In the Nest of the Fallen Serpent - Chapter 20
Chapter 20
“No, no!” Hilde shook her head frantically. Stopping meant death. She was certain he would abandon her here if she failed. “I’ll do it properly.” She bit her lip. ‘I have to. I can do this.’ She gripped the needle tightly.
The sensation of the thin, sharp point piercing his flesh was chilling. She couldn’t help but tremble, even though he, the one being stitched, remained impassive. “A-Are you alright…?”
“Continue.”
It was agonizing. Hilde was as sensitive to others’ pain as she was to her own. Even though this was for his own good, the act of inflicting pain, however necessary, was difficult and distressing. That’s why her hand froze after the first stitch.
“This is getting boring.” Benedict curled his lip and tapped the needle hovering above his skin. The possibility of her accidentally injuring him further seemed not to faze him in the slightest. “Having second thoughts about dying rather than being a slave?”
His sharp mockery stung. “I-It’s not like that…”
“How tedious.” He leaned back against the carriage wall and shrugged. “You should be enjoying this. It’s a perfect opportunity to inflict the same pain on the master who tortured you by tearing open your wounds.”
“What are you…?” Horror washed over Hilde. She swore she’d never harbored any thoughts of revenge. No matter how much he’d hurt her, no matter that he’d enslaved her, she’d never wished him harm. Not once had she wished him dead or injured.
“You could easily make a few ‘mistakes’ and stab me, couldn’t you?”
“I-I would never… Truly.” She hoped her sincerity would reach him. She’d been unjustly misunderstood countless times. But who would believe the words of a lowly slave?
Still… A resolute light flickered in Hilde’s pale, fragile face. With a newfound determination, she spoke. “Perhaps… I could heal you another way, Master?”
Her gaze remained fixed on the half-stitched wound. Because of this, she missed the flicker of something in Benedict’s eyes.
“Another way?”
“It won’t harm you. I promise.”
“Now that’s interesting.” He smirked. “You make it sound as if my slave possesses divine power.”
Hilde flinched visibly. She reacted like someone whose secret had been exposed. ‘It’s alright. I knew this might happen.’ This power, the one she’d hidden for fear of its consequences, the power that might very well lead to her demise. What would happen if she revealed it? Unable to fathom her future, she pushed down her fear and placed her hand on his wound.
Almost instantly, a golden aura enveloped her pale hand. Benedict’s eyes, the same color as the light, gleamed with intrigue. It wasn’t the look of someone discovering something new. It was closer to the look of someone confirming what they already knew. His smile widened.
Oblivious to his intense gaze, Hilde focused on what she was doing. The divine power, a breathtaking golden light, flowed from her fingertips into the wound. No, it was more like it was being drawn in, absorbed. As if starved, his injured flesh greedily drank in the miraculous power. The torn, raw flesh began to knit itself back together, reverting to its original, unblemished state. Finally, even the surface skin healed, leaving no trace of the injury.
“It’s… done,” Hilde said, withdrawing her hand.
“Well, well,” Benedict murmured, slowly tracing his now smooth skin. There was no discomfort, no lingering tenderness. It was as if he’d never been injured. A cruel amusement flickered in his beautiful golden eyes. A simple whim had unearthed something valuable, and how could he not be entertained?
