Chapter 562

The burning sensation on Odalys's ring subsided slightly at her words.

Odalys said coldly, "I'll avenge you and make those who hurt you pay a terrible price. They not only killed your entire family and seized your ancestral home, but they also established a presence in Crownridge. And now, they're targeting the Stewart and Bennett families. We have the same enemy."

The ring glowed again, as if responding to her. Odalys's eyes were cold, but her demeanor was firm. She strode forward quickly, the wind constantly ruffling her hair and sending her ponytail flying in a beautiful arc. Even in the darkness, Odalys exuded a bright light.

"Abracadabra," she chanted, "let the magic begin!" She tossed a talisman, which formed a sphere in mid-air. She rose gently onto the sphere, her entire body lifting into the air.

The sphere was transparent, as if she were in the clouds. She looked into the distance and saw the riverbank collapse with a roar, the flood surging relentlessly. The surrounding woods were destroyed as numerous trees toppled. In seconds, nearby trees were swept away, and weeds uprooted.

Odalys stomped on the sphere, gaining speed as she darted forward. With a backhand, she caught a nearby branch, grabbed it, and flung it ahead. She moved with swift, ruthless precision. The branch pierced the breach in the embankment. As the branch plunged downward, the talisman lodged firmly in place. A golden light flashed, and the raging flood seemed to be swallowed whole. The sphere beneath her feet shot forward, effectively sealing the breach.

The flood continued to surge, but the surrounding area was becoming arid. The water was quickly absorbed, becoming shallower as it spread.

Odalys grunted. A sharp pain shot through her fingertip, as if the ring were about to snap her finger in two. She cried out in pain, thrown off balance as if struck by an invisible force. She turned to see a large pit behind her, from which a dozen sharpened branches protruded. Someone had made a trap. The sharp branches were designed to impale any animal that fell in. An animal running at high speed could accidentally fall in, become impaled, seriously injured, and unable to escape.

Shock flickered in Odalys's eyes. She hadn't expected this. Having just been given a second chance at life, she couldn't die now. But before she could react, her body plummeted downwards.

"Odalys!" Percival's deep voice rang out.

Odalys followed the sound and saw a tall figure running towards her desperately. His handsome face was etched with fear. He sprinted towards her, his large hand reaching out to grab her wrist. He pulled her into his arms, his embrace tightening around her waist. The force of pulling her up while running threw him off balance, and with a thud, he fell heavily to the ground. Percival held Odalys protectively in his arms as she fell into his embrace. Her small face bumped against his strong chest, and she could faintly hear his heartbeat pounding like a drum.

"Scared?" Percival's husky voice came from above her.

Hearing his voice, Odalys looked up into his intense gaze. She saw her reflection in them, filled with worry. She thought of him driving away, and no matter how strong and independent she was, she still felt a little aggrieved.

"Didn't you leave?" Odalys said, giving him a hard punch in the chest. She'd brushed it off at the time, but that didn't mean she wasn't disappointed. While she wouldn't want anyone to die alongside her in danger, when the person she liked left her behind, a sense of loss still welled up in her heart.

"Silly, I didn't leave," Percival said, wrapping his arms around her.

Chapter 562 (continued)

He hurriedly sat up and checked her over. Only after making sure she wasn't hurt did he secretly heave a sigh of relief.

Percival reached out and cupped Odalys's delicate face. He looked into her eyes and said each word carefully, "No matter what, no matter the danger, I will never abandon you. Since you chose to marry me when my condition was critical, then I owe you my life."

As Odalys listened to his sincere words, her lips parted slightly. Percival's fingertip rested on her rosy lips, sending a tingling sensation through her. That subtle feeling was amazing; like an electric shock, it spread throughout her body.

"After I sent Orson away and gave him the car, I came back. No matter what happens, I will not leave you," Percival said.

Odalys then noticed that his pants were filthy, a far cry from their usual clean state. She knew about his obsession with cleanliness. He was covered in mud, and his expensive clothes were unrecognizable—as if he had crawled out of the mud.

Her lips moved, and her eyes finally reddened. She wanted to speak, but her throat was so constricted that she couldn't utter a single word.

"There, there, don't cry. Odalys, you're the best. You're the kindest girl, so don't sympathize with anyone, including me," Percival said hoarsely. Odalys let out a chuckle. She didn't expect Percival to say such cheesy things. She was still quite sad, but she was somehow amused by him.

"Who taught you to say that? Percival, don't try to cajole me," Odalys said. She tried to get up but accidentally kicked his leg.

"Ouch," Percival grunted.

Odalys froze. Seeing the flash of pain on his face, she looked at the spot where she had just kicked him in disbelief. Then she pressed her hand against his leg, trying to pull up his pants.

"I'm fine," Percival said.

She saw that his leg was mangled, with blood oozing from several wounds. Odalys brushed his hand aside and pulled up his pants. Only then did she turn her head and look at the pit beside them. She realized that sharp, steel bars had also been erected on the edge, and Percival's leg was near them. The sharp steel was stained with his blood.

Odalys gasped. She hadn't expected Percival to rush over to save her without any regard for his own safety. His leg was hurt, but he didn't say a word about it, not even a whimper.

"How could you even say you're fine when you're hurt this badly?" Odalys's voice trembled slightly.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken. She had always said that caring for a man would bring a lifetime of misfortune, but she still cared. She thought, "To hell with a lifetime of misfortune! I don't care anymore."