travel to would be the unconventional way. I’m afraid that if we traveled by the main road, we’ll get caught either by the Blasted Ones or by Duke Hurst’s men, and that won’t be good,” Tristan replied.

I nodded. I was feeling hopeful that the journey would end well.

The first few hours of our journey came by like a breeze. I thought everything will go smoothly, but I was wrong.

We were travelling by a path shrouded by large trees, making everything dimmer and more humid. Tristan was making a quick jog with me upon his back, when suddenly, the land beneath us gave in.

“What the -”

I screamed by instinct and crouched down to protect my belly as we fell. Thank the Goddess, Tristan was swifter. He transformed in his half-wolf form and enveloped me in his arms as we descended into the hole.

“Samalah, are you alright?”

“A-Ah, yes,” I said, still a bit shaken after what just happened.

Tristan peered around the hole. It was around nine feet deep, and the surface was smooth. It was a man-made trap for sure…

Tristan had been using his flames of invisibility, and yet we had been caught into this trap. What was going on?

“Lady Samalah, how are you? Did I do well,” someone said from above us. We peered at the edge of the hole above, and sure enough, there were around three to four wolves looking down to us while we were trapped there.

The person above called my name, so at least one of them knows me.

“Umm, will you help us,” I called back.

Almost as soon as the words escaped my lips though, Tristan shook his head as if telling me not to speak.

“I will pull you out, my lady,” the man above us said. I sighed in relief, but half-way through the sigh, my heart started to thump wildly as he spoke his next sentence. “Did you finish knocking over the Shadow wolf? Has he passed out already?”

I caught a glimpse of Tristan’s wolf eyes in the dark. It was turning dark. I didn’t know what the man above us was talking about, but I’m sure the original Samalah would know of it.

What the hell did the real Samalah do again?

“Yes,” I said trying to think of a way out of this mess. “Please pull us – I mean me – out, um…”

“Have you forgotten my name now, lady? Didn’t you use to call me your beloved Naskan all the time?”

I looked at Tristan back again, and it was now my turn to look surprised. So there was a real Naskan that existed?...

“I will pull you out soon, my lady. We’re just preparing the ladder.”

I tried to signal to Tristan with my eyes that he and I should work out a plan to trick the real Naskan and his men, but I didn’t think he was paying any attention to me. It just looked like he was disappointed.

“By the way, Lady Samalah, quick thinking about this plan. I’m sure that Count Jeteris would be very happy if we were to deliver the Shadow wolf and the red ruby to him. Do you think he will give us a big reward, just like in Payn?”

Again, I didn’t know what the hell this foolish Naskan was talking about, but I am sure now that the battle which wounded my Tristan and revealed his secret to Kaist was due to Samalah and her connivance with Count Jeteris.

I thought Samalah should have naturally hated Count Jeteris, but that didn’t seem to be the case. She really had a lot of schemes in her head.

“I found the ladder, lady. I will lower it down so that you can climb up.”

I could see Tristan’s furious eyes in the darkwhole. I gave up trying to communicate with him though sign language.

“Please help me up, Naskan. I sprained my ankle, so I couldn’t climb. Why don’t some of you climb down here so that you can carry me and Tristan’s body back?”

With this, Naskan agreed. Tristan and I waited with gritted teeth as they descended.

As soon as three of the five idiotic wolves reached the ground where we were trapped, Tristan slew them with his sharp claws while I aimed my hand and threw flames at the two other wolves who were looking down from above us.

In a matter of seconds, the real Naskan and his men were no more.

I started climbing the rope ladder they had put down. I was careful not to burn it earlier when I attacked the onlookers above us. Thankfully, it wasn’t damaged at all.

As soon as I climbed the rope ladder and Tristan followed suit, he jumped ahead of me on the last few steps and pulled me upwards so quickly that I screamed.

“You, nasty woman! You really did mean to harm me and Dahlia!”

Of course he’d be mad. I was already furious enough as it was.

And the most maddening part of it all was that Tristan thought this was all my doing just because I had that blasted girl’s face!

“What did you do,” he growled. “How did you also get Dahlia’s powers?”

At the heat of things, I had forgotten a crucial thing… I wasn’t supposed to be able to channel fire bolts!