Chapter 172
He stood there, forgetting even how to breathe as he gazed at the sight before him.
Strands of wheat-blond hair glimmered like pure gold as they appeared and disappeared through the dense foliage. That dazzling light flowed down over a face like a pearl, clinging like a spider's web to her rain-soaked nape and collarbones.
Frozen in a daze, he finally pushed his way through the thick undergrowth. Every time her clear laughter rippled through the air like gentle waves between the rustling leaves, a thunderous shiver raced mercilessly down his spine.
Feeling an inexplicable thirst burning his throat, he passed through the azalea shrubs that blocked his view. At last, her figure came fully into sight, standing waist-deep in the silver-shining spring.
He came to an abrupt halt and swallowed against his constricted throat.
She wore nothing but a loose cream-colored silk dress. The thin fabric, soaked through with water, clung to her body like a second skin, revealing without concealment the delicate lines of her bones and the fullness of her curves.
Before he could even become angry at such a defenseless appearance, her cheerful voice rang out through the air once more.
“Good. Stay still.”
Stretching out a slender arm across the surface of the water, the woman pulled the head of a massive wolf toward her chest.
Only then did he notice the enormous silver beast concealed behind the bushes.
The wolf, with only its head sticking out above the water, let out a low growl and pulled its head back in resistance to its master's touch. The woman, wrapping both arms around the wolf's neck, seized its gray muzzle with one hand before scrubbing its fluffy neck and face vigorously with a stiff brush.
Apparently displeased by the treatment, the wolf struggled more fiercely.
As the beast twisted its large submerged body, trying to escape from the spring, she suddenly threw her arms around it from behind.
“Not a chance!”
A mischievous smile lit up her small, delicate face.
Still staring in a daze, feeling as though someone had struck him in the stomach, he watched as the woman's blue eyes, clinging to the wolf's massive body, happened to meet his.
With bitter resignation, Varkas watched the smile vanish from her face as rigid tension settled over her features.
As though she had seen a ghost, she stiffened from head to toe before quietly hiding herself behind the wolf.
“I... I heard you weren't supposed to arrive for another four days....”
“I was informed that a problem had arisen, so I returned in haste.”
He answered in a voice completely devoid of emotion.
The woman, who had looked visibly unsettled by his sudden appearance, abruptly narrowed her eyes.
“There isn't any problem.”
Wrapping her wet white arms around the wolf's thick neck, she glared at him warily.
“I don't know who filled your head with nonsense, but every word of it is a lie. They're just looking for an excuse to drive Khan away....”
“Khan?”
She froze in the middle of her heated protest and shut her mouth.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks.
“That's... his name. Khan....”
She muttered while gently stroking the wolf's pointed ears.
Varkas let out an exasperated sigh. His head throbbed at the sheer audacity of his wife giving a mere monster a name belonging to the people of the East.
In his usual blunt tone, he gave an order.
“Please come out first. We'll return to the castle and discuss this there.”
Still peeking out timidly, she stepped out of the water with the wolf leading the way.
His eyes first swept slowly over the enormous beast that had climbed onto the shore.
The gray direwolf possessed an overwhelming physique that was difficult to believe belonged to one not yet three years old. Long, powerful legs packed with strength, a thick muscular neck, a heavily developed jaw, razor-sharp fangs...
Its height from paw to head appeared to be nearly six kvet (approximately 180 centimeters), while its body length seemed to exceed seven kvet (approximately 210 centimeters). Considering that the last time he had seen it, it had been little more than an unusually large wild dog, its growth was astonishing.
'People claimed it was the size of a stallion or a bull... I assumed those stories were exaggerated....'
It was almost stranger that no incidents had occurred while a beast of this size wandered freely through the territory.
His gaze followed the wolf's long, luxuriant tail dripping with water before returning to its head. Then he met a pair of hostile eyes fixed squarely upon him, causing his brow to furrow.
The wolf had already lowered its upper body and was growling.
Sensing the killing intent, Varkas immediately rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. At that moment, the woman stepped out of the water and positioned herself between him and the wolf.
“Don't do that, Khan!”
She promptly smacked the wolf's exposed muzzle with the palm of her hand.
Startled by her reckless action, he roughly seized her wrist and pulled her away from the wolf. Just as he was about to scold her severely, the sight of her water-soaked body completely filled his vision.
Varkas unconsciously caught his breath.
Before he could even stop himself, his gaze slid over the perfectly rounded curves of her breasts, down her slender waist, past the small, delicately hollowed navel, before stopping at the triangular space between her thighs.
The fact that she was practically naked filled him with an indescribable fury.
He shot a sharp glance toward the guards standing with their backs turned some distance away. The mere thought that they might have seen her like this made his blood boil.
“Where is your outer robe?”
The woman, who had stood frozen, finally seemed to realize her own appearance. Covering her chest with one arm, she pointed toward a tall tree beside the spring.
“I hung it over there.”
He immediately snatched the robe hanging from the branch and wrapped it around her body.
“Do you normally dress like this?”
Blushing, she answered curtly.
“I only took off my outer robe while washing Khan. Besides, no one comes anywhere near me when Khan is around.”
“Someone could have been watching from a distance.”
“Anyone who tried got taught a lesson by Khan.”
She gave a loud snort before suddenly glancing nervously at him and hurriedly added,
“That doesn't mean Khan has ever harmed anyone. He only frightened them enough to keep them from coming anywhere near me.”
She gently stroked the direwolf's neck.
Varkas carefully observed the wolf, whose tail was now swaying happily as it looked at its mistress. Just moments ago it had radiated killing intent toward him, yet before its owner it behaved like a loyal hunting dog.
Judging solely by that behavior, it hardly seemed likely to pose a threat to her.
However, there was no telling when the innate aggression of a monster might suddenly surface.
Remaining on guard, ready to draw his sword at any moment, he cautiously moved her behind his back.
The beast, which had been pretending to behave, immediately bared its fangs again.
Seeing this, Talia cried out in alarm.
“Khan! You mustn't. This man is...!”
She had been hurriedly trying to calm the wolf, but suddenly trailed off and glanced at Varkas's face.
She clearly feared that he might do something to the wolf.
“Khan has always hated men. I think it's because soldiers nearly killed him when he was just a pup. He's only acting like this because he's frightened....”
“We'll postpone any judgment regarding this beast.”
Interrupting her desperate defense, Varkas stared coldly at the wolf.
The monster returned his gaze with equally piercing blue eyes.
Perhaps it was enraged because he had made its mistress uneasy.
The wolf looked as though it wanted nothing more than to tear out his throat.
Keeping one hand firmly around the hilt of his sword, prepared to react instantly if necessary, he nodded toward her.
“Lead the way. I'll hear the details after we return to the castle.”
“Khan, come here.”
She beckoned anxiously toward the wolf.
Varkas firmly stepped between them.
“No. You go first.”
“Khan gets anxious when we're separated.”
“Until I am convinced this beast truly poses no danger, I cannot allow it anywhere near Your Highness.”
The woman glared at him sharply before angrily brushing his hand aside.
Without giving him any chance to stop her, she strode over to the wolf, pried open its long pointed jaws, and boldly thrust her hand inside its mouth.
“See? It doesn't bite me even when I do this. It only pretends to be fierce. He's really a gentle sweetheart.”
Varkas felt the blood drain from his entire body.
He swept one arm around her waist, almost snatching her away, and lifted her into his arms.
The wolf, apparently just as startled by its mistress's sudden action, hastily leaped backward, coughing and spluttering.