The Princess's Revenge Chapter 87

Valencia’s POV

Her hand froze for just a second, then continued. "He's... alive."

"That doesn't sound good."

She set down the brush and picked up a different pot, not meeting my eyes. "His legs are gone, Valencia. Both of them. Blown off at the knees. And his right hand..." Her voice cracked. "Dr. Vance managed to save his left hand, but his right is just... gone."

"Oh, Delphine." My chest tightened. I remembered her telling me about his injuries before, the pain in her voice ached me.

"He can't play anymore." Tears gathered in her eyes. "The lute, the drums, the flute. Music was his entire life."

"Where is he now?"

"In the village below. There's an abandoned house near the old mill." She dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve, careful not to smudge the cosmetics on her fingers. "I tried to convince him to stay in the castle. We have rooms, beds, proper care. But he refused."

"Why?"

"He said he didn't want to be a burden. Said he'd rather die than live as a cripple in a castle full of people." Her voice broke completely. "Valencia, I think he wants to die. Really wants to."

I grabbed her hand. "No. Don't think like that."

"You didn't see his eyes. They're empty. Like someone blew out a candle and there's just... nothing." She pulled her hand away and fumbled with the cosmetics, dropping the kohl stick. "Every day I bring him food. Every day he's thinner. He barely eats. Just sits there staring at the wall."

"Does he talk to you?"

"Sometimes. Mostly to tell me to leave him alone." She picked up the stick with shaking hands. "Yesterday he said 'Let me go, Delphine. There's nothing left for me.'"

"That's not true. He has you."

"I'm not enough!" She set down the stick hard, making the other pots rattle. "I told him I cared about him. Told him we could find a way for him to make music again. Maybe he could teach others, or write songs, or... something. Anything."

"He just laughed. This bitter, horrible laugh. Said 'Who wants to learn music from a cripple who can't even play?'" She covered her face with her hands. "I don't know what to do. I'm so scared I'll go there one day and find him..."

"No." I grabbed her hands, pulling them away from her face. "Don't say that."

"Yesterday, I found a knife under his pillow. When I tried to take it, he screamed at me. Said I had no right to force him to live like this." She was sobbing now.

I pulled her into my arms, not caring about the makeup. "He won't. You won't let him."

"How can I stop him? I can't watch him every second. I have to work here, I have duties." She clung to me, her whole body shaking. "I love him, Valencia. I've loved him so much."

"Does he know?"

"I tried to tell him. After Dr. Vance saved him. But he just turned his face to the wall and said I was wasting my love on a corpse."

"He's in pain. Physical and emotional. He doesn't mean it."

"But what if he does?" She pulled back, her face streaked with tears and white powder. "What if he really has given up?"

I stood up and took her hands. "Listen to me. We're going to help him."

"How? He won't even—"

"We bring him to the castle," I said firmly. "That way we can take better care of him."

"I has mentioned it... he won’t agree..."

"It's up to you to convince him." I squeezed her hands. "Then we'll build him a chair with wheels. I've seen them before, in Alpha Marcus’s pack. He'll be able to move around on his own."

"A chair with wheels?" Delphine looked confused.

"Yes! The blacksmith can make the metal parts, and the carpenter can build the seat. Isaiah will have his freedom back."

"But even if he can move, what will he do? He was a minstrel. That's all he knows."

"We'll find him new work," I said. "Something he can do sitting down. Maybe helping Dr. Vance with inventory, or working in the library. Just because his leg doesn't work doesn't mean his mind and arms don't."

"You really think that would help?"

"I know it would. He needs purpose, Delphine. He needs to feel useful again. Once he sees he's not helpless, he'll start fighting again."

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "What if he still won't try?"

I smiled and wiped the tears from her cheeks gently. "Then you'll be there. Every day. Showing him that love doesn't care about broken legs. Love is stronger than that."

"Love is stronger," she repeated, her voice barely a whisper.

"Love conquers everything, Delphine. Even despair. Even fear. You just have to keep believing in it."

