Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter Nine

But his top priority was protecting Her Highness-even if it cost his life, he couldn't let her get hurt.

So Gavin Moore still looked uneasy. "I'm worried that once the Bennett family finds out I'm leaving Draco City, they'll go all out to get back at you."

Serena gave a faint smirk, her fingers brushing over the sharp flower dart hidden in her pouch. "Perfect. If they're dumb enough to come looking for trouble, I'll treat it as training."

Gavin believed in Her Highness' skills, of course. But what worried him were the dirty tricks the Douglas and Bennett families might resort to.

Still, he knew her temper too well. There was no changing her mind now, so he could only bow his head and answer, "I'll return as soon as I can."

Morning light pierced the sky.

After checking Evan's pulse, Serena gave him one final acupuncture treatment.

He coughed up a thick stream of black blood before falling back unconscious.

Her eyes turned cold.

Cora had really gone for the kill this time.

Even after all those needles, he still vomited so much poison. If she hadn't shown up in time yesterday, and let him suffer the drug overnight with those three women circling like sharks... he'd be dead by now.

She wasn't letting the Bennetts off the hook for this.

Just as she was thinking that, the iron gate outside the orphanage was kicked open with a loud clang.

Well, that was fast.

But it wasn't the Bennetts. It was that limping blond thug-Dylan Price.

Thank goodness the kids had gone out with their teacher to draw today. Otherwise, she might've had to fight differently.

Serena closed Evan's door behind her and turned to see Dylan swaggering into the orphanage with a few guys, dragging along a skinny little figure.

It was that pigtail girl, Sarah-the one who clutched her coat yesterday.

"Serena!" Dylan's voice was raspy and mean. His good leg was shaking, and he shoved Sarah in front of him.

The second Serena stepped out, he flinched back half a step, the crushed bone in his knee still throbbing.

Sarah had never seen anything like this before. Her tiny face turned pale, and the moment she saw Serena, tears poured down her cheeks. "Serena, help me... please..."

"Let her go."

Serena's gaze went icy in a flash.

Six years ago, Esther pinned a murder on a child. Now her lapdog learned to use kids to force her hand too.

But this wasn't the same Serena from back then. She wasn't that twelve-year-old who could only watch helplessly as everything fell apart.

She looked down at Sarah and gave her a soft smile. "Hey, be a good girl. Close your eyes and count to three. I'll take you home for candy after."

Sarah nodded, scared but obedient, and squeezed her eyes shut.

The very next second, just as the thugs reached for their knives, two flashes of silver shot through the air.

Swish, swish!

Flower darts slammed straight into the eyes of the two men holding Sarah.

"Aaargh!!"

Their screams tore through the morning air.

Serena charged forward, yanking Sarah behind her. "Get inside! Hands over your eyes, don't come out!"

The little girl stumbled toward the door-then stopped.

The orphanage director always said: when things get scary, you don't run. You protect the people you care about.

Serena was protecting her. She couldn't be a coward.

So she turned around, hiding behind the door and peeking out through the crack.

Outside, Serena moved like a gust of wind. Before any of the thugs could react, her darts were already hitting their joints.

One by one, those vicious-looking tough guys collapsed to the ground howling in pain.In a flash, Serena landed right in front of Dylan Price, stomping her foot down on his uninjured leg.

A sickening crack echoed in the air.

Dylan screamed like he was being skinned alive. "Ah! My leg! Damn it, my leg!"

Looking down at him with a mocking smile, Serena said, "Well, both legs are busted now. Perfect excuse to get used to a wheelchair."

Drenched in cold sweat, Dylan still forced himself to talk tough. "Don't get ahead of yourself! Ms. Douglas won't let you off the hook!"

"You mean Esther?"

Serena chuckled, voice calm yet chilling. "Wanna live? Simple. Bring me Esther's head, and maybe I'll let you crawl away."

"Never! Even if I die, I won't turn on her-AHHH! That hurts, damn it!"

He hadn't even finished shouting when Serena added pressure to his leg, causing his face to contort in unspeakable pain. His eyes darted to his fallen men scattered across the floor-each one with their eyes wide open, dying in disbelief.

All of them got wiped out. Just like that.

And she-Serena-had done it alone.

These were trained ex-military or mercenaries handpicked by Esther. How the hell did they get shredded so fast? By one woman?

Now he couldn't even crawl-his legs totally ruined.

Serena tilted her head, still smiling. "I gotta admit, your loyalty's impressive. Honestly, being taken out by the Scarlet Valkyrie herself? That's not the worst way to go."

Dylan jerked his head up like he'd been electrocuted. His voice cracked. "Wait-what?! You're the Scarlet Valkyrie?"

There was only one Scarlet Valkyrie across the whole of Darania-an unbeatable legend.

Dead-on aim with a gun, unmatched with hidden weapons, reclaimed lost ground single-handedly... A nightmare to enemy elites.

Dylan's eyes snapped to his comrades' corpses again, finally noticing the flower-shaped mark at each of their deadly wounds.

Crimson spider lilies-her signature.

The symbol of death from hell.

He started shaking all over. So she... Serena... was the Scarlet Valkyrie?!

"Your Highness! I was wrong! I didn't know it was you! Please, spare me-I know something about your parents' deaths!"

"Talk."

"The one who took out your father wasn't just Esther. There was someone el-"

Serena cut him off before the relief could even hit his face. "Yeah. I already knew."

Her eyes turned to ice, and without a backward glance, she walked toward the orphanage. One hand rose to shield Sarah's eyes while the other slipped behind her back, fingers curling around a hidden blade.

Thwip.

A flash of silver.

Another flower dart buried clean through Dylan's forehead.

He collapsed with his eyes wide open, never believing the legend could really be his end.

Serena closed the door behind her, the blood-soaked world left on the other side.

She crouched down and ruffled little Sarah's hair. "Didn't I say to cover those little eyes? No lollipop today, okay?"

Sarah clenched her tiny fists, eyes sparkling with adoration. "When I grow up, I'm gonna be just like you and protect everyone!"

No more hiding behind others. She wanted to be the one standing in front.

Serena didn't notice the shift in the kid's heart, only smiled as she pinched her soft cheek.

Lifting Sarah in her arms, she carried her inside. "Okay, then. Try your best, alright? And about what you saw today... shh. That's between us. Promise?"

Sarah nodded so fast her ponytail bounced. Then she held out her pinkie. "Promise! Pinkie swear!"