18 Cost of War

Delaney had nightmares for days but did as she had told Cora she would and gathered a wagonload of food for the men fighting the dragons. She used all her connections she'd made from her parties with Vincent and got the highborn ladies to donate, all trying to outdo one another to make themselves look the richest.

The wagon was sent away and Delaney frowned. She'd wanted Cora to see her do this and agree it was a better task for women like them. She hadn't seen her friend for a week since she left the stables. Even thinking about the terrible place made her heart start to race.

Selina came to visit Delaney not long after and when Delaney told her what the younger girl had been doing, Selina was shocked as well. She agreed that Cora shouldn't be doing such things and she would do better helping them, sewing shirts and things for the men. "We need to focus on helping the men still fighting," she'd argued, "We can worry about the wounded once the war is over."

Delaney wasn't sure she quite agreed with everything Selina thought but knew she agreed Cora should be home. They decided they would send for their other friends, then have something like an intervention in a few days.

They never got the chance.

Before the week was out, Selina arrived at Delaney's home, throwing her sensibility to the wind and pounding on the door until it opened. She rushed past the startled butler without waiting for him to announce her and hurried straight to the parlor to find Delaney playing cards with a nervous-looking maid.

"We have to go right now," she panted, "Something terrible's happened."

In no time, the women loaded into the carriage and the horses took off at a gallop. Delaney and Selina braced themselves as they flew along on the jarring ride over the uneven road. They sped past farms and sprawling estates and over bridges until at last, they made it to their destination in record time.

Getting out of the carriage, Delaney looked and was surprised to see one of the Adair carriages in front of them. For a moment her heart leaped but then Miles stepped out and she felt it plummet again. He held out his hand and helped Cora down behind him.

Her eyes met Delaney's and for a moment they were both still. Selina hooked her arm through Delaney's though and pulled her forward over the gravel to the doors of the elegant stone and wood home before them. This was Hazel House, home to Bernard and his family, and one day Olive as well.

The door swung open before they reached it and a stricken looking Constance appeared and hugged them both to her before moving and hugging Cora. "How is he?" Miles asked, his brows furrowed.

"He's in his bedroom. Olive is with him but I'm sure he'd be glad to have you near."

Miles glanced at Cora who nodded so he stepped by them and into the home of his friend, disappearing down a hall.

"What's happened?" Delaney demanded of Constance now, "We were told Bernard had been injured and Olive was quite distraught and we should come right away."

Constance's eyes welled with tears. "He was attacked," she managed, "A female caught his hand and flew up into the air with him but then she...then she just ripped it off... and he... he fell to the ground... he-he..." She covered her mouth as the tears began to pour from her eyes. "It's so awful," she managed to choke out.

Delaney felt ill, her mind going back to the men in the stables. She pressed a fist against her mouth to ensure she wouldn't vomit.

"Come on," Cora said, "Take us to them, Constance. I want to see how they've mended his arm."

"What are you talking about?" Selina gasped, wide-eyed, "Why would you want to see an injury like that?"

Cora looked at her in disgust before rolling her eyes and heading into the home on her own. Delaney hesitated but knew how upset Olive would be. Cora wasn't known for her gentle manner. "We'd better follow her," she sighed, before rushing after Cora.

The house was silent save for the rustling of their skirts as they hurried to a door that had servants waiting with worried expressions in case they were called for. Inside Bernard's bedroom, they found his mother sitting in a chair beside his bed, weeping, with his father standing behind her looking stricken. His two younger sisters and younger brother all stood along the foot of the bed looking terrified.

Sitting up by his head, holding his hand as she stared with a tear-stained face, was Olive. Bernard lay on the bed with a white wrap around his head, specks of blood showing through. His eyes were both bruised and closed. It appeared his nose had been broken. There were more wraps around his chest with one large patch of blood where the dragon had grabbed hold of his torso with her great talons. One of his legs was wrapped tight to mend a break.

The majority of his injuries he had received on his fall down after the dragon had dropped him. The one that was so obviously not however, was the worse injury he had. Propped up on a pillow beside him wrapped in layers of white cloth already stained red from blood oozing out, was what was left of Bernard's arm. Where a hand should have been, there was now nothing. The dragon had torn it from his body.