The Prince's Gift

Chapter 63.

I knocked quietly after giving them a moment. I heard them slowly come to the door, opening it to reveal my father looking down at me knowingly.

"I was wondering when you'd be able to come. We have much to discuss." He said evenly as he gave way to let me enter the room.

Before I'd had a moment to look up, my mother rushed me, throwing her arms around me and pulling me in close. "Oh Ana, I thought we'd lost you for good." She cried. I could smell the salt water filling her eyes as she stroked my hair. "I can't believe you're standing here right now. We never knew this was possible."

She released me and stepped back to look at me, brushing my hair from my face as my father walked around to take his seat beside the table. "Come and sit Ana. Lia, you too." He motioned to the chairs nestled in the corner of the room across from him and we followed.

"Now tell me what's happened. I could feel the power awaken in you. I saw you having some kind of exchange, but I couldn't understand it fully." He said smoothly.

I sighed and looked at both of them with a small shake of my head. "It was crazy. It was like I was floating in nothing and then...suddenly I was more alive than ever before. I can feel everything...everyone's emotions and even more so, once Braelyn took in my blood, I could not only hear her thoughts but speak directly to her."

My mother's jaw dropped slightly as she and my father exchanged looks. "Was it only Braelyn that you heard?"

I shook my head. "No. I've also been able to hear Ehren and Zane, and both of you. I heard when you spoke to me dad."

My mother gasped and looked at both of us in surprise. "When did this happen?"

"When I was leaving, I heard dad tell me that we'd need to talk this through privately." I held my father's gaze as he listened.

Finally, after a moment to think he spoke. "Ana, you have come into your full power. Somehow, being turned has awakened them to their full potential. It seems...this was what you were meant to be all along."

My jaw dropped but I quickly picked it back up. "Where's Delphine? Can she help us? She is the one who blessed me. She must know more about what's happening and what I'm capable of."

My parents exchanged a dark look. "She seemed ok, but something's happened. She's unconscious now. They've taken her to the hospital ward. We can go in a little while if you'd like." My mother said with a sad expression.

I stood quickly, causing my mother to jump at my new speed. "No. I can heal her. I need to see her now. Can we go please?" I said hurriedly.

They both looked at me in surprise but agreed, quickly following me as we made our way to the hospital wing of the castle. As we opened the doors, my senses were completely shocked as a wave of pain and strain crashed over me along with the scent of blood. The smell of death lingered in the air like a veil waiting to consume those within it.

My hand flew up over my nose in an attempt to block some of the scent, and I focused on my task at hand. I needed to find Delphine, but I couldn't just leave all of these people to suffer, or even worse...to die.

"I have to help them." I whispered.

There were rows of beds, all filled with slaves and Talentati alike. Mixed in were even some vampires who needed time for their bodies to heal. I focused on the room around me, trying to feel those that were suffering most. I let it guide me, pulling me to a young slave, maybe only fifteen so. While his stature and build seemed large for his age, he looked small and frail in the hospital bed. His skin was pale and I could barely hear his heart beating. His wounds had all but stopped bleeding and I could feel him fading fast.