The Princess's Revenge Chapter 83

Valencia’s POV

My heart hammered against my ribs. Three paralysis darts left. No dagger. I looked at their terrified faces. I'd just promised to protect them. I had to keep that promise, no matter what.

My hands shook as I reached for the door handle.

"Valencia, don't," Echo whispered behind me.

But I was already pulling it open.

A broad-shouldered middle-aged man stood in the doorway, his thick beard streaked with gray. Three warriors flanked him. My stomach dropped when I recognized one of them - the guard I'd paralyzed at the workshop. His face was red with rage, eyes blazing with hatred.

"You fucking bitch!" the guard screamed, pointing at me. "That's her! The slave who attacked me!"

The bearded man - clearly their captain - raised his hand slightly. The guard fell silent immediately, though his whole body trembled with barely contained fury.

The captain's cold eyes moved up and down my body, taking in the blue silk dress. His expression didn't change much, but I saw it - that flash of disdain in his eyes. Like I was something disgusting he'd stepped in.

My hands clenched into fists.

"Look at her!" The guard couldn't stay quiet. "She's wearing a stolen bliaut! She’s a fucking cunt."

"Fuck you, I didn't steal anything."

"Bullshit! You think we're stupid? A slave in silk?" He stepped forward, but the captain's arm blocked him. "Let me strip her right here, Captain. Show everyone what she really is!"

"The dress was given to me by Alpha Logan," I said coldly.

The guard laughed, an ugly sound. "Alpha Logan? You expect us to believe that?"

"It's true!" Echo spoke up beside me, her voice shaking. "Alpha Logan let me take this from Aldric this morning."

"Another lying slave," one of the other warriors said. "Probably in on whatever scheme this is."

"I'm telling the truth," I said. "Alpha Logan himself—"

"The Alpha doesn't dress up slaves," the guard spat. "I'm going to rip that dress off you and drag you through the courtyard naked. Show everyone what happens to thieves."

The captain still hadn't spoken. He just watched, those cold eyes never leaving my face. The silence stretched on, making my skin crawl.

Finally, he spoke. "You're Valencia?"

My heart skipped. He knew my name? Maybe there was hope. Echo had said everyone knew about the Luna ceremony tonight. Maybe he'd show some respect, or at least caution.

"Yes," I said. "I'm Valencia."

A slow, cruel smile spread across his face. "The Alpha's whore."

The words hit me like a slap. Behind him, the warriors laughed.

"Here's what's going to happen," the captain continued, his voice casual. "You're going to hand over those servants you stole from the workshop. Then you're going to get on your knees and use that pretty mouth for something useful. Do that, and maybe I won't report this to anyone who matters."

The warriors laughed harder. One of them grabbed his crotch suggestively.

Rage boiled in my chest. My hand moved toward my sleeve where the darts were hidden.

"She's going for a weapon!" the guard shouted. "Captain, watch out! She has some kind of poison darts!"

Fuck. That guard was going to ruin everything. I wanted to tear him apart. My fingers touched the dart through the fabric.

"Don't even think about it," the captain said, his hand moving to his sword. "Whatever toy you're hiding won't help you against four armed warriors."

"It's not a toy," I said through gritted teeth.

"Captain, she paralyzed me with it!" the guard said frantically.

"Shut up," the captain said without looking at him. The guard's mouth snapped closed. The captain's eyes never left mine. "You really think you can fight us, little slave?"

"I think you should leave," I said. "Before Alpha Logan hears about this."

"The Alpha?" The captain laughed. "You keep throwing his name around like it means something. But here's the truth - the Alpha's not here. And when he finds out his whore attacked a guard and stole servants from their posts, who do you think he'll believe? You or four loyal warriors?"

The other warriors laughed. One of them made disgusting gestures with his hands.

"I'm going to enjoy this," the captain said, taking a step forward. "Been a while since we had fresh entertainment."

"Don't you dare touch her!" Echo stepped forward.

The captain's eyes shifted to her with annoyance. Without warning, he drew his sword and slashed at Echo. The blade caught her left arm, slicing deep through fabric and skin. Blood immediately began soaking through her sleeve.

"ECHO!" I screamed, lunging toward her.

Echo cried out in pain, falling to her knees and clutching her wounded arm. Blood seeped between her fingers as she looked up at me with tears streaming down her face.

"Please," she sobbed, "don't hurt her! She was just trying to help!"

My heart shattered seeing her pain. The panic hit me like a physical blow. "You bastard!" I started toward the captain, but two warriors rushed me from both sides.

I reached for my paralysis darts, but one of them grabbed my wrist while the other swung his sword hilt toward my head. Pain exploded across my temple. Stars burst behind my eyes as I stumbled.

