The Princess's Revenge Chapter 43

Valencia’s POV

A soft knock at the door.

"Come in," I called.

A young servant girl entered, carrying a wooden tray laden with food. Her face was expressionless as she set the tray on the table. I recognized her - she was one of the kitchen staff who had cleaned blood. Was her name Maya?

"Wait," I said quickly as she turned to leave. "Have you seen Delphine? Is she alright?"

The servant paused, her hand on the door handle. For a moment, she looked confused. "Delphine?"

"Yes, the blonde girl with freckles. She was in the courtyard last night during the performance when the attack happened. I need to know if she's safe."

Understanding dawned on the her face. "Oh, her. Yes, she's at Dr. Vance's stone house. She's been helping with the wounded since dawn."

Relief flooded through me. "She's alive? She's really alive?"

She nodded curtly. "Yes. She's fine."

"Thank you," I said, my voice breaking with emotion.

The servant gave me a brief nod and left without another word, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

I pressed my hands to my face, feeling tears of relief gathering in my eyes. Delphine was alive. She was helping Dr. Vance care for the wounded, which meant she was not only unharmed but strong enough to work.

My stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since yesterday. I walked to the table and examined the food - fresh bread, cheese, dried meat, and what looked like berry preserves. It smelled wonderful.

I ate quickly, barely tasting the food in my eagerness to get to the stone house. I needed to see Delphine with my own eyes.

I opened the door and went downstairs to the third floor. The castle was bustling with activity. Servants hurried past carrying buckets of water, rags, and various cleaning supplies.

As I approached the entrance to the great hall, I nearly collided with Xander coming around the corner. He was carrying his sword and looked like he had been patrolling the castle.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his tone sharp but not as hostile as I had expected.

My heart rate spiked. I couldn't tell him I was going to see Delphine - he might order me to do something else instead, like clean or help with repairs. I needed an excuse that would let me leave the castle.

"Alpha Logan told me to go to Dr. Vance's stone house," I said quickly. "He wants me to help with the wounded."

Xander's eyebrows rose slightly. "He did?"

"Yes," I lied, hoping my voice sounded convincing. "He said Dr. Vance would need extra hands after the attack."

Xander studied my face for a moment, and I held my breath. If he didn't believe me, he could easily verify my story. But instead, he simply nodded.

"Be careful," he said. "Stay alert on your way there. We don't know if there are any rogues still hiding in the area."

I stared at him in shock. What made him change his tune?

"I... thank you," I managed to say. "I'll be careful."

He nodded again and continued down the corridor. I watched him go, completely bewildered by his transformation. But I didn't have time to analyze it now.

I rushed down one floor and out the main entrance. The courtyard was a scene of organized chaos. Servants were scrubbing blood from the stone, while others worked to repair damaged structures and clear away debris.

I could see the blackened crater in the center of the courtyard where one of the fire pots had exploded.

Walking out of the courtyard, I had to stay close to the wall as servants pushed carts loaded with bodies, which made my heart sink.

The scene of training grouds was terrible. Everything was destroyed. Blood stained the stone platform in dark pools. Training equipment lay scattered and broken. Wooden practice dummies had been torn apart, their straw stuffing blown across the ground. My stomach churned as I remembered fighting here last night.

Nobody had time to clean this area yet. All the servants were focused on the castle itself.

I walked carefully around the debris. Wounded pack members stood outside the door, waiting their turn for treatment. Some leaned against the wall, clutching bandaged arms. Others sat on the ground, their faces pale with pain.

My heart pounded as I approached the entrance. These people needed help desperately.

The smell hit me immediately as I stepped in - herbs and blood mixed together in a thick cloud. Every bed was occupied. Wounded warriors lay on the straw mattresses, some unconscious, others groaning in pain. Makeshift beds of straw covered the floor, and they were full too. People lay everywhere, wrapped in bloodstained bandages.

"Valencia?"

I spun around, and there she was. Delphine knelt beside a wounded warrior, wrapping clean cloth around his arm.

"Delphine!" I cried, rushing toward her. Her blonde hair was tied back, and her dress was stained with blood.

She dropped the bandages and stood up quickly. We threw our arms around each other, holding tight. I felt tears gathering in my eyes.

"I was so worried," I whispered against her shoulder. "I didn't know if you were alive."

"I'm here," she said, her voice shaking. "I'm okay."

But when I pulled back to look at her face, I saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my heart clenching with fear. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she sobbed. "It's not me. It's Isaiah."

My blood turned cold. "What happened to him?"

Delphine covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking. "His legs," she whispered. "The explosion... it took his legs."

"He's alive?" I asked quickly.

She nodded, still crying. "Dr. Vance saved him. But Valencia, you should see him. Both legs are gone below the knee, and his right hand is..." She couldn't finish the sentence.

"At least he's alive," I said, taking her hands in mine. "That's what matters."

"I know," Delphine whispered. "I keep telling myself that. But he was so graceful when he performed. And now..."

"He's still the same person you care about," I said firmly.

Delphine wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Tell me what happened," I said gently. "Last night in the courtyard."

Delphine took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I was watching Isaiah's performance. He was singing that song about Lancelot, the one I love. I was completely focused on him, not paying attention to anything else." She paused, her hands trembling slightly. "Then there was this huge explosion. Right in the middle of the crowd. People were screaming, crying for help. I saw..." Her voice broke. "I saw pieces of people scattered everywhere. Arms, legs, just lying on the stones."

My stomach turned. "That must have been terrifying."

"The rogues came charging through the main gate right after the explosion," Delphine continued. "Dozens of them. Our warriors started fighting, but there were so many rogues. Blood was everywhere."

"How did you find Isaiah?"

"I heard him calling for help," she said, fresh tears starting. "I looked around frantically and saw him lying on the ground near the fire pit. He was barely unconscious, and his legs..." She shuddered. "There was so much blood. I ran to him. I didn't even think about the danger. I just had to get to him." Delphine's voice grew stronger as she remembered. "I lifted him onto my back. He's not heavy, but with his injuries, it was difficult. I started walking toward the castle as fast as I could. Then the second explosion happened." Her hands shook at the memory. "It was so loud, so close. I thought we were going to die."

"But you made it inside." I took her hand to soothe her.

"Barely. I was so scared, but I couldn't leave him. The rogues were everywhere. Warriors started retreating toward the castle, fighting as they moved. Some of them helped escort the women and children to the second floor."

I squeezed her hands. "You were very brave."

"I didn't feel brave," Delphine said quietly. "I felt terrified. But I couldn't let Isaiah die."

"Where is he now?"

She gestured toward the back corner of the room. "Dr. Vance has him in the private area. He's been unconscious since the surgery, but Dr. Vance says he should wake up soon."

I looked where she pointed and saw a curtained section I hadn't noticed before.

"Can I see him?"

"Of course. But Valencia..." Delphine's voice was gentle. "Prepare yourself. He looks very different."

I nodded and followed her toward the curtained area. She pulled back the fabric, and I saw him.

Isaiah lay on a narrow bed, his face pale as death. Bandages covered his legs where they ended just below his knees. His right hand was wrapped in white cloth, and I could see it was missing fingers.

"Dr. Vance says he'll live. But his performing days are over. How can he play instruments without all his fingers?" Delphine whispered.

I didn't have an answer for that. We stood there quietly, watching him sleep.

"Delphine," I said finally. "Isaiah cares about you. I could see it in his eyes during the performance. If he loves you, he'll find a way to adapt."

She looked at me with hope in her eyes. "Do you really think so?"

"I do. Love makes people stronger than they think they can be."