The Princess's Revenge Chapter 119

Valencia’s POV

I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Aldric's face. Logan hadn't slept much either—I could feel his restlessness all night.

When dawn finally broke, we forced ourselves to get ready. My body felt heavy with exhaustion. Ashwood's threat hung over us like a storm cloud.

"You okay?" Logan asked quietly as I splashed water on my face.

"No," I said honestly. "But we have to move. We can't stay here any longer."

He came up behind me, his hands gentle on my shoulders. "Valencia, whatever we're walking into—"

"I know." I turned to face him. His eyes were tired but determined, exactly how I felt. "We face it together."

He pulled me close. For a moment, I let myself breathe in his scent, let myself feel safe. Then I stepped back.

"We should pack," I said.

A knock at the door interrupted us. "It's Elias," a familiar voice called. "I have Rhodes with me."

Logan opened the door. Elias stood there with Rhodes beside him, both looking serious.

"Any news?" I asked, though I already knew the answer from their expressions.

"I'm sorry, Luna. I searched everywhere these past few days. No sign of the ruby ring. No one's even heard of it."

My heart sank. "Thank you for trying."

"However," Rhodes said, "I did contact The Whisper. He's agreed to meet with you today."

Logan and I exchanged glances. This was our best shot.

"Where?" Logan asked.

"The black market," Rhodes replied. "I'll take you there."

Rhodes led us through King's Fang's main streets first. The morning sun made everything look clean. As we walked, the streets gradually changed.

The buildings became more run-down. The cobblestones gave way to packed dirt. The people looked thinner and more desperate.

"This is the poor district," Rhodes said quietly. "Most of these people lost everything in the war."

My chest tightened as I looked around. Children in tattered clothes played in the dirt. Women huddled in doorways, their faces hollow with hunger. Men sat idle, their eyes empty of hope.

"War orphans?" I asked.

Rhodes nodded. "Most of them. When packs were destroyed, survivors fled here. King's Fang took them in, but... well, you can see how they live."

I stopped walking, staring at a small girl who couldn't have been more than six. She was too thin, her dress barely more than rags. She reminded me of myself the night my pack was slaughtered.

"Valencia," Logan said softly, touching my arm.

"I know," I whispered. "I just... I understand what they've lost."

Logan squeezed my hand. "The war destroyed more than just soldiers," I said. "It destroyed innocent lives. Children who had nothing to do with any of it."

"Yes," Rhodes agreed quietly. "And now they have nowhere to go."

We walked on, deeper into the district. Eventually, Rhodes stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse. The windows were broken, the walls crumbling.

"The black market is underneath," Rhodes explained. "Follow me closely and don't talk to anyone unless I say it's safe."

He led us to a side entrance, then down a narrow staircase. The air grew damp and musty. The underground space was huge. Makeshift stalls lined crude pathways, lit by flickering torches. I saw people trading all sorts of things— goods, weapons, bottles of what looked like illegal potions.

Everyone we passed eyed us with suspicion. I kept close to Logan, my own instincts on high alert.

"Stay calm," Rhodes murmured. "They're just cautious. As long as we don't cause trouble, neither will they."

"What exactly can you buy here?" Logan asked, his voice low.

"Anything," Rhodes said. "If you have enough money. Stolen property, forged documents, information..." He glanced back at us. "In places like this, truth is just another commodity."

We walked deeper into the market, past more stalls and shadowy alcoves. Finally, Rhodes stopped at a small room partitioned off with heavy curtains.

"Wait here," he said, then ducked inside.

A moment later, he emerged and gestured for us to enter.

The room was tiny and dimly lit. A thin, middle-aged man sat behind a wooden table. He looked unimpressive—small frame, worn clothes, forgettable features.

"The Whisper, I presume?" Logan said.

The man smiled slightly. "That's what they call me. And you must be Alpha Logan and Luna Valencia of Cliffwatch Pack." His voice was low and raspy. "I'm honored."

Logan pulled out a heavy coin purse and set it on the table with a solid thunk.

The Whisper raised an eyebrow and opened it. I saw his eyes widen slightly—Logan had clearly brought more than expected.

"Very generous, Alpha Logan," The Whisper said, his tone noticeably more respectful. "I see you're serious about this."

"We're looking for something," Logan said directly. "A ruby ring. The Heart of Rubia."

The change in The Whisper's expression was instant. His casual demeanor vanished, replaced by something much more serious. He stared at Logan for a long moment, his sharp eyes searching.

"You're talking about the Ogden family ring," he said finally, his voice even lower than before. "The legendary one."

My heart hammered in my chest. He knew about it.

"Yes," Logan confirmed.

The Whisper was silent for what felt like an eternity. I could see him weighing his options, deciding how much to tell us.

"When the Ogden royal family was slaughtered," he began slowly, "many of their treasures were scattered. Stolen, hidden, sold off piece by piece." He paused. "The Heart of Rubia was one of those treasures."

