Chapter 39
“I wasn’t there,” Damian said flatly, his face completely unreadable.
Kenneth blinked in surprise. “Seriously? But you left right after cutting down the rebels. You didn’t even stop to speak with your brothers-”
“You talk too much,” Damian cut him off with a cold glance. “Got too much time on your hands?”
Kenneth immediately clamped his mouth shut.
Damian’s voice turned icy. “If you can’t take down at least twenty wolves today, don’t bother coming back to my camp.”
Kenneth’s confident grin dropped. “But… what if there aren’t even twenty wolves in there?”
“You have a problem with that?” Damian arched an eyebrow.
“Nope! Not a word! I’ll get ready right now!”
Straightening up like a soldier at inspection, Kenneth looked down at Deborah–who barely reached his shoulder–and gave her a quick grin. “Deborah, I’m going to bag a wild boar just for you as a wedding gift. Wait for me!”
Before Damian could snap at him again, he darted off like a gust of wind. Agile and fast–it was clear his martial skills weren’t just for show.
“Your Highness…” Deborah looked up at him hesitantly.
“I said,” Damian said, his tone darkening, “I wasn’t at the wedding.”
Deborah blinked innocently. “I was just going to say… this thing looks like it’s made for children.”
She held up the tiny toy–like bow and arrow. It barely had enough power to startle a rabbit, let alone take down anything dangerous.
As for whether he’d been at the wedding or not, she thought, ‘What does it matter to me? It’s not like I married him.
Damian glanced at the bow, then snorted. “And how old do you think you are?”
She was barely more than a speck next to him. No wonder that tiny thing looked like it belonged in her hands.
“I’m sixteen!” Deborah shot back, glaring at him.
And twenty in her last life. A sophomore in college, for crying out loud. She was not a kid.
Still… with Damian towering close to six foot three, and her just over five foot three, she did feel ridiculously petite beside him.
“You couldn’t handle an adult bow–it’s too heavy.”
He casually slung his longbow onto his horse, then turned to her. “Everyone’s heading into the predator zone today…”
Deborah instinctively took a step back. “Do I… have to go?”
Damian glanced around. As expected, each prince had a woman beside him. Even Kenneth, who had come alone, now had Luisa trailing at his side.
He didn’t care much about appearances—but for some reason, standing alone like this made him feel oddly… out of place.
“Forget it. Stay here. I’ll leave Thomas with you,” he said, already turning to go.
But just as he started to walk away, Deborah hesitated–then stepped forward and gently tugged on his sleeve.
“It’s dangerous in there. Thomas should stay with you.”
“I don’t need-”
“I’ll go with you,” she said quietly. “Everyone else has someone with them.”
She wasn’t sure why she said it–maybe she was just feeling soft–hearted. Or maybe… it was gratitude. After all, he had saved her last night. she
If Emily had realized she was the assassin, she would’ve killed her without a second thought.
Emily had beaten Damian nearly to death. Taking Deborah’s life would’ve taken less effort than brushing a speck of dust off her sleeve.
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9:23 AM
Chapter 39
“There’s real danger inside,” Damian warned, narrowing his eyes as he studied her pale, delicate face. “You sure you’re ready for that?”
“If there’s danger, I’ll just rely on you to protect me,” she said sweetly.
Finally, something flickered in Damian’s eyes–just a hint of amusement, maybe even pleasure.
Deborah, of course, added cheerfully, “That’s what Simon told me.”
Damian thought, Yep. Choking her out would be so easy right now. That pretty little mouth–why does everything that comes out of it have to be so infuriating?‘
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