The Princess's Revenge Chapter 84

Valencia’s POV

The captain's grip on Maya's hair loosened slightly. His eyes flickered between my claws and my face. Fear flashed in the his eyes.

He cursed at the guard behind me. "You fucking idiot! How did those ropes come loose? "

"I did tie them tight, Captain!" The guard's voice was high with pain and panic. "She's... she's not normal!"

The captain drew his sword, the metal singing as it left the sheath. "You're just a useless monster!" He swung the blade at me, roaring. "You can't even shift properly! Freak!"

Everything slowed down.

The sword moved through the air like it was cutting through honey. I could see every detail - the way the captain's muscles tensed, the slight tremor in his grip, even the individual scratches on the blade.

Power surged through my body. This feeling... I knew this feeling. It was the same as when I'd killed Landon.

I raised my hand and caught the blade.

The captain's eyes went wide. "What—"

I squeezed. The metal crumpled in my grip like paper. Pieces of the sword fell to the floor with sharp clinks.

"Impossible," one of the warriors whispered.

The captain stumbled backward, staring at the broken hilt in his hand.

"Get out," I growled. My voice didn't sound like mine anymore. "NOW."

"You can't—" the captain started.

"GET OUT!" The roar that came from my throat made everyone flinch. "If you have a problem with this, challenge me at the Luna ceremony tonight. But know this - you'll face consequences."

The captain's face went through several emotions. Anger first, his jaw clenching. Then confusion as he looked at my claws again. Finally, fear settled in and stayed.

I could feel it. Actually feel his emotions shifting. The anger draining away like water from a broken cup. Fear filling up the empty space. His face turned an ugly shade of gray.

He was trying something. I could sense it - pressure building in the air around him. It hit me and... nothing. Like a breeze against a mountain. His dominance was pathetic.

His face went from gray to white. We stood there, staring at each other. Five seconds. Ten. His whole body started shaking.

Then he broke.

"We're leaving," he said quickly, his voice cracking. "Hendricks! Forrest! Grover! We're going."

The two warriors dropped Finn and Greta immediately. They backed toward their captain, hands on their sword hilts but not drawing them.

"This isn't over," the captain said, but his voice had no strength in it.

"Yes, it is," I said.

They turned and left. Not walking. Running. Their boots echoed down the corridor as they fled.

Behind me, the guard was trying to crawl away. Blood pooled beneath him, leaving a red trail on the stone floor. He looked back at me, and the terror in his eyes made him look like a frightened child.

"Monster," he whispered, his face ghostly pale. He tried to stand, stumbled, caught himself on the wall. "You're a fucking monster."

He limped away, one hand pressed to his crotch, the other using the wall for support.

When they were gone, the strength drained out of me. My claws shortened back to normal fingers. My fangs receded.

I dropped to my knees beside Echo. "Let me see your arm." I said, gently pulling Echo's hand away from the wound.

Blood soaked through her sleeve, spreading in a dark stain. The fabric was torn where the blade had cut through. My hands shook as I carefully rolled up her sleeve.

"It hurts," Echo whimpered, tears streaming down her face.

The cut ran from her elbow to halfway down her forearm. Not too deep, thank god, but it was bleeding steadily. I ripped a strip from the bottom of my silk dress.

"Valencia, no!" Echo gasped. "Your dress!"

"It's just fabric." I wrapped the silk around her arm, applying pressure. "This is more important."

Maya crawled over to us, her damaged hands trembling. "Is she going to be okay?"

"She needs proper treatment," I said, tying off the makeshift bandage. "Dr. Vance will know what to do."

Finn sat against the wall, his thin frame shaking. "That was... what you did... how did you..."

"I don't know," I said honestly. "It just happened."

"Your claws," Finn said, his voice barely above a whisper. "They weren't like wolf claws. They were different. Longer. Black like obsidian."

Echo nodded, wincing as she moved. "And your teeth. They weren't wolf fangs either. They were... I don't know how to describe them."

"Your eyes," Echo continued, her voice trembling. "Valencia, your eyes changed."

"What do you mean?" My heart started racing.

"They weren't purple anymore," she said. "They turned gold. But not like wolf eyes. They had... slits."

"Slits?" I repeated, confused.

"Like a cat's," Finn said. "But bigger. And the gold... it wasn't normal gold. It was like looking at molten metal. There were these flecks of red in them, like embers."

"They looked like..." Echo hesitated, then whispered, "Dragon eyes. I saw a drawing once, in an old book. Dragon eyes look exactly like that."

I stared at them, my mind reeling. "That's impossible..."

My hands started shaking. Dragon eyes? That couldn't be right. Dragons didn't exist anymore. They'd been gone for centuries...

"Maybe we were seeing things," Maya said, but she didn't sound convinced. "The stress, the fear..."

"We all saw the same thing," Finn said. "That's not stress."

"You saved us," Maya said quietly. "Whatever you are, you saved us. Again."

"Barely," Greta muttered from the corner. "Look where it got us. Those guards will come back. They'll punish all of us."

"They won't," I said, trying to push down my own fear about what they'd described.

"How can you be sure?" Greta's voice was bitter. "You heard what the captain said. He'll make trouble at the ceremony tonight."

