The Princess's Revenge Chapter 132

Valencia’s POV

"Understood."

Bastian approached Valencia and me. "Luna, please stay safe. We'll be waiting for your return."

I managed a small smile. "Thank you, Bastian."

After they left, the room felt emptier. Quieter. The weight of what we were about to do pressed down on me.

An hour later, we prepared to leave. Soren's ten warriors were waiting for us in the courtyard. They stood in formation, weapons ready, horses saddled.

The leader was a tall man with brown hair and sharp eyes. He stepped forward and bowed to Logan.

"Alpha Logan, I'm Mason. Alpha Soren assigned us to accompany you to King's Fang."

Logan nodded. "Are your men prepared for a hard ride? We need to cover four days of travel in three."

Mason's expression didn't change. "We're ready, Alpha. We won't slow you down."

"Good. We leave now."

Mason and his warriors rode in formation around us. They moved with practiced ease, their horses responding to the smallest commands.

Logan set a brutal pace. The horses' hooves pounded against the road. Wind whipped my hair back. My thighs ached from gripping the saddle, but I didn't complain.

We rode for hours without stopping. The landscape changed as we rode. The rolling hills of Soren's territory gave way to flatter plains. The air grew slightly cooler. We were heading north, toward the heart of Valdoria.

By evening, my entire body screamed in protest. Every muscle ached. My rear was numb from the saddle. My hands had blisters from the reins.

"We camp here," Logan announced. He pointed to a small grove of trees. "Mason, set up a watch rotation. I want two men on guard at all times."

"Yes, Alpha."

I slid off my horse with a groan. My legs buckled. Logan caught me before I fell.

"Easy," he said. He helped me over to a patch of grass. "Sit. I'll handle the camp."

They worked in teams. Some tended the horses. Others gathered firewood. Two started preparing a simple meal. Within thirty minutes, we had a functional camp with a small fire burning.

Logan brought me food. Hard bread and dried meat. It wasn't much, but I was too tired to care about taste.

"Eat," he said. "You need your strength."

Mason approached us. "Alpha, the men will take turns sleeping. We'll be ready to ride at dawn."

"Good work," Logan said.

After eating, Logan and I spread out our bedrolls near the fire. The ground was hard and uncomfortable, but I was so exhausted I didn't care.

Logan lay down beside me and pulled me against his chest. His warmth was comforting.

The second day was worse than the first. We rode through increasingly rough terrain. The plains gave way to rocky hills. The path became narrow and treacherous. The horses had to pick their way carefully around boulders and through ravines.

The third day, we pushed even harder. Logan seemed driven by some inner urgency that wouldn't let him rest.

The landscape changed again. We entered a region of dense forests. The path wound between massive oak trees. Sunlight filtered through the leaves in scattered beams.

"We're getting close," Logan said. "King's Fang is only a few hours ahead."

My heart started pounding. Fear and anticipation mixed together.

By late afternoon, we emerged from the forest onto a hilltop. In the distance, I could see it.

King's Fang.

The capital city spread across the valley below. At its center stood the massive palace, with tall towers reaching toward the sky. The city walls were thick and imposing.

From this distance, everything looked peaceful. Normal.

Logan's wolf was clearly agitated. I could feel it through our bond. His instincts were screaming warnings.

"We wait until dark," Logan decided. "Then we enter the city. We'll go to Rhodes's lodging first."

We made camp in the forest, hidden from view. No one spoke much. The tension was thick.

As the sun set, Logan gathered everyone together.

"Listen carefully," he said. "When we enter the city, we move in pairs. Stay in the shadows. Avoid attention. If anyone asks, we're merchants traveling through."

He looked at me. "Valencia stays with me at all times. Mason, you and your men spread out. Watch for threats. If you see anything suspicious, report back immediately."

The warriors nodded.

"We find Rhodes. We get information. Then we decide our next move." Logan's voice was hard. "And if this is a trap, we fight our way out. Understood?"

"Understood, Alpha," they said in unison.

As darkness fell completely, we prepared to enter King's Fang.

Darkness had fully settled over the valley by the time we began our descent toward King's Fang. The city lights below looked deceptively peaceful from this distance, but my dragon instincts were screaming warnings I couldn't ignore.

Logan moved beside me, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Through our bond, I could feel his wolf pacing restlessly. Knox was agitated, which made my own unease spike higher.

Mason approached from behind. "Alpha, my men are ready. How do you want to proceed?"

"We enter through the eastern gate," Logan said. "It's less guarded than the main entrance. Valencia and I will go first. You and your men follow at a distance. Don't draw attention."

"Understood."

We made our way down the hill in silence. The closer we got to the city walls, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. Something was deeply wrong here.

The eastern gate loomed before us. Two guards stood at their posts, but they looked tired and distracted. Logan approached them casually, like we were just travelers seeking shelter for the night.

"Good evening," Logan said to the guards. "We're merchants from the south. Is there an inn nearby?"

One guard barely glanced at us. "Try the Stone Lion near the market square. Keep moving."

His tone was dismissive, almost rushed, like he wanted us gone as quickly as possible. That wasn't normal behavior for city guards. They usually asked more questions, checked cargo, demanded tolls.

We passed through the gate without incident. Mason and his warriors entered in pairs behind us, spacing themselves out to avoid looking like a group.

Inside the city walls, the wrongness became impossible to ignore.

We walked deeper into the city. Every instinct I had was telling me to turn around and leave. The air itself felt thick and wrong. My dragon bloodline reacted to it. That primal part of me that rarely stirred suddenly came alive, sensing danger everywhere.

Logan's hand found mine. Through our bond, I felt him trying to send me calm reassurance, but his own emotions were too turbulent for it to work properly.

Mason caught up to us, his expression grim. "Alpha, my men report the same thing throughout the city. Empty streets. Frightened civilians. Something has happened here."

"Keep your eyes open," Logan said. "We're going to Rhodes's lodging. It's near the library district, about ten minutes from here."

We moved through the dark streets like ghosts. Occasionally we'd pass someone, and they would quickly look away and hurry past us. No one made eye contact. No one spoke.

My heart was pounding. Every shadow seemed to hide a threat. Every corner could be an ambush.

We turned down a narrower street. Fewer torches lit this area, making the shadows deeper and darker. The buildings here were older, more worn.

"There," Logan said, pointing to a small courtyard ahead. "Rhodes lives in the building on the left."

We approached cautiously. The courtyard was empty and dark. No lights showed in any of the windows around us.

Logan motioned for Mason to take up position at the courtyard entrance with his men. "Watch our backs. If anyone approaches, signal immediately."

"Yes, Alpha."

Logan, Mason, and I moved toward Rhodes's door. It was a simple wooden door with iron hinges, located on the ground floor of a three-story building.

Logan reached for the handle, then paused. He looked at me, and I could see the tension in his jaw.

The door was slightly ajar.

That was wrong. Very wrong. Rhodes was careful, methodical. He would never leave his door unlocked, let alone open.

Logan drew his sword silently. Mason did the same.

Logan pushed the door open slowly with his foot. It creaked on its hinges, the sound impossibly loud in the silent night.

Logan stepped inside first, his sword raised. I followed close behind, my eyes adjusting to the darkness.

The room was completely destroyed.