My Husband, the Dead Dragon King

Chapter 7:Alaric

　　My mind raced. What did Liam take from me?

　　Hearing Alaric’s demand, Liam let out a wild, unrestrained laugh. He shot a glance at me, then turned his spectral eyes back to the man in red."I will have Elara. It's only a matter of time,"he sneered."Alaric, you can't be by her side every second of every day. And you know it. Do you really think a young girl would ever willingly stay with a thing like you?"

　　Alaric!

　　So it was true. He was the man from the memorial tablet. My husband. Alaric.

　　Liam’s words were practically begging for a beating. If I were Alaric, I’d be furious. And given how touchy he already seemed, I braced myself.

　　As if on cue, Alaric’s gaze shifted, his dark eyes landing on me. In their inky depths, I saw a flicker of something I couldn’t quite place—was it…resentment?

　　The look made me shrink back, a shiver running down my spine. I quickly lowered my eyes, not daring to meet his gaze.

　　Seeing my reaction, Liam’s ghostly smile widened."Tsk, tsk, Alaric. Look at that. Your little bride can't even bear to look at you. You think she'll ever be truly yours? If I were you, I'd just devour her myself. At least then no one else could have her."

　　Alaric's expression grew even darker. My own body trembled more violently.

　　"You... are determined to die,"Alaric said, his voice dangerously soft.

　　He slowly closed his hand into a fist. There was a sickening squelch, and Liam’s ghostly form imploded, dissolving into nothing. But in that final moment, I saw a thin wisp of black smoke dart away from the destruction, vanishing into the night.

　　I had a sinking feeling in my gut. Liam wasn't truly gone. The look in his eyes just before he was destroyed told me he would be back for me.

　　I stood frozen, my eyes darting to the crimson figure beside me. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would burst. This was Alaric. My husband. No wonder he’d been so angry before. He must have thought I was cheating on him with Liam.

　　He had saved me, yes, but that didn't mean he wouldn't kill me himself if he got angry enough. His methods were so simple, so brutal. The image of Liam’s head exploding flashed in my mind, and I felt a chill spread across my scalp.

　　"Scared stiff?"a mocking voice sounded from above me.

　　"No, no,"I squeaked, startled, bowing my head even lower.

　　Alaric's voice became even more sardonic, laced with a sinister edge."So that stray was telling the truth? You don't dare to look at me?"

　　He was right. I didn't dare. I was terrified! When had I ever been in a situation like this? If a hole opened up in the ground, I would have gladly jumped in.

　　"Look up,"Alaric commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

　　For the sake of my own survival, I forced my chin up, but I kept my eyes fixed on the ground in front of his feet.

　　"Look at me."

　　I can't!

　　"Hah."A cold laugh, followed by a self-deprecating sigh."So he was right. You won't even look at me. You'll never truly be mine. In that case…perhaps I should just eat you myself. Better you end up with me than in the clutches of another."

　　His words brought tears to my eyes. What were these creatures? Why did they all want to eat me? Couldn't they find someone else to snack on?

　　Steeling myself, I forced my gaze upward to meet his. His features were just as impossibly beautiful as before, but his eyes were like chips of ice. He was a full head taller than me, and the way he looked down his perfect nose at me felt utterly condescending.

　　"Am I so frightening?"he asked.

　　I nodded. Then, I immediately shook my head. I didn't know whether to nod or shake.

　　I was afraid of him, yes. He was a terrifying unknown. But he had also saved me. Twice. I thought about what my mother had told me. Without him, I probably would have died as a child.

　　So, I shouldn't be afraid of him.

　　With that thought, I straightened my back and said with as much conviction as I could muster,"No! I'm not afraid!"

　　"And yet, your legs are shaking,"Alaric stated flatly.

　　I didn’t want them to shake! They were completely out of my control. I was on the verge of tears."My legs have a mind of their own,"I mumbled miserably.

　　Seeing my pathetic, teary-eyed expression, Alaric seemed to grow irritated. He waved his sleeve dismissively."I despise it when women cry. Get out of here. And don't you dare take off that pendant again."

　　His voice dropped to a deadly whisper."If you do, I will personally twist your head from your neck."

　　"I didn't—"I started to say, reaching for my neck to prove it was still there. But my hand met only bare skin. My pendant was gone.

　　I remembered putting it back on before leaving for home. Where was it?

　　Something cold and smooth was pressed into my hand. It was my river stone pendant. When I looked up again, Alaric was gone. I didn't linger on the hill for another second. I ran, pumping my legs as hard as I could, not stopping until I reached the edge of my yard. Just as I got there, I saw my mom rushing out of the house, a flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. She was coming to find me.

　　"Mom!"I cried out, running to her.

　　Her eyes turned red the moment she saw me, her face a mask of profound, retroactive fear. She grabbed me and gave my backside two sharp smacks."You foolish child! Didn't I tell you to kneel for eight hours? Where did you run off to in the middle of the night?! You scared me to death!"

　　Then she pulled me into a fierce hug. In the warmth of her embrace, the terror that had clung to me all night finally began to dissipate.

　　"Thank God you're okay,"she choked out, her voice thick with relief. She pulled back slightly."Where did you go?"

　　I told her everything that had happened. When I got to the part about eating the food my grandmother brought me and then fainting, my mom’s eyes went wide, her face draining of all color.

　　"Mom, what is it?"I asked, my own heart starting to pound again.

　　Her voice trembled so badly she could barely speak."Elara, I'm going to tell you something. Please, don't be scared."

　　A knot of dread tightened in my stomach, but I tried to sound calm."Okay, Mom. Tell me. I won't be scared."

　　"You don't have a grandmother!"she blurted out, her voice cracking with fear."Your grandmother died in an accident when your father was only eight years old! How could you have seen her?!"

　　Her words struck me like a bolt of lightning, leaving me frozen and numb.

　　My grandmother died when my dad was a child?

　　Then why did I have memories of her? Clear, warm, wonderful memories. I could even remember her and my mom getting into furious, axe-wielding arguments.

　　"But…I remember her,"I said, my voice shaking with disbelief."Mom, are you sure? Are you mistaken, or am I?"

　　My mother’s face hardened."How could I be mistaken about something like that?"she snapped, her tone severe."Why do you think I married your father in the first place? It was because there was no nightmarish mother-in-law to deal with!"

　　I was speechless. Her brutally pragmatic logic was impossible to argue with.

　　But if my grandmother never existed in my lifetime…whose memories were in my head?