All Chapters of Flight of the cardinal: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The journey to Xander’s country house was quite arduous, as we did not take any breaks during the nights. Instead, we relied on the coachmen to switch shifts so that they could rest between driving. We were traveling in two carriages: one for Xander, Leo, and me, and the other for the staff that accompanied us. The latter carriage was larger than ours, which allowed for their comfort and the rotation of coachmen.Along the way, we occasionally stopped for Diana, the head maid, to tend to my injured hand and change my bandages. I was taken aback when I saw her in Xander’s room on the day after my fingers were broken, carefully tending to my wounds. I had always thought that Diana disliked me when I was a maid, as she was often severe with my work. She was probably stricter than the housekeeper, to whom she reported.Lucia had been a constant presence by my side as well, offering her support and care. She sat beside my bed and would alternate with Diana, taking turns to replace the cold

Gideon suddenly dropped to his knees and grabbed the front of my dress. He looked deep into my eyes and exclaimed again, “Princess Cressida!”My face turned pale as I tried to push Gideon away. The two other men present also looked at Gideon and then at me before bowing down on one knee and lowering their heads.Xander, who was also present, had taken a few steps back, obviously shocked at what was happening. I began to hyperventilate, and Diana quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me back inside the house.She guided me to the loveseat in the main room and helped me remove the layers of winter clothes I had on. After that, she put a kettle on the fire to boil some water. I attempted to unbutton my dress, but my left hand wasn’t cooperating. My fingers were shaking, and I couldn’t feel them.“Come on, hand! Why can’t you just do what I want?” I half-screamed in frustration, my eyes brimming with tears.As I listened to the shouting beyond the front door, my heart raced with fear. I could

Diana sat on a small stool beside me. She was focused on making sure I repeated the movements she had instructed me to do. The exercises were repetitive, but I could feel the difference in my hand’s mobility in the days after we started. Diana was patient, and she helped flex my fingers when needed, massaging the scarring to promote healing. She encouraged me to keep bending my fingers, even though it often hurt.She had removed the splints from my hand, but I still needed to keep my three fingers bandaged for a couple more days to ensure they healed correctly. The splints had made me itch terribly, so I was relieved when they were removed. Xander’s healing ability had been a significant factor in speeding up the healing process.The last few days had been quiet as we waited for Xander and Gideon to plan our trip to Perch. One of Gideon’s men had sent word to their headquarters that we would make way for them, but we didn’t know if they had mentioned me. I figured the risk was too sign

After being delayed by the snowstorm, we finally resumed our journey two days behind schedule. During the storm, I decided to change the colour of my hair to avoid being easily recognized. When I came down for supper that day, Gideon was taken aback by my new appearance and did a double-take. I teased him, reminding him that he had said my hair was a dead giveaway and that I had found a better way to conceal it without cutting it all off.Gideon’s face turned beet red as I recounted what had happened. Xander looked at us questioningly, and I explained how Gideon’s impulsive decision to cut all my fiery red hair ultimately saved my life.Looking back on that event, I realized that Gideon had been right. If he hadn’t taken action to alter my appearance, I would have been discovered within a few days, maybe a week.The inn we had stayed in was called the “Wayward Dog.” It was a place of refuge for many shifters who were on the road, and I was surprised when Gideon revealed that he and th

Xander POVI aimlessly wandered through the dimly lit halls of Baron Mallard’s guest house in the early hours of the morning, and my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Ida. Despite my inner turmoil, my feet kept leading me back to her room. I felt a strong urge to enter, but I was afraid of how she might react.The events of the previous night kept replaying in my mind. I knew I had gone too far when Ida slapped me during the carriage ride from the baron’s manor. I had attempted to explain why I had to take certain actions, but I could see the shock and disappointment written all over her face. Her refusal to look at me or even let me touch her cut deep.I wanted to howl in grief. The pain in my heart was unbearable.From the moment Baron Mallard laid eyes on Ida, he was all over her. His intentions were obvious. He even went so far as to insult me in front of her. I realized he held a grudge against me for refusing his daughter years ago. However, Beatrice had moved on and married