Married To The Dragon Prince Against My Will-Chapter 279: THE VOICE

In the secluded herb garden tucked behind the eastern wing of their chambers.

Lumina sat alone on a low stone bench beneath a sprawling yew tree. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy in thin golden spears, catching motes of dust and the faint green haze rising from the mortar in her lap.

The leather pouch lay open beside her, roots and dried petals scattered like battlefield casualties.

Her pestle moved in grind, thud, grind crushing feverfew and valerian into a bitter paste, the sharp scent clinging to her fingers and the folds of her dark green gown.

Footsteps crunched on the gravel path. Ashen approached, sweat-damp hair clinging to his brow, he had just gotten back from the infirmary.

He stopped a few paces away, watching the relentless motion of her hands.

"She’s doing fine now," he said, voice low but firm.

Lumina didn’t look up. The pestle kept its pace, thud like she hadn’t heard him at all.

Ashen exhaled through his nose, a short, frustrated sound. "You heard me."

Only then did she lift her head. Her eyes red-rimmed, lashes spiked with unshed tears met his, and something in Ashen’s chest cracked open.

No one had to tell him she’d been crying, the evidence was carved into the tight lines around her mouth, the way her jaw trembled before she locked it down.

"Why did you do that?" He asked, voice cracking on the edges. "What if she..."

She shot to her feet so fast the mortar nearly tipped. The pestle clattered to the stone bench. Anger rolled off her in waves now, hot and unchecked, the kind Ashen knew could burn them both if he didn’t rein it in quickly.

"That was her life," he spat calmly. "You almost killed her."

A harsh, humorless laugh tore from her throat. "What made you think I was the one who did that to her?"

"Lumina..."

"Oh please, we are doing the name thing now, right?" she screamed, stepping closer, fists clenched at her sides. "Yeah... maybe that will tell you how serious I am," he replied.

Lumina felt a bit bad, not for Briella but for the fact that she had made her husband mad.

"I don’t know what you are talking about." she lied and turned on her heel and stalked away, skirts whipping against the gravel.

Ashen followed, matching her stride without touching her. They moved through corridors in silence until they reached their private chambers.

He shut the heavy oak door behind them and slid the iron bolt home with a decisive clunk.

Lumina spun to face him, dropping onto the edge of the wide bed. She crossed her arms tight over her chest like armor, staring up at him with eyes that could cut glass.

"You planned to kill her?" He let out flatly.

"Excuse me?"

"You didn’t bother to save her, knowing damn well that poison could drop her cold. So was that your aim?"

Her hands slid to her shoulders, hugging herself tighter. Ashen took one step closer.

"Why would I bother saving her when she kissed you?"

He reached out slowly, careful but she jerked back like his touch burned.

"Don’t you dare touch me with the same hand that carried her."

"So now you are mad because I took her to the physician?" His voice rose despite himself.

She smirked, bitter and sharp. "Imagine your brother lifting me off the ground and carrying me to the physician."

Ashen moved like lightning. In two strides he closed the distance, hands closing around her upper arms, pulling her flush against him.

"Never say that again," he growled, low and dangerous.

Then his mouth crashed down on hers. For a heartbeat, she froze. Then she kissed him back fiercely, desperate, teeth clashing, fingers digging into his shoulders through leather and linen.

He backed her toward the bed, lips trailing fire down her throat, sucking marks into the soft skin below her ear. His hands roamed, bunching silk, seeking skin.

Just as they were getting deep into it a weird voice suddenly whispered in his skull cold, insistent.

"Kill her."

He shook his head once, hard, trying to dislodge it. Another flash came up at once "It would kill her... and might make you go crazy."

Lumina’s breathing hitched. She was weakening beneath him, limbs trembling, skin fever-hot but she arched into his touch anyway, nails raking down his back, whispering,

"Don’t stop."

Ashen wrenched himself back at once and she collapsed onto the coverlet, chest heaving, eyes glassy.

He staggered two steps away, hands flying to his ears as though he could physically block the voice. Sweat beaded on his brow. He spun toward the door. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"No," he rasped. "We need to stay away from each other. Right now."

Lumina pushed up on shaking elbows. "Ashen..."

He didn’t look back. "I can’t... I don’t know how the poison’s working."

She lunged forward, fingers brushing his sleeve. "Hey... let’s forget about the weakness. I want you right now."

Her voice had never sounded like that husky, pleading, almost drugged. The words echoed in his head again, louder.

"Kill her."

"Lumina... I can’t." He shoved her gently but firmly back onto the bed. Raising one hand, he channeled the faint silver glow of his sealing power. Invisible bands snapped around her wrists and ankles, pinning her to the mattress.

She gasped, eyes widening. "Ashen!"

He didn’t answer. He bolted for the door, yanked it open, stepped through, and slammed it shut. The bolt slid home from the outside with a heavy scrape.

The moment the lock clicked, the pressure in his skull eased. The voice faded to a dull murmur. He braced both hands against the corridor wall, head bowed, breathing ragged.

"Freaking hell," he growled through clenched teeth.

Footsteps hurried toward him. Stella and Aria rounded the corner, faces pale with worry.

"My lord, what’s wrong?" Stella demanded, eyes flicking to the locked door.

Ashen straightened, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Check on her."

Aria’s gaze sharpened. "Is she..."

"Just check," he snapped, voice raw. "Don’t let her out. Don’t let anyone in. I can’t touch her skin-to-skin until I figure this out."

Stella nodded once, as she and Aria slipped past him. The door opened just enough for them to slide through, then shut again with a soft thud.

Ashen leaned his back against the opposite wall and slid down until he sat on the cold stone floor, knees drawn up, head in his hands.