Chapter 180 - Vincent And The Fire

Delaney stood for a moment, staring after Mason and Ilona as they rode away through the storm. Lightning split the sky, so loud and bright that it shook the house, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the present. She needed to know about something much more important to her than Mason's leaving.

She turned to Ian who was still next to her and grabbed his arm.

"Where is Vincent?" she asked him seriously, "Where is my husband?"

"He's alright," Ian answered quickly, "Mason gave him a quick explanation for what was going on and he agreed to stay and keep Daniel and Sophia distracted while I rode away with the Prince. When we left he was helping pour buckets of water on the flames."

Delaney felt some of the tension inside her ease as she heard he was at least out of the castle. She was also relieved to hear that Mason had told Vincent what was going on himself so that she wouldn't have to break the news. It also meant her husband would have had a chance to say goodbye. 

"You need to go back," Delaney said to her friend now, "Before they realize Mason's gone and put together what's happened. If Daniel finds out we've helped him I'm sure he'll be angry. He may love Vincent too much to punish him but you and I will have nothing to help us. Besides they will need help putting out the fire."

Ian nodded, "Alright I'll go now but you need to stay inside. Where are all the servants?"

"I won't be staying inside. And I sent the servants to the castle to help with the fire. The guards too."

Ian's mouth fell open in surprise, "What do you mean you sent the guards away? They were here to protect you while Vincent and I weren't here."

"But then the castle caught fire," Delaney countered, "So I thought it would be more important for them to help there. And at the time I was worried for my husband's safety as well as yours, Mason's, and everyone else's."

"You can't just send the guards away Delaney! What were you thinking?"

"That I would rather be alone in my own home with a very small chance of trouble than keep all those guards here and have people die in a fire that they could have helped get under control."

Ian shook his head, "Delaney..."

"You can report me to my husband if you want to Ian but I'm not arguing with you any longer. We need to get to the castle now."

"We? You're not going to the castle. You're staying here where it's safe."

"I most assuredly am going to the castle," she informed him as she took her own cloak from its place in the entryway and pulled it on, "Besides you said so yourself. I am safe when I am either with you and Vincent or with the guards. Both of those choices lead to me being at the castle."

Ian groaned loudly in annoyance, "Do you ever listen to anyone?"

Delaney smirked, "You'll have to ask my husband."

-

The few men that were left in the stable quickly saddled two of the last horses for Delaney and Ian. They rode fast through the streets as rain drenched them. It had been a long time since Delaney had ridden a horse so she had to concentrate hard on not falling. Luckily her horse seemed content to just follow Ian's so she didn't have to do much to steer it.

They rode into the courtyard of the castle and Ian was swinging down from his horse before it had even come to a stop. He grabbed the reins for Delaney's mount and helped her down, running off to help with the fire once he was finished. Her feet touched the ground and she pulled her hood off to stare at the scene in front of her.

One section of the castle was burning brightly, lighting up the area. The people running back and forth in front of the dancing flames cast strange shadows. Even with the firelight though it was too dark to make many of them out. Delaney squinted and walked towards the disaster, looking for a familiar face.

"Delaney?" a voice called over the rain and fire.

She turned and had to stop herself from shuddering when she saw the Queen. She didn't dislike Sophia but after what had happened with Ilona and Anna she couldn't trust her. This wasn't the person she was looking for anyway.

"Where is Vincent?" she asked over the loud cracking and growling of the fire and the people shouting.

"I-I haven't seen him," Sophia shook her head, soaked from the rain, and a streak of black soot across her cheek, "Come with me to the gardens. There's a building there where we'll be safe and can get dry."

"I have to find my husband," Delaney told her and hurried forward, ignoring the other woman when she called after her to come back.

When she had learned this fire was set as a distraction she had imagined it small and contained, especially with all the rain. Looking at it rage now though she realized a terrible thing had been done. She understood Mason's need to get away but he should never have endangered so many others like this. What if Daniel was hurt in the blaze? What if Vincent was?

The thought made her heart beat faster and she rushed on.

People ran all around her carrying buckets of water and something like sand that they were throwing on the flames to try to stop it. Delaney frantically tried to look at each man's face but most were now covered in ash and rain, making them muddy and all look the same.

She felt the heat of the fire making her skin grow hot on the side closest to it even with the rain beating down on her. Pulling her soaking wet cloak around her to protect her from the flames, she continued her search.

"M-my Lady, w-what are you doing here?"

Delaney turned to see the young servant boy that had taken she, Ian, and Ilona to Mason's chambers when they had first returned to court. He was drenched, blackened from helping with the fire, and if not for his difficulty speaking she wouldn't have been able to recognize him. Seeing him now though Delaney was thankful and leaned down to speak to him.

"What is your name?"

"W-William my Lady, b-but the others call me W-Will."

"Will," Delaney smiled, "I need your help. I can't find my husband. Was anyone left in the castle when the fire started to get this big?"

"I-I-I don't know," he shook his head, "I-I think s-some might have..."

"Will we have to find my husband, Lord Adair," Delaney cut him off as her fear grew, "Have you heard of him? Do you know what he looks like?"

The boy nodded quickly, "H-He has the s-s-scars!"

"Yes!" Delaney smiled, for once thankful for her husband's scars and all the attention he got because of them, "Can you help me look for him?"

The boy nodded eagerly as they were pelted with rain.

"Thank you Will. If you find him, you tell him Lady Adair is here and looking for him. You tell him to find me as fast as he can!"

"Y-yes My Lady!"

The boy turned and tore off in the direction he had come from. She watched him for a moment as he ran from man to man, slipping in the mud and nearly tripping some as he got close so he could see their faces.

Delaney turned and continued looking herself, but the world around her was a haze of heat, smoke, and moving shadows causing everything to be confusing. She frowned and raised a hand to her face to try to block the flames from flashing in her eyes and making her vision worse. The mud almost caused her to fall as she trudged through it. 

People were yelling and the sound of glass exploding from the heat cut through the air. Delaney found herself again angry with Mason as she looked at the hell around her.

Where was Vincent?

The sound of men yelling in another language made her turn and she caught sight of Ian with other pirate men she didn't recognize. He now had ash and debris all over him as he hauled buckets of water as close to the flames as he dared and tossed the water on it.

She wasn't paying attention as she watched him and a man running back for more water bumped into her and sent her sprawling in the mud. He yelled an apology over his shoulder but didn't stop and Delaney couldn't really blame him.

Her mud-caked skirts weighed her down as she fought to get back to her feet. She managed to right herself but her shoes had sunk so deep that when she moved to take a step they didn't move with her and she lost her balance, now falling backward and landing hard on her rear.

Sitting on the ground, drenched from the rain and now covered in mud, Delaney's worry for her husband was overwhelming her. She felt tears in her eyes but she knew she couldn't give up.

"Delaney?"