The second warrior's hilt caught me in the ribs. I gasped, doubling over as agony shot through my side. Before I could recover, they grabbed my arms and forced me to my knees.

"Hold her still," the workshop guard said, appearing with a coil of rope.

They yanked my arms behind my back. The rope bit into my wrists as he wrapped it around them, pulling it so tight I could feel my fingers starting to tingle. He bound my arms from wrists to elbows, making sure I couldn't move at all.

"Perfect," the guard laughed, shoving me forward so I fell onto my knees.

Echo was still on the ground beside me, her face pale with pain and terror. "Please," she kept saying through her tears, "please don't hurt her anymore."

The workshop guard walked around to face me, a disgusting smile spreading across his face. "You know what? You're actually pretty attractive for a slave."

My stomach lurched as he reached down and grabbed his dick through breeches. "Maybe I should have some fun with you before we drag you to the dungeons."

"Fuck off, you asshole." I spat.

"Am I?" He moved closer, until he was standing right in front of me. "You think wearing that fancy dress makes you special? You're still just a slave whore."

He pressed his dick against my face, rubbing his crotch against my cheek. The humiliation burned through me like acid.

"I’m gonna fucking kill you!" I growled and tried to pull away, but the ropes held me in place. "Get the fuck away from me!"

Something deep inside me began to stir. A similar power that started in my chest and spread outward.

But he just laughed, pressing harder against my face. "Soon you'll be begging for this, you little—"

"CAPTAIN!" one of the warriors shouted from the room. "We found them!"

No, no, NO! The scream tore through my mind. I had to stop them. Rage exploded in my chest as I slammed my head forward into the guard's crotch with all my strength.

"AHHHHH!" He screamed, stumbling backward and clutching himself. "You fucking bitch!"

I struggled to my feet, the ropes cutting deeper into my arms. I had to get to that room. Had to protect them.

"Where do you think you're going?" The guard grabbed my hair, yanking me back so hard tears sprang to my eyes.

SLAP!

His palm cracked across my face. The world spun. Before I could recover, his fist drove into my stomach.

Pain exploded through my abdomen. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. My legs gave out and I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.

"You want to play rough?" He pressed me down, his weight crushing me against the cold stone. His face twisted with rage, spit flying as he screamed. "I'm going to fuck you until you can't walk! Until you're begging me to stop!"

From the room, Maya's scream pierced the air. Then Finn's cry of pain. Furniture crashed. Something heavy hit the wall.

Humiliation burned through me like acid. They were hurting them. The people I'd promised to protect. The guard got his breeches open. "Let's see how tough you are with my cock in your mouth.""

Another crash from the room. Greta's voice, pleading. "Please! We'll go back! Just don't hurt us anymore!"

The captain appeared in the doorway, dragging Maya by her hair. She screamed, her hands clawing at his grip. Behind him, the two warriors had Finn and Greta, pulling them along by their hair too.

"No!" Greta sobbed. "Please! Valencia said we could leave! She said we were free!"

"Valencia?" The captain laughed, dragging Greta past where I lay pinned. "You mean this worthless slave? She can't even save herself."

Greta's eyes met mine. The look on her face... regret, disappointment, fear. Like she'd been stupid to trust me. To believe I could actually help them.

"I'll teach you what happens to slave whores who think they're special." Guard’s hands went to his breeches, fumbling with the laces.

I promised them. I promised I'd protect them.

Something deep inside me snapped. The rage wasn't just anger anymore. It was something that had been sleeping. Power flooded through my body.

The ropes around my arms might as well have been paper. They tore apart as I flexed, the sound of snapping fibers loud in the corridor.

The guard on top of me froze. "WHAT THE FUCK."

My hand shot up, grabbed his exposed dick and squeezed.

The sound he made wasn't human. It was pure agony as I crushed everything in my grip. Blood exploded between my fingers, hot and sticky.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" His scream echoed off the walls as he rolled off me, curling into a ball. Blood pooled beneath him, spreading across the stone floor.

I stood up slowly. My body felt different. Stronger. My fingers... they weren't fingers anymore. They were claws. Black and sharp as daggers. My teeth had lengthened into fangs.

The captain had stopped dragging Maya. He stared at me, his face pale. "What are you?"

"I'm your future Luna," I said, my voice deeper. More growl than words. "Let them go."

The two warriors dropped Finn and Greta, reaching for their swords. The captain still held Maya's hair, but his grip had loosened.

"If you take them back to that workshop," I said, walking toward him slowly, "when I officially become Luna tonight, I'll cut off your legs myself. Both of them. At the knees."

"Then I'll drag you to that workshop. Make you work there. Every day. Breathing those fumes. Your skin burning from the lye. Your lungs filling with poison. Until you die. Painfully. Begging for death."