My fingers gripped the edge of my chair so hard my knuckles turned white. He knew. He actually knew where it was.

"Where is it now?" Logan asked bluntly.

The Whisper pulled out an old, worn map and spread it on the table. His finger pointed to the northern coastline, then beyond it to a small mark in the ocean.

"Here," he said. "Ravencrest Island. It's off the northern coast of Aldermere."

I leaned forward, studying the map. The island was tiny, isolated, far from any major settlement.

"The island is called Ravencrest," The Whisper continued. "It's extremely remote. When the Ogden royal family fell, some loyal guards managed to escape with portions of the royal treasury. They fled to this island and established a hidden refuge there. They've been guarding those treasures ever since."

Logan frowned. "Ashwood doesn't know about this place?"

"Oh, Ashwood knows," The Whisper said. "But Ravencrest Island is nearly impossible to reach. The waters around it are treacherous, and the island itself is defensible. More importantly..." He paused. "There are no Ogden family members there. Just guards protecting relics. Ashwood saw no strategic value in attacking it."

"Will these guards give us the ring?" I asked.

The Whisper shook his head. "That's hard to say. They've protected these treasures for decades. They won't trust outsiders easily." He looked directly at me. "And they may believe the Heart of Rubia should only be returned to someone of true Ogden blood."

My stomach dropped. I wasn't Ogden—Aldric had made that clear. And I certainly couldn't bring Aldric with us to the island. That would expose our location to Ashwood.

"Is Ashwood watching the island?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "Are there soldiers nearby?"

"No," The Whisper said. "The waters are too dangerous for regular patrols, and as I said, the island has no strategic value to Ashwood. You should be safe from that threat at least."

He pulled out several sheets of paper. "These are sea charts and what intelligence I've gathered about the island. I hope they'll be useful."

I took the papers, my mind already racing through possibilities and problems.

But there was something else. One more question I had to ask.

My hands started shaking slightly. Logan must have felt my sudden spike of emotion through our bond because he immediately looked at me with concern.

"Wait," I said, my voice trembling. "There's... there's something else I need to ask about."

The Whisper looked up, waiting.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Fifteen years ago, when Moonfall Ridge Pack was massacred, there was a boy who went missing." My voice cracked. "His name was Kai. He was my little brother."

Logan's hand found mine immediately, squeezing tight. I felt his support.

"I know it's a long shot," I continued, fighting back tears. "But you seem to know everything that happens in these kingdoms. I thought... maybe you'd heard something. Anything."

The Whisper studied me carefully, his sharp eyes thoughtful.

Then he spoke.

"The Moonfall Ridge massacre... yes, I've heard things about that night."

My heart stopped. I couldn't breathe. Could he actually...?

"There were rumors," The Whisper continued slowly, "that a few children were rescued during the chaos. Smuggled out before Marcus's forces could find them."

Tears were already forming in my eyes. I gripped Logan's hand so hard it must have hurt.

"One of those children..." The Whisper looked directly at me. "One of them was a boy. He was taken south, into Valdoria."

"South?" Logan said sharply. "Where in Valdoria?"

"According to what I heard," The Whisper said, "the boy eventually ended up at Redstone Canyon Pack."

The world tilted. Redstone Canyon Pack. Soren's territory.

"Are you sure?" I choked out. "That boy... was it really Kai?"

The Whisper nodded. "The timing matches. The age matches. The circumstances match. And I know Alpha Soren took in several war orphans over the years."

Tears streamed down my face now. I couldn't stop them.

"But I can't confirm it's definitely your brother," The Whisper added carefully. "You'd need to go to Redstone Canyon Pack yourself to verify."

I was shaking. Logan wrapped his arm around me, holding me steady.

Kai. Kai might be alive. After all these years of thinking he was dead, he might have been in Valdoria this whole time. In Soren's pack.

"Valencia," Logan said softly through our mind link. "Breathe."

I tried. My chest felt too tight. Fifteen years. Fifteen years of grief and guilt, and Kai might have been alive this entire time.

"Thank you," I managed to say to The Whisper, my voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you so much."

The Whisper inclined his head. "I hope the information proves accurate, Luna. And I hope you find what you're looking for—both the ring and your brother."

Logan helped me stand. My legs felt weak, my mind spinning with too many thoughts at once.

Ravencrest Island. The Heart of Rubia. And now Kai—possibly alive in Redstone Canyon Pack.

Everything was changing so fast.

As we left The Whisper's room and made our way back through the black market, I couldn't stop the tears. Logan kept his arm around me, guiding me carefully through the crowds.

"We'll figure this out," he said quietly. "All of it. I promise."

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

Kai might be alive.

That single thought repeated over and over in my mind as we climbed back up to the surface, emerging into the morning light.