Chapter 246 - It's In His Blood

Delaney paced back and forth in her old bedroom waiting for the time to pass.  She was still dressed and had sent Ms. Bird away saying she wanted to be alone.  The maid didn't look happy to hear it but accepted her mistress's words and left.

Once the maid was gone, Delaney had sat down in front of the door to the room and listened hard for her husband.  It took a long time but eventually, she heard the sound of him walking towards their bedroom.

He came to a stop in front of Delaney's door and she longed to throw it open and run into his arms.  She knew she couldn't though.  She had a plan and she had to stick to it.  So instead she sat and listened as her heart ached and tears slipped over her cheeks.  After a long while, he continued on to their bedroom and quietly closed the door behind him.

Now she was pacing.  She didn't want to sneak out while he was still awake and chance him catching her.  She was already ready in her boots and cloak though.  Vincent always left a long blade in the drawer of the table on his side of the bed.  Knowing she was going into the woods alone, Delaney had stolen it earlier and it was now tucked in the folds of her skirt in case she needed it.  If he caught her later and was angry at least she could tell him she hadn't gone into the woods completely empty-handed.

With every passing minute, she was growing more and more anxious to leave.  At last, she couldn't stand it any longer.  Blowing out the candles around her room, she pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head and eased open the door, sliding out into the hallway.

It was dark and quiet and felt like even the slightest cough would echo through the empty stone hall.  There were still a few candles burning here and there to light the way until a servant came later to put them out.  Wanting to use the darkness as extra cover, Delaney blew them all out as she went.

The entryway to the manor was empty with all of the guards being outside.  She went down the stairs on light feet and out the door without being seen by anyone.  Outside she rushed through the dew-covered grass and the cool spring air towards the stables.

When she stepped inside she smelled the horses and fresh hay and smiled.  There was something comforting about a stable.  She looked around for one of their men and was beginning to get worried when she didn't find one right away.  When she walked towards their bunks in the back though she found a few up playing cards.

"Excuse me," she said stepping up to them.

The men looked up and, realizing it was the duchess, quickly jumped to their feet.  They looked startled but then their expressions quickly turned wary and Delaney couldn't blame them.  Out of all the people that worked for her husband she had made the most trouble for the men who worked in their stables.  She had definitely put them on Vincent's bad side several times.

She felt guilty because this time really wasn't going to be any different.

"Good evening my lady," one of the older men spoke up, "Can we help you with anything?"

"You can," Delaney gave them her prettiest smile, "I need Frost saddled."

Their faces reverted back to expressions of surprise.

"Are-Are you sure you mean Frost, my Lady?  That's the half-unicorn."

"I am very sure that's who I mean," she continued to smile, "Please have him saddled and brought around for me."

The men looked at each other uneasily.

"I'm sorry but Lord Adair has been very clear with us that no one is to ride Frost except him.  He would be quite angry if we went against his wishes.  Especially since it would mean we would be putting you in danger, my Lady."

Delaney took a deep breath, "My husband has given me permission to ride the beast.  He would come here to tell you himself except he's in terrible pain this evening from the dragon poison.  Now please go saddle Frost."

"Lady Adair I don't mean to be any trouble for you but we just can't go against Lord Adair's word.  He would be very angry with us."

Delaney narrowed her eyes on the man, "I am the Duchess of Edgewood.  I am giving you an order."

None of the men moved.  They all looked nervously from one another and back to her.  At last, Delaney sighed.  Lying wasn't working so she was going to have to try this another way.  Whatever got the half-unicorn saddled and her on her way.

"I assume I can trust all of you with some information that you will keep to yourselves?"

The men nodded and agreed.

"Very well," Delaney took a deep breath, "I'm not able to have a child.  In the forest, there's a place with something that can help me but only a unicorn can find it.  I have to take Frost into the woods so he can take me to it.  If not... well if not my marriage contract will come to an end."

The men looked dumbfounded by this. 

"Your marriage will really be dissolved?  Even after all this time?"

Delaney dropped her eyes now, feeling suddenly exposed.

"Yes," she said quietly, "I will have to return to my Aunt and Uncle's home.  I won't be able to stay with my husband."

She saw pity in the eyes watching her when she glanced up and it made her cheeks redden.  It felt embarrassing to know they were feeling sorry for her, a duchess.  She felt humiliated that they now knew such an intimate truth about her.  She couldn't look at them.  It made her feel so small.

"Do you have something to protect yourself with my lady?  In the woods?"

Delaney's eyes went wide as she looked at the lead man hopefully.

"I do," she revealed her blade to them, "And my husband has taught me how to use it."

The man nodded but still looked unsure.

"I think I'm more worried about what Frost might do to you than anything out in those woods."

A small smile curved Delaney's rosy lips.

"Frost has become fond of me.  Even Vincent says so.  I think... I think if I take him into the woods and I let him go where he wants then he will behave."

One of the younger men looked at her curiously, "And he really knows where to go?  He knows how to take you to your special place?"

"He does," Delaney truly smiled now, "It's in his blood."

-

Likely against their better judgment, the men saddled Frost.  It took three of them to do so.  The beast snorted and kicked as they tried to work with him and Delaney felt her stomach begin to turn in knots.  Vincent would be so angry if she let something happen to herself.

They led the half-unicorn outside and the Duchess moved to stand in front of him.  She said hello and fed him some sugar cubes one of the men had handed her.  The beast seemed to settle just a bit as his mistress spoke to him.  While the men steadied him, another laced his fingers together for Delaney to step into and helped her up on top of her mount.

"Thank you," she said to them sincerely, "I owe you all so much."

"The only payment we want my Lady is for you to get back here quickly and unharmed so the Duke doesn't kill us all."

Delaney laughed until she looked down at them and realized they weren't joking.

"I'll be safe," she promised them seriously, "And I'll hurry."

With one last nod towards them, Delaney nudged Frost forward.  She gasped and held on tight when the half-unicorn suddenly rose up on his back legs with his front legs stretching into the open air.  The men lunged towards the pearly beast but right before they touched him, Frost took off into the forest the way Delaney had always gone with Vincent.  He wasn't galloping but it was a quick trot and enough to keep him out of their reach.  She had a chance to look back one last time at the terrified expressions of the men before they disappeared out of sight as she and the half-unicorn made their way into the forest.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and she held tight to the reins but she did as Vincent had said he did.  She eased up so Frost could go where he wanted to go.  By his quick, steady pace she had no doubt he had a destination in mind.

Glancing back behind her she saw they had been swallowed up by the inky shadows of the forest.  She took a deep breath to try to steady her nerves but it was no use.

And there was no turning back now.