THE Knight's Hidden Princess
Chapter 167: Hanging On By A Single Thread

Chapter 167: Hanging On By A Single Thread

REAGAN POV

There was nothing but ashes and smoke. I watched a building that was supposed to be great reduced to nothing but rumbles along with pile of dead bodies, both women and men. The smell of burnt flesh mixed with the smell of blood which made me feel sick to my stomach, but what made it even worse was the fact that the corpses were unrecognizable. There was more corpses of female than that of men and the fact that any of them could be someone I know made me want to look for somewhere to vomit.

"My lord, I don’t think she is here!" One of the men who I had sent to go and search for people of our own came back to give me a report.

His tone carried a note of nervousness as he should. I turned around to glare at him in response, "You need to go back and look again."

The soldier looked like he wanted to say something else but he decided against it. "Alright, I’ll look at again my lord." He said instead before he disappeared back on the inside.

I continued to look around, hoping to the gods that I do not see someone that looks like her. My feet crushed on metals, burnt weapons and also burnt corpses but I looked through, my chest beating fast as I continued to walk while saying a prayer to the gods.

My father always said never to carelessly say a prayer to whatever gods might be listening because that was dangerous. It’s always a need to specify the name of the god you are praying to. But as of right now, I could care less about any of those rules, I was praying to whatever gods was listening and I do not care if it was any of the old gods, the forgotten ones, or the ones whose names were forbidden to whisper. If they were listening, or if anyone of them cared to from whatever void they were, all I ask was just one thing.

That she should be alive!

A thick lump blocked my breathing as I continued to look around, my boots crunching on the remains of the explosions that had happened. Twisted bodies laid all around me and it was clear that the women had not gone down without a fight. Some clutched their weapons, some were twisted in a way that says they died in apparent pains.

I caught sight of a pregnant woman whose head was under a giant rumble, her hands and feet were black from the ashes and bruises covered them. I didn’t think twice before I ran forward and I began to heave the stones that she was buried under.

Please, don’t let it be her, please don’t let it be her, please don’t let it be....

I gasped as I continued to lift the stones away not wanting it to be what I was thinking. I honestly don’t know what I would do if it turned out to be the one person I can’t bring myself to just say her name.

"Reagan!"

I heard Killian’s voice but I still didn’t stop. Within few seconds, Killian was right next to me, helping to pick up the stones. Soon enough the both of us cleared the rubbles and immediately I saw it, I turned to the side and vomited, heaving out liquid instead because I couldn’t bring myself to stomach anything.

But now the sight in front of me, I just couldn’t hold it back anymore.

"This wasn’t a battle, it was a massacre!" Killian breathed out.

I stood up, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. I turned to look back at him, "You are right, for some reason they were sent here to kill her and they do not care who gets in their way!"

"Reagan." This time around it was Nikolai.

I turned to see Nikolai coming towards me along with some men who trailed after him. There was a solemn expression on his face and the rest of the guards could not even look at my face and instead kept their gazes elsewhere.

Drawing in a deep breath, I turned to look at Nikolai. "What is it?" I demanded even though I already knew the answer to it.

Nikolai didn’t bother to say much to me. "I’m sorry."

I nodded my head then look away, "Search again."

"Reagan, I..."

"Search again!" I commanded them.

I heard Nikolai released a loud sigh, "Reagan, it’s almost night time, she isn’t here." He said and he paused again before he spoke again. "Look, maybe she escaped along with Ivana and Heather."

Right, that has to be a possibility! I thought to myself mad at myself for thinking something happened to her. Nothing could have happened to her, she was my strong warrior, a good fighter too. So if there was anyone who could take care of the draumheimiers, it was going to be her.

I can’t believe I didn’t think of that in the first place! I thought to myself while heaving out a sigh of relief as I felt myself clinging to this small shred of hope as though it was the only thing that was making me stand upright instead of going to a corner and hitting the wall already.

Perhaps Nikolai was right, maybe she was safe and escaped with Heather and Ivana. Maybe she already had escaped somewhere probably waiting for me to save her.

I was so stupid as to not to think of that!

Nodding my head, my hand moved to the hilt of my sword. "You are right, we need to spread out and go and look for her before it becomes dark completely."

"We could actually use some rest, but on a second thought looking for lady Dahlia is the best idea right now." One of the soldiers mumbled, avoiding my gaze as he walked by but he grunted when Nikolai smacked him on his head.

"We are going to find her." Killian said coming to clasp me on my shoulder, "Dahlia is quite strong, I don’t think there’s anyone who can take down that woman, she’s out there somewhere." His grip on my shoulder was firm and grounding.

I nodded my head at him while shooting him a small smile appreciating his comfort. "Thank you." I whispered.

Killian smirk back, "Anytime brother." He said before he turned to look at the men, "Alright lads, let’s go! Fan out, two by two and look for anything."

"Clothes, tracks, footprints, anything that might lead us to where the lady of the house is. "Nikolai added.

"And when you see the draumheimiers...." I chirped in my voice cold and emotionless, "Don’t engage and inform me instead." I was going to be handling them myself and so help me if I find out they did anything to my wife, I’ll be killing them all!

"Alright, let’s go!"

***

It was already midnight and there was still no sign of Dahlia. With each movement, I could feel the hope that I had already slipping away. Every single hour we had spent had caused the forest to become steadily darker and colder and my hands had lost all feelings in them but I still maintained a fir, grip on my sword. The sound of broken twigs and sounds of footsteps did nothing to ease my anxiety. There was still no sign of Dahlia and we were running out of time already.

My men seemed to have given up, not because they wanted to but because they couldn’t find nature. We’ve been on the road for almost a week and I had demanded the search for Dahlia afterwards, they needed the rest and I couldn’t fault them for it. But I couldn’t give up now, I was still going to continue my search and I do not care if I have to turn the whole forest down afterwards.

I felt Nikolai’s presence behind me. I heard him walk up to me cautiously as though sensing that any l sensed any loud noise could break the remaining thread of my composure. He didn’t speak at first, just stood right next to me while the silence expanded between us.

"Reagan..." He finally spoke.

"Please." I said as I drew in a deep breath, "I can’t bear to hear that from you, not right now at least."

Nikolai entered the hospital room cautiously because he sensed that a loud noise could break the remaining thread of my composure. He didn’t speak at first. He simply remained near me while silence expanded between us.

Nikolai nodded his head as he heaved out a sigh, "Alright." He said instead, "But perhaps maybe you should get some rest, the gods know we need it."

"If Dahlia is out there, do you think she’s getting some rest wherever she is?" I asked him not bothering to turn around to look at him, "She’s probably hidden somewhere scared out of her mind and you are asking me to get some rest?"

Nikolai didn’t bother to say anything else after that. He just stood right next to me, offering his silent comfort when all of a sudden there were yells and lots of screaming.

I whirled around only to see Killian approaching with some of the men and they were escorting someone and not just anyone.

Heather!