"Then I'll deal with it."

Greta laughed. "Deal with it? You're still wearing a collar. You think breaking one sword changes anything?"

"Greta," Finn said warningly.

"No, she's right to be worried," I said. "This situation is worse now."

"Worse?" Greta stood up, her voice rising. "We should have stayed in the workshop. At least there we knew what to expect."

"You were dying there!" Maya said.

"We're all going to die anyway," Greta shot back. "At least there it would have been slow. Now those guards will make it quick and painful."

"Stop being such a coward," Maya said, her voice sharp.

"Coward?" Greta's face flushed. "I'm being realistic. Valencia can't protect us. She couldn't even stop them from hurting Echo."

Echo made a small sound of distress. I squeezed her shoulder gently.

"That's not fair," Finn said. "Valencia fought four armed guards for us."

"And look how that turned out," Greta said. "They know where we sleep. You think they'll just forget about this?"

"So what do you suggest?" Maya asked coldly. "Go crawling back to the workshop?"

"Maybe that's exactly what I should do."

"Then go," Maya said. "No one's stopping you."

Greta's face went pale.

Maya struggled to her feet, swaying slightly. "You want to go back to that hell? Fine. But don't drag the rest of us with you."

"Maya," I said softly.

"No, Valencia. I'm tired of this." Maya turned to Greta. "We finally have a chance at something better, and all you can do is complain."

"Something better?" Greta laughed bitterly. "We're marked now. Those guards will make our lives worse than before."

"Then why did you come with us?" Finn asked.

Greta didn't answer. She just stood there, her shoulders slumped.

I stayed silent. The guilt was crushing me. And now this thing about dragon eyes... what was happening to me?

"I'm going back," Greta said finally.

"What?" Finn looked shocked.

"I'm going back to the workshop. Maybe if I beg, they'll let me work there again."

"You can't be serious," Maya said.

"Watch me." Greta headed for the door.

"Greta, wait," I said.

She stopped but didn't turn around. "What?"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better. I'm sorry things got complicated."

She turned then, and I saw tears in her eyes. "Sorry doesn't fix anything."

"I know."

She stared at me for a long moment, then shook her head and left.

The room was silent after she gone. Maya sank back onto the bed, her face gray with exhaustion. Finn just stared at the floor.

"She'll be back," Maya said, but she didn't sound convinced.

"Maybe," I said. I helped Echo stand up. "I need to get Echo to the stone house."

"We understand," Finn said. "We'll be here."

"Do you need anything? Food? Water?"

"No appetite," Maya said. "Just tired."

"Same," Finn added.

"Rest then," I said. "Lock the door after we leave. Don't open it for anyone except me or Echo."

Maya nodded. "Be careful, Valencia."

"Thank you," Finn said quietly. "For everything. Even if... even if it gets worse, at least we had a moment of hope."

My throat felt tight. "This isn't over. I meant what I said. I'll find a way to protect you."

"We know," Maya said. "We believe you."

Echo and I left the room. I heard the lock click behind us. The corridor was empty, but I stayed alert, watching for any guards.

The sun was directly overhead now, beating down through the windows. It had to be noon. The ceremony was getting closer.

"I'm sorry," Echo said as we walked.

"For what?"

"For being a burden."

"Stop that," I said. "You got hurt defending me. If anyone should apologize, it's me."

"But now I can't help you prepare for tonight," she said, fresh tears falling. "I was supposed to do your makeup. Make you beautiful for the ceremony."

"Echo, I don't care about makeup."

"But you should look perfect. You're going to be Luna. Everyone will be watching."

"Then they'll see me as I am," I said. "Makeup won't change their opinions anyway."

She looked miserable. "I wanted to help you. To repay you for saving Maya."

"You don't owe me anything."

"But—"

"No buts. Let's just focus on getting your arm treated."

We reached the stone house. It was quieter than usual, only a few servants moving between the beds.

Dr. Vance was sitting with Delphine near the herb preparation area. She was crying, her shoulders shaking. He had his hand on her shoulder, speaking softly.

"What's wrong?" I asked, hurrying over.

Delphine looked up, quickly wiping her eyes. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"You're crying," I said. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," she said again, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Dr. Vance sighed heavily but didn't elaborate. The look he gave me said not to push. My stomach clenched.

"I should get back to work," Delphine said, standing up. She walked to the work area without looking at me.

"Dr. Vance," I said. "Echo's been injured. The captain of the pack guard cut her arm."

His eyes widened. "The captain did this?"

"It's a long story," I said. "Can you help her?"

"Of course. Come here, child." He led Echo to one of the treatment tables. "Let me see."

He unwrapped my makeshift bandage carefully. Echo winced as the silk pulled away from the wound.

"Not too deep," he said. "But it needs cleaning and proper stitches. This will hurt."

Echo nodded, biting her lip.

I left them and walked to the work area where Delphine was cleaning medical instruments in a basin of hot water. Her movements were mechanical, her face blank.

"Delphine," I said softly.

She didn't look up. "How are you, Valencia? Ready for tonight?"

"What happened?" I asked. "Please tell me."

"Nothing happened."

"You were crying."

"People cry sometimes." She picked up a scalpel, scrubbing it harder than necessary.