Reborn To Change My Fate-Chapter 343 - Three Hundred And Forty Two

The heavy silence of the courtyard pressed against Derek’s ears. For a brief second, he could not move. He just stared at the melted snow and the dark, dry dust that used to be his own blood. Then, his eyes dropped to the center of the carved circle.

Marissa lay completely still on the wet ground.

Derek forgot about the pain in his back. He forgot about his bleeding hand. He scrambled forward on his knees, crawling frantically across the snow until he reached her side.

He hovered over her. He was terrified. What if the magic had failed? What if Colton had died for nothing?

Derek reached out with his uninjured left hand. His fingers were shaking violently. He gently placed the back of his hand against Marissa’s pale cheek.

Derek let out a sharp gasp.

She was not freezing cold anymore.

Just an hour ago in the stone room, her skin felt like solid ice. Now, beneath his fingertips, her skin was soft. It was warm. The chilling, terrifying cold of death was completely gone from her body.

Derek’s heart began to hammer wildly against his ribs. The warmth was a sign. The magic had actually worked. The life force of Lord Colton had entered her body.

But she was not awake. Her eyes were still closed tightly.

Derek needed to be absolutely sure. He leaned his face down very close to hers. He raised his trembling right hand, ignoring the deep cut on his palm. He carefully placed his index finger right under her nose.

He held his own breath. He closed his eyes and waited.

One second passed. Two seconds.

Then, he felt it.

It was a very slow, incredibly weak puff of warm air against his skin. It was followed by another faint puff a few seconds later.

She was breathing.

A massive, overwhelming wave of relief crashed over Derek. A fresh tear fell from his eye, but this time, it was a tear of absolute joy.

She was alive.

Derek threw his head back and looked toward the heavy door that led into the house.

"Anyone around?" Derek shouted at the top of his lungs. His loud, booming voice echoed off the high stone walls of the courtyard. "Help! Come quickly!"

The door was thrown open almost instantly.

Ian rushed into the courtyard with his sword drawn, ready for an attack. Five Elite Shadows and three regular guards rushed in right behind him.

They all stopped dead in their tracks. The scene before them was completely shocking.

The snow in the center of the yard was melted in a strange, large circle. Lord Colton was lying dead on his back, his clothes scorched by lightning. And in the middle of it all, Derek was sitting in the wet snow, bleeding from his hand, while deeply cuddling the supposedly dead Grand Duchess against his chest.

Ian’s sharp eyes took in the situation in less than a second. He did not ask questions about the dead governor or the strange marks in the snow. He saw his master bleeding, and he saw his master holding a woman who was no longer stiff and frozen.

Ian immediately put his sword away.

"Your Grace!" Ian called out, running toward them.

Ian quickly reached into his dark coat. Since Marissa’s death, he always carried emergency medical supplies. He pulled out a clean, thick cotton strip. He dropped to his knees right beside Derek.

"Let me see your hand, Your Grace," Ian said softly, but firmly.

Derek did not want to let go of Marissa, but he knew he was bleeding heavily over her white dress and he felt bad for staining it. He held his right hand out. Ian quickly and efficiently wrapped the white cotton strip around Derek’s slashed palm, pulling it tight to stop the bleeding. He tied a secure knot.

Derek pulled his bandaged hand back and wrapped both of his arms around Marissa again. He carefully lifted her up from the wet ground. He held her tightly against his chest, supporting her head against his shoulder.

Derek turned his dark eyes to Ian. He looked at his trusted shadow guard, and then he looked at the lifeless body of Lord Colton resting in the snow.

Derek’s face grew deeply serious and respectful.

"Make preparations for Lord Colton," Derek ordered clearly. His voice carried the weight of a sacred promise. "He is to be taken back to the West. He will be given a proper, honorable funeral among his own people. Treat his body with the highest respect."

Ian looked at the dead Lord, then bowed his head to Derek. "It will be done exactly as you command, Your Grace."

Derek did not waste another second. He turned around and carried Marissa toward the open door. He walked as fast as his injured back allowed him.

As he stepped into the warm hallway of the main house, he began shouting orders. His voice was loud, filled with an urgent, desperate energy that the household had not heard in days.

"Guards!" Derek shouted as he walked past the shocked men in the hall. "Get a bowl of warm water! I need a soft cloth and scented oil. Lavender or rose, whatever you can find!"

