Vulgar Marriage - Chapter 21

Chapter 11.1

Hawthorne hesitated right before he entered the canyon, glancing back at Dominic.

“Your Grace.”

“What?”

“Thank you—”

“Shut up and get moving. What are you thanking me for when you don’t even know if you’ll make it out alive?”

Despite Dominic’s cold response, Hawthorne dipped his head in gratitude and tugged on the reins. The horse took one step, then another, gradually picking up speed before finally disappearing into the canyon.

Livi watched Hawthorne for a moment before turning away, unconcerned. As the one who’d cast the spell, she knew better than anyone that the magic circle was stable. Even if a boulder the size of a house came crashing down, the barrier would easily hold, so she had no reason to watch.

Dominic noticed her lack of concern and spoke with a trace of sarcasm.

“Aren’t you worried? Your life depends on that horse’s survival.”

“…”

“Got nothing to say— Argh!”

Dominic broke off with a groan as a long scratch appeared on his jawline. Had he not turned his head in time, the strike would’ve cut straight through his throat.

He looked down to see the woman in his arms clutching a spiked headdress. Her hands trembled so violently that he found it almost amusing. Too amusing to even be angry.

Livi’s eyes burned with raw hatred.

“Maybe you should start worrying more about your own life instead of mine.”

“I see…”

Dominic murmured as he dodged another swipe from the burning-hot headdress aimed at his face. The weapon was infused with fire, but unless she caught him off guard, there was no way he’d fall for such a clumsy attack.

With a quick turn of his head, he easily avoided her attack and grabbed a fistful of Livi’s hair, pulling her closer. His movements were unhurried, but his grip and strength were brutal.

“You think you can kill me? We’ll see if my wife is just all talk, like your father, Isaac Joseph, or if you’ve got something to back it up.”

“…Don’t you dare speak my father’s name so carelessly.”

Livi’s sharp gaze bore straight into him, unflinching. Dominic raised a brow, clearly amused.

“Why not? I already chopped off his head. Treating his name with respect would be the real joke, don’t you think?”

Livi pressed her lips tightly together. Her eyes began to burn, but she refused to cry. Dominic couldn’t hide his disappointment.

He roughly yanked on her hair again, determined to draw tears from those proud eyes of hers, but as always, he failed miserably.

Livi didn’t make a sound of pain, and Dominic cursed under his breath, frustration clouding his gaze.

“Who knew it would be this hard to make you cry? Why don’t you drop the holier-than-thou act? It’s making me sick.”

“It’s never… been an act.”

Even with her neck craned back by his grip, she didn’t lose an ounce of her defiance. Dominic stared at her for a long moment, his face hard, before he clicked his tongue and released her hair. Freed at last, Livi gasped for breath, coughing.

“You’ll pay for this when we return to Celsion,” Dominic said, tapping the scratch on his neck.

“Be grateful the knights didn’t see any of that. If you want to avoid being stabbed to death in the middle of the night, I’d suggest making your next attempt in a more secluded spot.”

As Livi turned away in silence, a knight called out from behind.

“You Grace! Hawthorne has raised the signal!”

Dominic turned his gaze slowly. At the far end of the canyon, a blue flag waved high in the air.

The canyon was safe.

* * *

After passing through the canyon, the knights rode without rest for two straight days. Those two days were hell for Livi. She barely managed to cling to her wildly galloping horse, repeatedly fainting and vomiting along the way.

Livi once used to visit riding clubs, but now, the sound of a horse’s snort was enough to make her feel sick. The horseback riding she knew involved leisurely strolls through beautifully manicured fields, with the roughest ride being a gentle trot. Nothing had prepared her for this grueling pace, where her body was jolted with each powerful gallop.

After fainting for the sixth time, Livi woke up with a start. Her limbs felt like soaked cotton, and her muscles were heavy and unresponsive as she forced her tired eyes open.

She had to move quickly. If she didn’t, Dominic wouldn’t let her off easily. Last time, when she’d moved too slowly, he had tormented her for hours.

The words he’d spoken softly into her ear as he gripped her waist tightly still echoed in her mind:

— If I were to let go of you, you’d be trampled by the horse’s hooves, hm? But don’t worry. We have a healer, so you won’t die. I wouldn’t want to kill my precious wife.

It was true that Dominic had saved her life multiple times, but that didn’t mean he cared about her staying fully alive. He was more than capable of letting her fall beneath the hooves. Livi shuddered, imagining what he’d do if she ended up crippled, unable to move on her own.

“Careful.”

A gentle hand steadied Livi’s flailing arm. The touch was so different from Dominic’s.

“Who…?”

Turning her head, she saw a woman with long, dirty blonde hair braided down her back. Her face felt familiar. Livi furrowed her brows, then remembered.

“You’re the healer.”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m Adna.”

Adna’s voice was calm, and her expression neutral, making it hard for Livi to tell what she was thinking.