Chapter 368 - Three Hundred And Sixty Seven

Chapter 368: Chapter Three Hundred And Sixty Seven

Kade stood up straighter, listening intently.

"Any question about how I’m alive from the assault of that weapon, he should answer accordingly using normal medical terms," Damon instructed firmly. "Tell him to claim that he treated me and stitched the wound himself. He must keep the lady out of it entirely. No one outside this estate can know she possesses medical knowledge or combat skills. This is the only way to protect her."

Kade nodded his head firmly, understanding the gravity of the command. If the lady’s actions were exposed, she would be in grave danger.

Damon narrowed his eyes, looking into Kade’s face. He wanted to make sure his next words were perfectly understood by his loyal soldier.

"The same goes for you, Kade," Damon said, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous warning. "I don’t want to hear anything bad about the lady from you or any of the men. She is not terrifying. She is not a monster. She is my wife. She saved my life, and she saved this house. Understand?"

Kade felt the weight of his general’s protective aura. He realized instantly that Damon would gladly burn the entire world to the ground to keep Camilla safe.

Kade brought his right fist up to his chest and bowed deeply. "Crystal clear, my lord. My lips are sealed, and the men will follow your lead."

Damon relaxed his shoulders, satisfied with the answer. He shifted slightly on the bed, adjusting his back against the pillows.

Damon asked another question, moving on to military matters. "How are things holding up in the camp? Are the men fine?"

Kade dropped his hand from his chest. "All the soldiers are fine now, my lord. The camp is secure, and the perimeter is heavily guarded. They have been tense for days, but they held their positions. They are all praying for your recovery. When they hear you are awake, their morale will be fully restored."

Damon nodded his head slowly. "Good. Keep them alert. Our enemies are not done..."

Before Damon could finish his sentence, a soft knock came on the bedroom door.

The brass door handle turned slowly, and the door swung open. Camilla stepped into the room. In her right hand, she held the letter she had just received downstairs.

Kade immediately turned toward the door. He stood at strict attention, placed his fist over his heart, and bowed deeply to her.

Damon looked at Kade. "If there’s nothing else, you can go. Don’t let news of my awakening get out yet. We need the element of surprise."

Kade stood up straight and nodded. "As you wish, my lord."

Kade turned on his heel, offered one last respectful nod to Camilla as he passed her, and walked out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him.

The room fell quiet once again. The soft morning sunlight continued to pour through the tall windows, lighting up the floor.

Camilla walked slowly toward the bed. She looked at Damon’s face, checking his color and his breathing to make sure his conversation with Kade had not exhausted him too much. She reached the side of the bed and gently dropped the letter onto the small desk beside the mattress.

Before she could step back or say a word, Damon reached out with both of his arms.

He wrapped his arms around her small waist. He pulled her gently but firmly toward the edge of the bed until she was standing between his knees. He leaned his upper body forward and looked up at her face. His eyes were wide, soft, and shining with adoration. He looked exactly like a small child looking up at the person they loved most in the entire world.

"Thank you," Damon said, his deep voice soft and thick with emotion.

Camilla froze. She was shocked by the sudden, affectionate gesture. Her hands hovered in the air above his shoulders, unsure of what to do.

Damon tightened his arms around her waist just a little bit more, pressing his face gently against her stomach.

Damon continued, his voice muffled slightly by the soft silk of her nightgown. "Kade told me everything you did. He told me how you held the house together. He told me how you dealt with the assassin, and how you took down General Howe. I know how hard it must have been for you. I am truly grateful, Camilla. You saved my life."

He buried his face deeper into the folds of her nightgown, seeking her warmth and comfort.

Camilla was caught entirely off guard for a long moment. Her heart gave a sudden, hard flutter inside her chest.

Slowly, the tension left her shoulders. She lowered her hands and gently placed her palms on his head. She began to stroke his hair, running her fingers smoothly through the soft strands over and over again.

She looked down at his shoulders and his face buried in her cloth. A soft, genuine smile appeared on her lips.

She thought to herself, "He’s just a bigger version of Winston. So clingy. So needy. So adorable."

Damon, keeping his face pressed against her nightgown, heard her clear thoughts echoing inside his mind.

The mental image of her comparing him, a feared and respected military commander, a general, to a small, fluffy house cat made a bright burst of joy explode in his chest. His smile widened so much that it pressed into the fabric of her gown. He held her even closer, entirely happy to be her big, adorable cat if it meant she would keep stroking his hair like this forever.

If he actually had a tail, he would have wagged it wildly against the bedsheets.

They stayed in that warm, peaceful embrace for a long while. The quiet sounds of the morning birds chirping outside the window filled the room. For a brief moment, the dangers surrounding them completely disappeared.

Eventually, Damon turned his head slightly to the side to take a deep breath. As he did, his eyes landed on the small desk beside the bed.

He saw the letter Camilla had dropped there. He stared at the broken red wax seal that was stamped onto the center of the envelope.

Damon knew that specific type of rough parchment paper, and he knew the intricate design of that wax seal anywhere. It was the official seal of the main Benson family estate.

Damon slowly pulled his face away from her waist. He loosened his grip on her just enough to look up into her face. His expression changed from soft and playful to serious and alert.

He looked up and spoke to Camilla. "Did news come from the main estate?" he asked, his voice losing its playful edge.

Camilla stopped stroking his hair. She looked at his serious eyes, then glanced down at the letter resting on the table. She remembered the chilling words Uncle Murry had written on the page.

Camilla nodded her head slowly.

"Yes," Camilla replied, her voice calm and steady. "Your uncle, Duke Collin, is on his way to Daril. He will be home soon."

Immediately, Camilla felt Damon’s body tensed up.