"I need something in return," he began, his tone as cutting as his gaze.
She felt a chill crawl down her spine. She swallowed hard before softly asking, "What is it?"
"Your ability to heal," he stated plainly, his voice devoid of emotion. "In exchange, I'll help you recover your memory."
She frowned at his strange request. "I don't think I can do what you're asking," she replied nervously, her voice slightly wavering. "I… I don't even know if I can use healing magic. I've never done it before… well, as far as I remember."
The king's golden eyes remained fixed on her, his expression as cold and indifferent as ever. "Of course, you can," he said matter-of-factly, his tone laced with an unsettling certainty. "It's in your blood."
Leaning forward slightly, he added with a cruel edge, "And let's not forget—you don't really have much of a choice. Either you do as I say, or you remain a slave prisoner forever here in Wolfstadt."
The weight of his words was merciless, each one cutting deeper than the last. The way he spoke, so calm and detached, made it clear that neither option would truly benefit her. It was a game, and no matter how she played, the odds were stacked firmly in his favor.
She didn't want to go back to that prison. The mere thought of it—the cold, damp walls, the suffocating silence, and the constant sense of danger—made her chest tighten. She knew she wouldn't survive there.
With a trembling sigh, her shoulders slumped, and unshed tears pooled in her eyes. Deep down, she knew the choice she was about to make might lead to regret, but she had no other option.
"Fine," she whispered after a long, agonizing pause.
"Atta girl," the king said with a smirk that dripped with mockery, his golden eyes glinting with satisfaction. "That wasn't so hard to say, was it?" His tone was casual, almost taunting, as though her surrender had been inevitable.
She ignored his condescension, clenching her fists to steady herself. Forcing herself to focus, she asked directly, "What do I need to do?"
The king straightened, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeves as he stood. He cast a final glance her way before delivering his answer with unnerving nonchalance.
"Well, to start," he said coolly, "you have to become my wife."
Before she could react, he turned and strode out of the room, his robes trailing behind him, leaving her stunned into silence.
It took her a full minute to process his words, the weight of what he'd just said sinking in like a stone in water. By the time she fully grasped it, the room was silent, and she was alone.