Chapter 20: The Price and the Promise

When Starling opened her eyes again, the sterile scent of antiseptic and the soft hum of medical equipment greeted her. She was in a hospital room. Turning her head, her breath hitched as she saw Wesley in a bed nearby. Did I… not escape after all? "Young Mistress! You're awake!" A voice brimming with relief came from the other side. She turned to see Uncle Thomas, her grandfather's most trusted and capable right-hand man. She was safe. She had been rescued. "The Patriarch was furious when he learned of your abduction," Uncle Thomas explained, his voice low and serious. "His initial order was for Wesley to meet an 'unfortunate accident' in those very waters. However…" He paused, gesturing towards the other bed. "When you fell into the sea, he fought the current to save you. His right leg was caught in the speedboat's propeller. The medics did what they could, but the nerve damage is… permanent." "Therefore, the Patriarch