Reborn To Change My Fate-Chapter 330 - Three Hundred And Twenty Nine

The courtyard was a nightmare of blood, clashing swords, and falling snow. Derek held Marissa tightly against his side, moving backward through the large iron gates. The Elite Shadows fought fiercely, keeping the royal guards busy. The path to the dark, snowy street was finally clear.

From the high stone steps of the manor, Prince Liam watched them escaping. His hands shook with pure rage. His plan had fallen apart. He refused to let the Grand Duke walk away alive.

"Get me my bow and coated arrow," Liam commanded a terrified servant standing by the open doors.

The servant quickly ran inside. He returned seconds later holding a long, sleek wooden bow and a leather quiver filled with arrows.

Liam snatched the weapon from the servant’s trembling hands.

Liam pulled a long arrow from the quiver. The sharp metal tip was coated in a dark, thick liquid. It was a fast-acting paralyzing substance. He placed the arrow on the string and pulled it back tightly. He aimed through the falling snow, focusing on the broad, dark back of the Grand Duke just as he stepped out of the gates.

Liam narrowed his red, stinging eyes. He released the string.

Twang.

The arrow flew silently through the cold winter air. It cut through the snowflakes and hit its target perfectly.

The sharp metal tip buried itself deep into the right side of Derek’s back.

"Bulls eye," Liam said with a cruel, satisfied smirk.

Derek let out a sharp grunt of pain. His body jerked forward from the impact, but he did not stop running. The adrenaline in his blood kept him moving. He grabbed Marissa’s hand tightly.

"Run," Derek hissed through his teeth.

Derek and Marissa ran away from the Prince’s residence. They rushed into the dark, freezing streets of the capital city. The snow was falling heavily now, covering the cobblestones in a slippery white blanket. He couldn’t find his mare or any means of transport. He decided they run to a very safe distance. They turned left, then right, running blindly into the shadows to escape the fighting and the archers.

They ran until their lungs burned. They turned down a narrow, dark passage between two tall brick buildings.

It was a mistake. They ran to a dead end alleyway. A solid, high brick wall blocked their path completely. There was nowhere else to go.

Derek stopped. Suddenly, his legs gave out completely.

The paralyzing substance from the arrow entered his bloodstream. It worked incredibly fast. His muscles turned numb and heavy. He fell to his knees in the cold snow, then collapsed forward against the dirty brick wall. He dropped his heavy longsword. It clattered loudly on the ground.

Marissa turned around. She gasped in pure horror. She finally saw the black wooden arrow sticking out of his back.

"Derek!" Marissa cried out.

She rushed to his side and dropped to her knees in the wet snow. Her hands were shaking violently. She gently touched the back of his dark winter cloak. She felt a warm, wet patch spreading across the thick fabric.

She pulled her hand back and looked at her fingers in the dim moonlight. It was indeed blood.

Panic gripped her throat, but she forced herself to stay calm. She knew they could not run with a long arrow sticking out of him. It would only cause more damage.

She took a deep breath. She grabbed the wooden shaft of the arrow with both hands, gripping it firmly just above his skin. She bent it sharply to the side.

Crack.

She broke the arrow, snapping the long wooden shaft off. She carefully threw the broken piece into the snow. Then, she proceeded to gently remove it. She pulled out the metal tip making Derek hiss in pain. She made sure he was bleeding to remove of the substance but she needed to clean the surface of the wound too.

She used a torn piece of her blue dress to wipe the area. She proceeded to remove most of the dark, sticky paralyzing substance that coated the outside of his skin. Her hands were covered in his blood. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"How are you?" Marissa asked, her voice cracking with fear. She touched his pale face. "Does it hurt?"

Derek gritted his teeth. Sweat formed on his forehead despite the freezing cold. He shook his head slowly. The pain was terrible, but the numbness spreading through his legs was worse.

He reached out with a trembling hand and grabbed the hilt of his longsword lying in the snow. He planted the tip of the blade into the ground. Using all the strength he had left in his arms, he got up with the help of his sword. His legs shook, but he managed to stand.

He looked down at Marissa, trying to offer her comfort.

"Don’t be afraid," Derek said. His voice was weak and breathless. "I am fine. We need to keep moving."

Before they could take a single step toward the exit of the alley, they heard the soft crunch of boots stepping on the snow.

Liam walked in.

He stood at the entrance of the narrow alleyway, blocking their only escape route. He held his bow in his left hand. A cruel smile played on his lips. He had followed the dark trail of Derek’s blood left on the white snow.

Marissa reacted instantly. She did not run away. She stepped forward. She stood right in front of Derek, spreading her arms wide, trying to shield his injured, weakened body from Liam’s sight. She glared at the Prince with fierce, protective anger.

"Derek!!!" Liam said loudly. His voice echoed off the tall brick walls. He looked at them with complete triumph. "You won’t escape today. You are trapped."

Derek leaned heavily on his sword. He could barely feel his feet. He knew he could not fight Liam in this state. He was completely cornered.

Just then, a loud, sharp whistle pierced the silent night sky.

Fwooosh.

A bright red flare shot up from the center of the capital city. It flew high above the buildings and exploded. It painted the dark night sky and the falling snow in a brilliant, glowing red light. It was the emergency signal of the Elite Shadows.

Derek looked up at the red sky. Despite the terrible pain in his back, he smiled.

"I told him to do it by sunrise," Derek thought to himself.

He had ordered Ian to present the evidence to the King at sunrise. But Ian must have realized the extreme danger. Ian had gone straight to the King’s palace the moment Derek rode away. Ian had woken the King and showed him the treasonous ledger immediately. The red flare meant the mission was complete. The King knew everything.