The Princess's Revenge Chapter 118

Valencia’s POV

"Raven was ambitious. He saw the fractured kingdoms of Vyrmarch and decided they needed unification. So he used his dragon form to conquer. City after city, pack after pack fell before him. Those who resisted were burned to ash. Those who submitted were allowed to live."

Aldric's voice grew harder. "For nearly fifty years, Raven ruled through fear and fire. He established the Ogden dynasty, and it seemed nothing could stand against dragon power. But Raven was also strategic. He made alliances, married carefully, built a governmental structure that would outlast him."

"What happened to him?" I asked.

"He grew old and died, as all creatures must," Aldric said simply. "Until two hundred years ago, Angelo Ogden, was nothing like his ancestor. Angelo had seen the destruction Raven caused, the fear in people's eyes, the way entire generations grew up hating the Ogden name."

Aldric's expression softened slightly. "Angelo didn't want to be a tyrant. He wanted peace. He wanted to be loved, not feared. So he made a bargain with the Dragon God."

"Dragon God?" I interrupted. "I thought the Moon Goddess—"

"The Moon Goddess governs wolves," Aldric explained. "But dragons answer to another deity entirely. An ancient being of fire and scales, older than memory." He paused, seeming to gather his thoughts. "He offered a covenant: from his generation forward, no Ogden would be able to shift into dragon form. In exchange, the Dragon God would bless the kingdom with peace and prosperity."

I stared at him in shock. "He gave up the dragon power? Willingly?"

"Yes. And the Dragon God accepted. From Angelo Ogden onward, every member of the royal family has been Lycan, but never dragon." Aldric's eyes held mine. "That's why I know you can't be an Ogden. The bloodline lost the dragon gift two hundred years ago. If you can shift into a dragon, then you're something else entirely."

My mind reeled. "Then where did my dragon come from? How do I have this power?"

"I don't know," Aldric admitted.

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "But the only one that I know is you carry a great burden, child. One I'm not sure you fully understand."

I understood what he meant. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—had orchestrated all of this from the shadows. So many people wanted me to kill Winston Ashwood: Logan, Alpha King Winston, and now this old man before me. Even though I had never seen Winston Ashwood's face, didn't know what he looked like, I already had reasons—unavoidable reasons—to kill him.

The weight of it pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I didn't know if I could do it. I didn't know if I was strong enough, ready enough for what everyone seemed to expect of me.

"Winston Ashwood discovered the secret of the Ogden family—that we had lost our dragon blood. He realized we were vulnerable. That's how he managed to orchestrate the massacre."

My blood ran cold. "He knew you couldn't defend yourselves."

"Exactly. He gathered allies among Aldermere's war faction, nobles who wanted conquest rather than peace. He promised them glory, territory, power. And then, on a single night, he struck."

Aldric's voice grew thick with grief. "I was away, cataloging ancient texts in a monastery to the north. When I returned, the palace was burning. The royal family—every man, woman, and child—had been slaughtered. Ashwood's forces hunted down anyone with Ogden blood. They were thorough, brutal, merciless."

"I tried to flee. I thought I could escape, find allies, rebuild. But I was captured at the border and brought here. King Winston has kept me prisoner ever since, trying to extract information about Aldermere's defenses, about Ashwood's weaknesses."

"And did you tell him?" I asked quietly.

"Some things. Enough to keep myself alive." Aldric's smile was bitter, his blind eyes reflecting nothing but darkness. "I'm a coward, you see. I should have died with my king, with my people. But I clung to life, hoping for... I don't know what. Revenge? Redemption?"

I reached out and placed my hand on his again. "You're not a coward. You're a survivor."

He turned his clouded gaze in my direction, and though he couldn't see my face, I felt the sadness radiating from him. "What good is surviving if everyone you loved is dead?"

For a moment, we sat in silence. The weight of his grief hung in the air between us. I thought about all the losses he'd endured—his king, his people, his entire way of life destroyed in a single night of blood.

"Your survival has meaning," I said softly. "You're here now, able to share your knowledge. To help prevent another massacre."

Aldric's lips curved into a bitter smile. "Pretty words, child. But words don't bring back the dead."

"No," I agreed. "But they can help protect the living."

He was quiet for another moment, seeming to consider this. Then he tilted his head slightly.

"You said the dragon inside you is still dormant," he said. "That you can't control when it emerges."

I nodded, then remembered he couldn't see the gesture. "Yes. It only comes out when I'm in mortal danger. The rest of the time, it's like it's sleeping."

"That must be terrifying," Aldric said softly. "To carry such power but have no mastery over it."

"It is," I admitted. "Do you know of anything that could help me control the dragon? It's... it's still dormant most of the time. I can't shift at will, only when I'm in mortal danger."

"There is something. A legend, really, but one with more truth to it than most." He leaned forward eagerly. "The Heart of Rubia. It's a red ruby ring that supposedly contains the essence of the first dragon Raven Ogden defeated. Legend says anyone who wears it can command dragon power absolutely."

"Where is it?" I asked, my pulse quickening.

Aldric's face fell. "I don't know. It was lost generations ago. Some say it was buried with one of the ancient Ogden kings. Others claim it was stolen by enemies of the crown. I've never seen it myself—only read about it in the old records."

Disappointment flooded through me. Another dead end.

"Thank you, Aldric. You've given me a lot to think about." I stood slowly, my legs stiff from kneeling on the cold stone. Aldric's blind eyes turned up toward me, following the sound of my movement. "I can get you out of here. Logan and I—we can arrange for your release. You don't have to stay in this cell."

Aldric shook his head slowly, his expression sad but resolute. "No, child. I appreciate the offer, but I'm safer here than I would be outside."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. "You're a prisoner. How could you possibly be safer here?"

"Winston Ashwood has spies everywhere," Aldric explained quietly. "I'm blind, Valencia. I can't see threats coming. I can't defend myself properly. Ashwood's agents would find me within days."

The logic was sound, but it made my heart ache. "So you're choosing to stay imprisoned?"

"I'm choosing to stay alive," Aldric corrected gently. "Here, I have value to King Winston. He keeps me fed, keeps me safe—relatively speaking."

I understood now. The cleaner cell, the minimal care he received—it wasn't just pity or mercy. Winston was protecting an asset, keeping Aldric alive because his knowledge of Aldermere was valuable.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "I wish things were different."

"As do I, child. As do I." Aldric's voice was heavy with resignation. "But we must work with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be." His smile was sad but genuine, though his sightless eyes could not see my face. "Go now, child. Your Alpha is about to break down the door to get to you."

I laughed despite myself, feeling Logan's anxiety spiking through our bond. I turned and walked back to the cell door.

Logan practically pulled me through the bars the moment I emerged, his hands running over me as if checking for injuries. "Are you alright? What did he do to you? I felt that warmth through the bond—"

"I'm fine," I assured him, placing my hands on his chest. "He just used some kind of bloodline recognition magic. It didn't hurt."

Logan's eyes searched mine, looking for any sign of deception. Finally, he seemed satisfied and pulled me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me protectively.

"Don't ever do that again," he muttered into my hair. "My heart can't take it."

I smiled against his chest. "I'm okay, Logan."