Chapter 54

The excruciating pain radiating from her fingertips nearly made Athena black out. She bit down hard on her lip, desperately fighting to stay conscious.

Athena fixed Eloise and Willow with a dagger-sharp glare, as if her eyes could bore holes right through them.

Whether it was Eloise’s heart softening, or simply her inability to withstand Athena’s piercing, accusatory gaze, no one could say.

Her eyes rimmed red with tears, Eloise stepped forward and said in a choked, aggrieved voice, “Athena, it’s all my fault. I tried, but I just couldn’t get Her Majesty to change her mind about you.”

Eloise hurriedly pulled Willow over and, her voice trembling with emotion, said to Athena, “If it hadn’t been for Willow trading firearms, Her Majesty would never have agreed to change your punishment from flogging to finger placing. You suffered, yes, but at least you’re still alive because of her…”

Eloise wept bitterly, tears streaming down her face, while Willow’s eyes were red with feigned remorse. “This is all my fault,” Willow choked out with exaggerated guilt. “I couldn’t persuade Her Majesty to spare you, Athena. If I could, I’d gladly take your punishment in your place.”

Her “heartfelt” words moved both Eloise and Henry, leaving them deeply pained and full of sympathy.

Nicolas looked at Willow, deeply moved. “This isn’t your fault, why should you take the blame for her?”

Nicolas looked at Athena with deep disappointment, but at the sight of her injuries, his gaze softened with a hint of pity. He said, “Just focus on recovering these next few days, no wandering about.”

All eyes in the room turned to Willow, filled with gratitude, because she single-handedly saved Nicolas and even persuaded the Queen to spare Athena’s life.

She became the savior of the Monson family and Athena.

Henry said sternly to Athena, “Athena, you owe Willow your very life. From now on, you two must get along peacefully, no more of this constant feuding. Your mother and I are getting too old for such turmoil.”

“You had a narrow escape this time. But what about next time? How are we supposed to save you then?”

Eloise dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief and moved to help Athena up. “Athena’s still injured. She must have learned her lesson by now. Please, dear, let’s not scold her anymore."

“Come on, sweetheart, get up. Seeing you hurt like this really breaks your mother’s heart.”

As she reached out to steady Athena’s arm, she heard Athena give a low, bitter laugh.

She looked up, her icy gaze sweeping over everyone.

Athena fixed them with a cold, mocking stare. “You all know perfectly well whether the punishment suffered today was because Her Majesty holds a grudge against me, or if it was just a cover-up to fool everyone else.” With that, she turned away from their hypocritical faces and staggered out, her steps unsteady.

Willow took two steps forward and reached out to help Athena. “Let me help you, Athena,” she said with feigned concern.

Willow accidentally brushed against Athena’s injured fingers. Athena’s face drained of color as beads of sweat instantly formed on her forehead.

But Willow pretended not to notice and stubbornly kept her grip on Athena’s hand.

Excruciating pain racked Athena’s body, making her tremble violently. With her uninjured hand, she shoved Willow away with all her remaining strength and hissed, “Get lost!”

Though Athena hadn’t used much force, Willow crumpled to the ground like a boneless flower.

Willow’s face twisted in exaggerated pain as she clutched her ankle, her eyes brimming with crocodile tears as she looked up at Nicolas. “I didn’t mean to,” she whimpered, her voice trembling.

In an instant, Nicolas was at Willow’s side. He helped her up and glared at Athena with blazing fury. “You ungrateful wretch!”

In Nicolas’ eyes, Willow was Athena’s savior.

Without Willow, Athena might very well have been beaten to death by the Queen.

Yet Athena not only showed no gratitude, but treated Willow with such hostility. In Nicolas’ eyes, Athena was truly beyond redemption.

Athena’s face glistened with a thin sheen of sweat, the excruciating pain in her fingers stabbing straight to her core.

But she merely fixed Nicolas with a mocking stare and said nothing.

Then, she staggered out of the room on unsteady feet.

