Chapter 103: Ashley revealed!
Ashley Duve, now firmly in control of Tessa's body, strutted forward with all the charm of a temptress and the elegance of... a lizard on a hot rock.
Each step seemed to mock the grace Tessa once had, replaced by this bizarre fusion of seduction and serpentine swagger.
The water wolves snarled louder, their translucent bodies rippling as they snapped and lashed their sharp fangs in frustration, unable to understand what they were seeing.
Adrian, standing a few feet away, felt his heart hammering in his chest. His mind spun like a hurricane.
This insane witch is really about to sacrifice Tessa's body—without a care in the world! This insane bastard--- He clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over as he watched Ashley Duve near the floating gourd, a sacred relic of the moon goddess's legacy, hanging in the air like a silent promise of destruction.
She turned back towards Adrian, her smile sharp enough to cut steel. It was a grin that sent icy tendrils down his spine—a look that said she knew exactly how to push him to the edge of madness.
Without hesitation, she reached out toward the gourd, her fingers brushing against the ancient power it held. One of the water wolves lunged forward, its form snapping into a razor-sharp canine, teeth ready to sever her—**no, Tessa's—**neck clean off. Adrian's breath caught in his throat, his body frozen in horror.
But just as the fangs grazed her skin, the wolf froze. Its jaws hovered inches from Ashley's throat before its body began to tremble, then dissolve into a pool of water at her feet.
The strong, unmistakable scent of Tessa's moon goddess bloodline had hit the wolf like a tidal wave, paralyzing it into submission.
Ashley smirked, her grip tightening around the gourd. "Ah, the perks of using someone else's divine body," she murmured to herself. She could practically hear the wolves' frustration as they snarled and growled in confusion.
Their instincts screamed at them to attack, yet they were bound by their ancient programming: the scent of the moon goddess meant protection, even if something didn't feel quite right.
The wolves were trapped in a mental quagmire, their primal minds struggling to comprehend what stood before them-a thief wearing the face of their queen, reeking of both familiarity and betrayal.
It was like being punched by a stranger wearing the mask of a friend. Ashley Duve chuckled, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
The gourd, recognizing Tessa's rightful claim, responded to her touch, falling effortlessly into her hands.
She grinned, giving herself an imaginary pat on the back. Stealing Tessa's body was the best decision I ever made.
This is almost too easy... She stared into the gourd's shimmering depths, where three sacred drops of moon dew swirled, glowing softly.
Each drop contained a divine ability, capable of transforming a mere mortal into something extraordinary.
A single drop of moon dew was usually used to bless new priestesses of the moon palace with a divine ability.
In the hands of the moon priestesses, it had been used for blessings, healing, and protection. But in Ashley's hands? It would become something far more sinister.
One drop would be enough to awaken Rhemon, granting him a piece of the moon goddess's power. Adrian couldn't stand it any longer. His blood boiled, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum.
Yanking free from Ecdy's restraining grip, he bolted toward Ashley Duve, flames igniting
around his fists.
His every instinct screamed for him to burn her to ash, to rip her apart for what she was doing to and in Tessa's body.
But just as he raised his hands, ready to incinerate her, something made him stop. It was Tessa's body-her face, her hands, her neck that he was about to destroy.
If he attacked now, he would be the one to hurt her. The hesitation was enough.
In that single moment of doubt, Ashley Duve's eyes flashed with triumph. She seized the opportunity, hurling a blast of power that sent Adrian flying backward through the air like a ragdoll.
His body twisted mid-flight, his flames sputtering out as he tumbled headlong into the ground.
Before he could react, Ashley was on him. With lightning speed, she caught him mid-air, slamming him back down to the dirt with the force of a falling star.
The earth shuddered beneath them, a crater forming where Adrian had landed. The invincible boy from Kael-now bloody, bruised, and pinned under her grip-was left gasping for breath, his world spinning.
Ashley crouched over him, her hand pressed firmly against his throat. Her grin widened as she leaned in close, her voice dripping with mockery. "You really do love her, don't you? Even in your rage, you hesitated. How adorable."
Adrian gritted his teeth, his vision blurring. His every muscle screamed to fight back, but her strength was too great. For the first time in his life, he felt truly powerless-not just against her strength, but against his own emotions.
Ashley giggled, her laughter echoing through the clearing. "Funny, if I told you a little secret about you and her, you'd realize just how stupid and disgusting your feelings really are..."
"Ashley, don't!" Ikehara's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. His usually smug demeanor had vanished, replaced by a thin veil of panic. He knew exactly what she was about to say, and the consequences it would bring.
But it was too late-the damage had been done. The name --- Ashley, hung in the air like a curse, confirming everything.
The crowd, the wolves, even the very wind seemed to still. Adrian's eyes widened as the reality of the situation sunk in. Ashley. Not Tessa. This imposter had been masquerading in Tessa's body, playing everyone for fools.
Ashley Duve smirked down at him, her fingers tightening just a little more around his throat. "Oops, I guess the cat's out of the bag now," she said, her voice dripping with false innocence.
Adrian gasped, struggling to breathe as her grip cut off his air supply. His mind raced, each second ticking by with agonizing clarity. For the first time since he set foot on Earth, Adrian's life was truly in danger. And the one who held the knife to his throat was wearing the face of the girl he loved.