CHAPTER FORTY SIX
TANYA'S POV
The night before my sacrifice…
I did not sleep.
The covenant was silent outside my chamber, but inside me—
Everything was breaking apart.
I sat beside the window quietly, staring at the moonlight falling across the sacred baobab tree.
Tomorrow…
I was going to die.
Strangely enough, I was not afraid of death.
I became a witch long ago.
Pain, darkness, suffering—
Those things stopped frightening me years ago.
But there was one thing my heart could not accept.
Daniel.
Tears filled my eyes slowly.
I did not want to leave him behind without saying goodbye.
Not after everything we had survived together.
Not after finally discovering the truth about our love.
My hands moved gently toward my stomach.
Our child.
A small broken smile appeared on my lips.
"I'm sorry…" I whispered weakly.
"I failed to protect you."
The wind outside howled softly as if the spirits themselves mourned with me.
For a moment, I almost stood up.
I wanted to see Daniel one last time.
Even if it was only from afar.
I wanted to hear his voice again.
To touch him again.
To tell him—
That I loved him.
But I stopped myself.
Because I knew my own heart.
If I saw Daniel again…
I would never return to the covenant.
And if I ran away—
My godmother would die.
The covenant would fall into war.
So I remained seated quietly.
Alone.
Crying silently until morning.
When the first sunlight touched the covenant, I walked through the forest alone.
For the first time in many years…
The covenant no longer felt like home.
Every step felt heavy.
Painful.
I visited every place connected to Daniel.
The training grounds where I once punished him mercilessly.
The river where I forced him to carry water for hours.
The firewood area where I insulted him in front of servants.
The chambers where I treated him like nothing more than a slave.
Regret crushed my heart completely.
Why was I so cruel to the man who loved me most?
I remembered his eyes.
His patience.
The way he kept protecting me even when I hurt him.
Another tear rolled down my cheek.
"If only I accepted my feelings earlier…" I whispered painfully.
Maybe we could have lived happily together.
Maybe our child would have been born into peace.
Maybe fate would have been kinder to us.
But now—
It was too late.
By sunset, the entire covenant had gathered at the ritual grounds.
The atmosphere felt heavy.
Dark.
Terrifying.
Large black flames burned around the sacred stones while witches chanted ancient words beneath the stormy sky.
I walked forward slowly without resisting.
Chains made from sacred silver restrained my hands.
Not because I wanted to escape—
But because the ritual demanded it.
I could feel thousands of eyes staring at me.
Some filled with pity.
Others with hatred.
Prince Raymond stood near the altar dressed in black ceremonial robes.
His eyes were cold.
Victorious.
The moment I stepped onto the ritual stone, thunder echoed across the heavens.
BOOM!
The wind became violent instantly.
The sacred baobab tree shook dangerously behind us.
Even the ancestors seemed restless.
Prince Raymond raised his hand slowly.
"The sacrifice will begin," he announced coldly.
The witches lowered their heads respectfully.
Then one elder stepped forward.
"Tanya," she said solemnly.
"Speak your final words."
Silence filled the ritual grounds.
But I said nothing.
Instead—
My eyes searched desperately through the crowd.
Looking for one person.
My godmother.
I wanted to say goodbye.
Even if only with my eyes.
But she was nowhere to be seen.
A strange pain entered my chest.
Had she abandoned the ritual because she could not watch me die?
Slowly…
I closed my eyes.
And took a deep breath.
Accepting my fate.
"Light the sacred fire."
Prince Raymond's cold voice echoed loudly.
The executioners stepped forward immediately.
Dark flames began rising around the altar.
The heat surrounded my body instantly.
The unborn child inside me moved weakly.
Another tear escaped my eyes.
"I'm sorry…" I whispered again.
Suddenly—
A terrifying roar exploded across the covenant.
ROOOOAAARRRR!
The entire ground trembled violently.
Everyone froze instantly.
The witches turned around in fear.
Even Prince Raymond's expression darkened.
Then—
A powerful wind storm burst through the ritual grounds.
The sacred flames extinguished instantly.
BOOM!
Another thunder exploded across the heavens.
And slowly—
A figure emerged from the darkness.
My heart stopped instantly.
Daniel.
But—
Something was different.
Completely different.
He no longer looked like an ordinary human prince.
He looked like a king born for war.
Golden royal armor covered his body like the ancient warriors of the Lion Pack.
His eyes burned bright red like living flames.
Dark spiritual energy surrounded him violently.
Even the air around him felt heavy with power.
Every step he took shook the ground beneath him.
The witches stepped backward in fear automatically.
Because the pressure surrounding Daniel no longer belonged to a human.
I stared at him in complete shock.
"Daniel…" I whispered weakly.
How…
How did he become this powerful?
Prince Raymond narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"So the human finally arrived," he said coldly.
Daniel's burning eyes landed on me instantly.
Pain flashed across his face the moment he saw me chained to the altar.
Then slowly—
His gaze shifted toward Prince Raymond.
And the temperature around the covenant dropped terrifyingly.
"No one," Daniel said coldly.
"Touches my family."
The entire covenant trembled.
Prince Raymond laughed darkly.
"You think you can challenge the covenant alone?"
Dark energy exploded around Raymond instantly.
He raised both hands toward the sky and began chanting forbidden demonic spells.
The clouds above turned black completely.
One by one—
Dark shadows began appearing behind him.
Demons.
Dozens of them.
Their horrifying screams filled the covenant.
The witches panicked immediately.
But before Prince Raymond could attack—
The ground beneath the ritual altar exploded violently.
BOOOOM!
Everyone screamed in shock.
Then suddenly—
A gigantic python burst out from beneath the earth.
Its enormous black body wrapped around the ritual grounds like a monster from ancient legends.
Its golden eyes glowed with terrifying power.
The demons behind Raymond immediately retreated fearfully.
Even Prince Raymond stepped backward in shock.
Then the massive python lifted its head slowly—
And bowed before Daniel.
The entire covenant fell silent.
Complete silence.
No one understood what they were seeing.
But deep inside—
I felt it.
Destiny had finally awakened.
END OF CHAPTER FORTY SIX