The disappointment in Athena’s eyes made Nicolas’s heart skip a beat.

He wondered, “What is she even disappointed about? Willow had gone to such lengths for her, yet she still treated Willow with such hostility. Is this how a rational person should think?”

Nicolas was about to say something more, but Eloise grabbed his arm and gently pulled him back. She shook her head slightly, silently urging him to stop.

Under their bewildered gazes, Athena slowly made her way out of the courtyard.

Just outside the courtyard, Trina was pacing anxiously.

Seeing Athena stumble out, Trina rushed forward to support her. “Miss,” she said anxiously, “they wouldn’t let me in!”

Suddenly, Trina noticed Athena’s hand, still bleeding profusely. She drew a sharp breath and gasped, “How… how did you get hurt this badly?”

The excruciating pain made the world swim before Athena’s eyes. Seeing Trina, the last shred of her tightly-wound composure shattered completely.

Athena slumped heavily against Trina, her voice barely above a whisper. “Take me back.”

Though young, Trina was surprisingly strong.

Trina immediately braced Athena’s weight against her own body and carefully guided her toward Snowdrop Wing.

“Don’t let Grandmother know,” Athena gasped before darkness claimed her.

When Athena finally came to, she found herself lying in her own chamber.

Trina kept watch by her bedside, her head nodding drowsily.

Hearing a stir from the bed, Trina immediately rushed over, her eyes lighting up with joy. “Miss Monson, you’re awake?”

Athena gave a faint hum, her gaze sweeping the room. Noticing that Siena Hotham and Alza Crofton were nowhere to be seen, she quietly asked, “Where are the others?”

Trina looked hesitant. Athena’s tone grew sharper. “Speak.”

“Mr. Monson has caught a chill. They’ve gone to bring him some medicine,” Trina said, biting her lip and lowering her head.

Trina expected Athena to fly into a rage, but to her surprise, Athena just gave a faint, knowing smile and said nothing more.

Trina blinked at her in confusion, only to hear Athena say indifferently, “A wild sparrow that can’t be tamed will always fly away. Good riddance.”

“Miss Monson, aren’t you angry?” Trina asked softly, her voice tinged with confusion.

Athena said coldly, “Why should I be angry over two disloyal servants?”

Trina gave a soft nod and gently helped Athena sit up.

Her fingers were wrapped in bandages, and even the slightest movement brought excruciating, bone-deep pain.

Athena winced, her brows knitting in pain. Trina, thinking she had caused her mistress pain, hurriedly urged, “Miss Monson, please drink your medicine!”

As soon as Trina brought over the bitter medicine, Athena wrinkled her nose in distaste.

Hearing Trina’s muffled sobs, Athena couldn’t help but look up at her.

She looked up to see Trina, her face streaked with tears, gazing at her with heartfelt, aching concern.

“It’s not you who got hurt, so why the tears?” Athena chuckled weakly. Though Trina hadn’t been with her long, she was utterly devoted to her.

Trina always put Athena first in everything, and since she was personally assigned to Athena by Margaret, Athena naturally felt closer to her than to any other servant.

Trina wiped her tear-streaked face and sobbed, “I’d rather bear these wounds myself, my lady. Your health was already so frail, and now, after such cruel punishment, not even the strongest could endure it.”

But in fact, there was more Trina wanted to say, words she kept buried in her heart.

The physician warned that after three years of brutal hardship in the military camp, if Athena didn’t receive proper recuperation, she might develop chronic conditions.

Just like her knee, even after it healed, the old injury would still flare up whenever it rained, sending fresh waves of pain through her all over again.

As for her hand, the punishment was especially insidious, it left barely a mark on the surface, but the pain cut straight to the bone.

Not even a strong young man could endure it, let alone a frail woman.

Not a soul in this family cared for her, only Margaret did.

But Athena did not want her to learn of this.

Trina was just a maid, her words carried no weight. She wanted to help Athena, but was powerless to do so, and that helplessness made her burst into tears.