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks, but she was smiling now. "How did you become so wise?"

"I'm not wise. I just know what it's like to feel worthless. And I know what it's like when someone believes in you anyway."

She hugged me suddenly, tight and desperate. "Thank you, Valencia. Thank you so much."

"Save the thanks for when Isaiah is up and moving in his new chair," I said, hugging her back.

She pulled away and looked at my face. "Oh no! I ruined your makeup!"

"It's fine. We have time."

She grabbed a cloth and carefully cleaned my face, reapplying the white powder. Her hands were steadier now.

"I'll talk to Gareth tomorrow," she said as she worked. "About the chair."

"Proud of you." I smiled.

She picked up the lip color again. "Now hold still. And don't talk while I do this."

I sat quietly as she painted my lips with the red paste. It tasted slightly sweet, like honey mixed with berries.

"There," she said. "Now for your eyes."

She took the kohl and carefully lined my eyes, making them look larger and more defined. Then she used a bit of the pearl powder on my cheekbones and brow bones.

"Almost done," she said, stepping back to look at me. Her eyes suddenly went wide. "Valencia..."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Your eyes. They're... they're incredible."

"What do you mean?"

"The kohl makes the purple color even more striking. They're like... like amethysts in moonlight." She shook her head in amazement. "I've never seen eyes that color before. They're beautiful."

"You're just saying that."

"No! Go look!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the mirror.

I walked slowly to the polished metal surface, nervous about what I'd see. When I finally looked, I gasped.

The girl in the mirror didn't look like me. Her skin was perfectly pale and smooth. Her lips were the color of fresh blood against the white. The kohl made her purple eyes look huge and mysterious. She looked... noble. Beautiful.

"That's... that's me?" I whispered.

"That's you," Delphine said, grinning. "You're gorgeous, Valencia."

I touched my face carefully, afraid I might smudge something.

"You look like a Luna."

The word made my stomach clench. Right. The ceremony. In just a few hours, I'd have to face the entire pack looking like this. What if the captain really did cause trouble? What if he challenged me in front of everyone?

"Valencia?" Delphine noticed my expression. "What's wrong?"

"I'm scared," I admitted. "The captain. I’m afraid that he'd make trouble at the ceremony tonight. What if he turns everyone against me?"

"Then you'll handle it."

"How? I can't fight him in front of the whole pack!"

"You won't have to fight." Delphine turned me away from the mirror to face her. "You'll have Alpha Logan beside you. You think he'll let anyone disrespect his Luna?"

"But what if the pack agrees with the captain? "

"Some might think that at first," Delphine said honestly. "But they'll see the truth soon enough."

"What...truth?"

"That you're brave. That you care about people. That you risked everything to save Maya and the others from that workshop." She smiled. "That's the kind of Luna the pack needs."

"I don't feel brave. I feel terrified."

"Being brave doesn't mean not feeling scared. It means doing what's right even when you're terrified."

"When did you become so wise?" I asked, echoing her earlier question.

"I learned from you," she said simply.

A knock at the door made us both jump.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened and Thomas entered, carrying a beautiful red silk bliaut. The fabric seemed to glow in the afternoon light.

"From Aldric," he said, laying it carefully on the bed. "He said this was the finest he had."

"It's perfect," I breathed. The dress was even more beautiful than the blue one.

"Thank you, Thomas."

He nodded and left quickly.

Delphine picked up the dress, examining it. "This is incredible work. Look at these embroidered edges."

"Will you help me put it on?"

"Of course."

I removed the torn blue dress and Delphine helped me into the red silk. It fit perfectly, flowing down to my ankles in elegant folds. The color made my skin look even paler.

"How do I look?" I asked.

"Like a queen," Delphine said. "No one will dare challenge you looking like this."

I wished I had her confidence. But looking at myself in this dress, with this makeup, I did feel different. Stronger somehow. Like maybe I could actually do this.

"Thank you, Delphine. For everything."

"Just remember to breathe tonight," she said. "And remember that you've already proven yourself. You saved people. That matters more than any ceremony."