The servants and guards in the hallway scrambled out of his way, their eyes wide with confusion and shock. They saw the Grand Duke carrying his dead wife, but he was acting as if she were alive.

"And get the royal physician immediately!" Derek roared down the corridor. "Tell him to run!"

Derek carried her up the grand staircase. He ignored the burning pain in his muscles. He did not stop until he reached the doors of their private master bedroom. He kicked the door open with his boot and walked inside.

The room was warm. A large fire was already burning in the hearth.

Derek walked over to the large, comfortable bed. He gently laid Marissa down on top of the soft, thick blankets. He pulled a heavy quilt over her legs to keep her warm.

He stood by the side of the bed and looked down at her. Her white silk dress was stained with his blood, damp from the snow and stiff from the ice coffin. It smelled like the cold, damp stone room. He needed to get her out of it. He needed to make her comfortable.

Derek sat on the edge of the mattress. With very gentle, careful movements, he took her clothes off. He untied the silk ribbons of her dress and slipped the cold fabric off her shoulders and arms. He removed the dress completely and tossed it onto the floor.

Just as he pulled the thick quilt up to cover her naked body, there was a quiet knock on the bedroom door.

Two young maids hurried into the room. They looked terrified. One maid carried a large silver bowl filled with steaming warm water and a stack of clean, soft white cloths. The other maid carried a small glass bottle of expensive scented oil. They were led by Lily.

"Put them on the table," Derek ordered without looking away from Marissa’s face.

The maids quickly placed the bowl, the cloths, and the oil on the small wooden bedside table. They bowed nervously, unsure of what they were supposed to do next.

"Leave," Derek commanded softly. "I will do this myself."

The maids did not argue. They looked at Lily who bowed and left the room. They followed her, closing the heavy oak door quietly behind them.

Derek was alone with her again.

He turned to the bedside table. He dipped one of the soft white cloths into the bowl of warm water. He wrung out the excess water so it was just damp and warm.

He sat back down on the edge of the bed. He pulled the quilt down slightly.

Very gently, he began to clean her up himself. He wiped the cold sweat and the dirt from the snowy courtyard off her pale face. He wiped her neck and her shoulders. He washed her arms and her hands, making sure to clean the small scratches she had gotten from the wooden trellis the night before.

He washed away the smell of the ice and the salt. He washed away the smell of death. His hands were incredibly gentle, treating her body like the most precious treasure in the entire world. He wanted her to wake up feeling clean and safe.

After he finished washing her skin, he picked up the small glass bottle from the table. It was lavender oil.

He poured a few small drops of the scented oil onto his bandaged palm. He rubbed his hands together to warm the oil, then gently applied the scented oil to her body. He massaged it slowly into the skin of her arms, her neck, and her collarbone.

The warm, sweet smell of lavender quickly filled the bedroom.The gentle massage also helped to bring a tiny bit of pink color back into her pale cheeks. The warmth of the room and the oil was slowly helping her blood to circulate again.

Finally, Derek stood up and walked over to her large wooden wardrobe. He opened the doors and searched through her clothes. He pulled out a fresh, clean nightgown made of soft, thick white cotton. It was warm and comfortable.

He brought the nightgown back to the bed. He carefully lifted her arms and dressed her in the fresh clothes. He pulled the nightgown down over her waist and legs, ensuring she was completely covered and decent.

He pulled the heavy, warm quilt all the way up to her chin. He tucked the edges of the blanket around her sides, wrapping her up like a secure cocoon.

Derek let out a long, exhausted sigh. He had done everything he could do.

He pulled a heavy wooden chair close to the side of the bed. He sat down heavily, the pain in his back finally catching up to him, making him wince. But he refused to leave her side.

He reached out and took her warm, soft hand in his own. He held it tightly, pressing his thumb against her wrist. He could feel her pulse now. It was slow and faint, but it was steady.

Derek sat in the quiet, warm bedroom. He stared at her peaceful face, watching the slow, shallow rise and fall of her chest beneath the blankets. He listened to the crackling fire in the hearth. He held her hand against his cheek, praying silently to any god that would listen.

He waited for the royal physician to arrive, hoping and praying that Marissa would finally open her eyes and look at him again.