Bound to the Demon Lord ✔️

Chapter Fifteen

"You're honestly quite lucky, my lady," the doctor said while adjusting his glasses. "If the wound had been any deeper, scarring would have the least of your worries."

Phoebe sighed as she pulled down her sleeping tunic. The doctor had just finished checking and redressing her wound. She honestly just hoped that it wouldn't scar. It was a large gash across her stomach, from the left side of her waist that slanted down below her belly button. She had lost consciousness from the blood loss, but that was better than losing her life.

Granted, being unconscious for two days hadn't been great either. She mostly just had dreams – or perhaps memories – about Seraphine and the queen. But in between small sweet moments with them, others had come to her head as well. There was a pirate and a governess. A dragon and a noblewoman. An orc and an elf. Even two elderly humans wearing strange and unfamiliar clothes while sitting next to each other in rocking chairs.

They were all fleeting, passing dreams. She couldn't recall anything specific about any of them, not even their names. Just a mix of emotions and feelings that weren't really hers, but she still had. She couldn't even sort them all. They were just a range of joyful to heart-wrenching to maddening to peaceful again.

But when she had woken up, the memories faded to the depths of her mind when she saw her maids, who had all burst into tears with relief. Even the doctor had looked visibly relieved and like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Though she had soon figured it was mostly because of Krios's behavior the entire time she had been unconscious.

She spared a glance up at the feared Demon Lord, his expression unreadable as he stared down the doctor. According to Sarah, he had been at her side as often as his duties would allow him to. To avoid leaving her, he would even have the advisors and soldiers come to him if the matter wasn't urgent enough for him to leave her. Even now, he sat right beside her on the bed, one of his claws resting over her hand.

Yet, when she had woken up, he hadn't said a word to her. He just immediately left to get the doctor, who had checked over her and redressed her wound. He would look at her, he would touch her and hold her hand, but he had yet to speak to her.

She hoped that it wasn't because he was angry with her. It wasn't her fault that she had been attacked by a devil. No, maybe she shouldn't have come back after he told her to run, but she had been worried about him. Not to mention they had both thought all the devils had been taken care of. There was no way she could have suspected one was hiding in the bushes.

"How much longer do I need to stay in bed?" she asked.

"Just another two days, to be safe," the doctor said as he packed up his supplies. "I will come to see you until the wound is fully healed. But, as I said before, it wasn't too deep. You will recover fully soon."

"Will it scar?"

"I have ointments that will ensure it doesn't," he assured her. "And you're more than welcome to use your own powers if you wish. Though I would wait until you've recovered more to do so. I understand that using healing magic can be draining."

That was only part of it. It was more difficult and draining to use one's own divine magic on themselves. It was one thing if she used it for her headaches, but to treat her wound? She likely would have just made herself sick from overexertion. It was best to let the healing process happen naturally, with aid from a doctor.

"Thank you," she said, leaning back against the pillows.

"Of course, my lady." Then he turned to Krios. Though he kept a professional face, it was obvious that he was anxious to talk directly to the intimidating demon. "Did you need anything else, Sire?"

"No." Krios's voice was harsh; even the maids stiffened up in fright. It just made Phoebe sigh and leaned back against the pillows. He was definitely upset, likely at her. But she hoped he wasn't expecting her to apologize when she didn't do anything wrong.