CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
TANYA'S POV
I watched him from a distance, hidden in the shadows, my presence masked by the very magic that once made me feared. The wind moved gently around me, carrying the scent of sickness, death, and despair. It filled the air so heavily that even breathing felt like a burden.
Daniel had fallen to his knees.
The sight alone stirred something deep within me. The man who once stood tall with pride, the man who spoke with authority and fire, now looked completely broken. His shoulders trembled, his hands shaking as he tried to hold onto one of his people who was slowly losing life.
Around him, bodies were scattered across the ground. Some were already lifeless, while others struggled between life and death. Weak cries echoed in every direction, each one piercing deeper into my heart.
"This is not what I wanted…" I whispered softly, my voice almost lost in the wind.
Anger slowly rose inside me, burning hotter with every second. My plan was never meant to go this far. I wanted them to suffer, yes. I wanted them to feel pain, to understand what it meant to lose everything, just as I had. But I was never going to let them die.
I was going to save them.
That was always the plan.
But this… this was something else entirely.
Someone had interfered.
Someone had taken advantage of my revenge and twisted it into something cruel and uncontrollable. This was no longer about justice or vengeance. This was destruction.
My fists clenched tightly.
Whoever was behind this was not only destroying innocent lives… they were pushing Daniel toward something far worse.
"I can't…" Daniel's voice broke through my thoughts. "I can't lose all of you…"
Tears streamed down his face freely, his pain raw and unhidden. For a moment, I felt something unfamiliar… guilt.
That was when I knew I could not stand back and watch anymore.
I stepped forward, allowing my presence to reveal itself before him.
"Tanya…" he said my name, his voice filled with shock, anger, and something deeper that he refused to show.
"You don't have to do this," I said calmly, though my heart was far from calm. "This has gone too far. Let me help you. I can save them."
For a brief moment, silence fell between us. He looked at me as if searching for the truth within my eyes.
But then everything changed.
Before I could react, his hand shot forward and wrapped tightly around my throat.
"You think this is a game?" he growled, his grip tightening with every word. "You destroy my kingdom and then come here pretending to save it?"
His strength did not surprise me. His anger did not surprise me either.
What surprised me… was the pain in his eyes.
I did not fight back.
"This is not entirely my doing," I managed to say, my voice strained but steady. "Someone is using this against you… against us."
"Stop lying!" he shouted, his voice filled with rage and betrayal. "I trusted you!"
Those words hit harder than his grip.
For a moment, I almost closed my eyes.
"I came to help you," I whispered.
But he refused to hear me.
After a long moment, he released me, pushing me away as if my presence disgusted him. I staggered slightly but quickly regained my balance. I rubbed my neck gently, feeling the sting of his grip, yet I showed no weakness.
"Leave my kingdom," he said coldly, his voice now empty of emotion. "And if you don't… I will destroy you."
He paused, his eyes locking onto mine with deadly determination.
"Even if it costs me my bloodline."
Those words settled deep within me.
I realized then that nothing I said would change his mind.
The damage had already been done.
So I said nothing.
I simply looked at him one last time… then vanished.
When I arrived back at the covenant, the familiar air wrapped around me, calm yet heavy with unspoken knowledge. My godmother was already waiting, as if she had sensed everything before I even returned.
"You've seen it," she said quietly.
I nodded. "Someone has interfered. My revenge has been twisted into something far worse."
She sighed deeply, her expression filled with concern. "I feared this would happen."
I told her everything. About Daniel, about his pain, about what he said… and what he has become.
When I finished, she remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"You must fix this," she said. "Rescue his people… but do it without him knowing."
I looked at her. "And then what?"
"Then you walk away," she replied. "Before your feelings destroy everything you've worked for."
Her words lingered in my mind.
"I need time," I said softly.
That night, I did not sleep.
I sat alone, my thoughts consuming me. All I ever wanted was revenge. Revenge for my parents. Revenge for the pain I endured. Revenge for the life that was taken from me.
But now… something felt wrong.
A memory surfaced.
My uncle.
The true source of my suffering.
His cruelty. His lies.
His family had already paid the price.
But the king…
Daniel's father…
It had been a misunderstanding.
There was no proof. The witches had healed me before I spoke. There were no scars left to show the truth of what I had endured.
Only my words.
"I punished the wrong people…" I whispered, my voice trembling.
Guilt slowly crept into my heart, wrapping around me like chains I could not break.
But then, something shifted inside me.
It was not too late.
I could still stop this.
I lifted my head, my eyes filled with determination.
"I will save them," I said firmly.
Even if he hates me.
Even if he never knows the truth.
At least he will not destroy himself trying to fight a war built on lies.
And this time… I will do it right.
END OF CHAPTER THIRTY TWO