Chapter 3
Ruby lay on the soft furs, her face pale, her fox eyes tinged red with distress.
“Zane, my love…” she choked out, grasping Zane’s hand.
“It hurts so much… Will the baby and I… make it?”
Zane gripped her hand tightly, his eyes full of concern.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ll save you no matter what.”
Only then did he turn to look at me, his gaze as cold as ice.
“Ruby was poisoned. That’s why she fell off the cliff on our wedding day, almost losing the baby.”
Zane’s voice was slow and deliberate, chillingly cold.
“The poison… was on the snake scale necklace you gave her!”
The air seemed to freeze instantly.
Zane threw the necklace at my face, cutting a bloody gash.
I stared at Ruby in disbelief, but the guard’s foot pressed down harder on my back, forcing me to the ground.
Ruby’s hand gently caressed her belly as she gave a sad, helpless smile:
“Sister Aria, I know you don’t like me, but… the baby is innocent…”
“The antidote!”
Zane’s tail slammed the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. His massive serpent shadow loomed in the daylight.
“I don’t have it.”
I bit my lip hard, my eyes bloodshot.
He stared at me, his tone ice cold:
“No antidote? Then give Ruby the other half of your beast core. That will save her too.”
My whole body shook.
My beast core?
I only had half a beast core left inside me, barely keeping me alive. If I cut it out again…
“Zane, have you gone mad?”
I stared at him in disbelief, my heart clenching painfully.
I had carried his children ten times, given up half my beast core for him.
Now he wanted me to cut myself open again to save his new love?!
My nails dug into my palms as I trembled violently.
“Aria, this isn’t a request.”
Zane looked at me, his tone frosty, his gaze like he was looking at an unrepentant criminal - full of righteous pity.
The guards immediately dragged out a small figure.
She was pinned to the ground by the snake tribe guards, a cloth stuffed in her mouth, her eyes wide with panic.
“Aria! Mmph mmph!”
“Lily!”
I desperately tried to go to her but was held back firmly by the guards, unable to move.
Zane slowly turned, looking down at me coldly:
“Either give up your beast core, or she dies. I’ll count to three.”
It felt like my heart was being ripped to shreds. Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Three.”
“Two.”
Seeing I wouldn’t speak, Zane’s blade sliced off half of Lily’s ear.
“Ahhh!”
He raised his hand again.
I laughed bitterly in despair.
Zane was willing to kill my best friend for the one he loved.
“Fine.”
I slowly closed my eyes, my nails digging into my palms as I said softly,
“I’ll do it.”
“Mmph?!” Surprisingly, Lily had the strongest reaction.
She shook her head frantically, tears and blood streaming down her face.
Zane’s gaze finally softened for an instant, while Ruby covered her mouth, a hint of a smile showing.
The blade pressed against my chest, its sharp edge slowly cutting into my skin. The searing pain nearly made me collapse.
The beast core inside me was slowly carved out, blood pooling on the ground.
The air filled with the scent of winter pine mixed with the metallic tang of blood, so strong it was nauseating.
Finally, the dull, lightless half of my beast core fell from my body into Zane’s palm.
I collapsed to the ground, blood dripping from my body onto the cold stone floor.
And Zane… he was still tightly holding Ruby in his arms.
Ruby cradled the half beast core, letting out a soft laugh.
“Thank you, sister Aria.”
Her smile was gentle, like a mockery of me.
In utter despair, I slowly closed my eyes, letting the blood flow from my fingertips.
Fading into unconsciousness.