The Sand Bride - Chapter 29
* * *
“What the hell did you even see in that bastard?”
Hakan asked Hemor in frustration. That man—pale-faced, scrawny, and not even particularly handsome—was nothing special. Sure, his shimmering blond hair caught the eye, but that was it.
Hakan couldn’t fathom why his sister, once so full of life, had become so listless over someone like him.
Hemor smiled weakly, as if she’d expected the question. Even that was a shock to Hakan. She had always carried herself with confidence, but now she looked utterly drained.
“Just…….”
“Just what?”
“I don’t know when it started. Or why. Maybe I was the only one who never realized it from the beginning…….”
Hakan’s eyes sharpened. How could he not react? His sister, Hemor—once the pride of the palace—had changed. When she first brought that man here, she hadn’t been like this.
But as time passed and the man fell ill, Hemor began to deteriorate. She abandoned all her duties, devoting herself solely to nursing him with a face full of misery. To Hakan, it was incomprehensible.
Hemor had taken plenty of men to her bed before. True, this one had a wife—a woman who supposedly died because of Hemor. But if the man had wanted revenge, he could have challenged her to a duel. Yet he hadn’t.
And if he had accepted his fate, he should have at least acted like the others—flirtatious, indulgent. But no, this bastard had remained aloof. Just thinking about him made Hakan want to slit his throat on the spot.
But Hemor didn’t seem to share the sentiment.
“If I had known… I wouldn’t feel like this.”
That was all she said before smiling again. Hakan clenched his jaw, remembering that expression. His sister had met a wretched end.
So he prayed, with all his heart, that such a thing would never happen again.
* * *
“Hold on tight.”
The sound of saliva being swallowed echoed loudly enough to reach them. Karzhen didn’t bother hiding his amusement.
“But…….”
Esther glanced around nervously, too afraid to outright refuse, and shook her head. Her ragged breaths were laced with fear, but Karzhen showed no mercy as he gripped the back of her neck.
“Grab it.”
When his hand tightened, Esther hesitated before finally clutching the edge of the table. The marble surface was heavy and sturdy, easily supporting her weight without wobbling.
But Esther’s unease wasn’t about the table collapsing. It was broad daylight, and they were in the temple’s small garden—completely exposed.
Surely he doesn’t mean to do it here?
Even as she gripped the table, a sliver of hope remained—until Karzhen’s hand slid under her clothes, making her jolt and instinctively pull away.
In response, Karzhen yanked her thin garment and pinned her onto the table. The already loose fabric slipped further, baring her chest fully to the sunlight.
Esther’s face paled. Every shaky breath made her exposed b*****s tremble visibly under the bright light.
Karzhen, amused, stripped her completely. The temple’s white robes were thin and easy to remove—too transparent in their purpose. Esther’s lips quivered.
“C-Can’t we go inside……?”
“What’s the difference? You’re getting fucked either way.”
“…….”
The bluntness drained the color from her face, but she still tried to reason with him.
“But… someone might see…”
“And if they do?”
When she couldn’t answer, Karzhen scoffed.
“You think the people here don’t already know you moan under me every day?”
His harsh reply silenced her. Any remaining defiance or courage vanished, leaving her panting.
As Esther’s lips trembled on the verge of tears, Karzhen frowned. When she cried, it killed the mood—cooling even the heat between his legs. He clicked his tongue.
“The priests won’t come out at this hour. So quit whining.”
His tone was rough, but the reassurance made her hesitate. Slowly, she looked up at him.
“Really……?”
Meeting her gaze, Karzhen unconsciously pressed his lips together. Even back in the desert, Esther had avoided his eyes—always looking down or away.
