Chapter 292: Chapter 292 The Price (2)
Magic rose around them, spinning through the roots and air. Emelia arched her back, crying out as golden light surged from her belly to Anastasia’s palms. The dagger hovered for a heartbeat, the air thick with silence, before sliding forward with a sound like a gasp.
Blood spilled, bright and red against the glowing green roots. Emelia’s scream tore through the air and was followed by the human woman’s sobs. The sacred tree’s bark cracked louder, as if feeding on the magic pouring from their bodies.
I covered my mouth, frozen, my body trembling. "No..." The word escaped me like a broken breath.
Young Princess Anastasia brought out the baby, and lightning flashed through the sky. Her breath caught as she sobbed. The baby was stillborn.
The human lady stared in horror, unable to cry.
"No... no, no." She sobbed as she cradled the still baby in her arms.
Her gaze met with the other lady. "The baby is still..." she stuttered.
My heart clenched as I watched Emelia’s chest heaving heavily... She was still breathing.
I clasped my hand over my mouth. ’If the baby is still... then Theo?’
"I’ll help you with yours... Let’s not let her sacrifice go to waste." the voice of young Anastasia brought me out of my stupor.
"No..." She sobbed, but looking at the tree which seemed to be reviving a little bit. She lowered her head. "As long as my mate and my son will be alive... I’ll sacrifice my life for them."
She turned to Emelia whose eyes welled with tears. "Emelia... I’m so sorry about your baby..." She closed her eyes.
Young Anastasia placed the stillborn baby on Emelia’s side. Emelia’s tears streamed down her side, the reason she had sacrificed her life... was dead. Mustering the last of her strength, she wrapped her arms around the baby protectively.
"I’m very sorry Emelia, I failed you... I failed you." Young Anastasia sobbed harder.
But she didn’t linger for long, she grabbed the dagger again and moved closer to the human lady.
"Close your eyes." young Anastasia muttered under her breath.
Muttering spells, she raised the dagger and with a swift movement the dagger tore through her flesh. A gasp escaped from the woman’s lips, and then her body slumped to the ground.
The sound of a baby’s cry echoed through the air.
Tears trickled down my cheeks as I watched the inhumane slaughtering of pregnant women.
I turned to Anastasia with swollen eyes. "How could you do that? Why would you sacrifice their lives?... they don’t even have the chance to be with their child... how could you do this?!" My voice echoed and trembled at the same time.
"It was all I could do at that moment. I needed to act quickly... else the seed will perish forever." Princess Anastasia stared at her hands. "I don’t deserve to be a Chosen... I took innocent lives, but it was for the greater good."
"Oh fuck that! Greater good my ass!" My eyes burned with anger.
I understood now, why Damon hated the Fae and the Witches. They killed his mate and took away the chance of him becoming a father.
Now I was sharing the same fate as her as a Chosen. Doing evil in the name of good and claiming it was for the greater good was just a mess-up reality.
I didn’t want to be like her... I didn’t want to use it for the greater good cause as a tenable excuse for acting wicked... I believed there was another way... rather than taking this shortcut.
"You’ll understand very soon." She quietly said.
My fingers dug into my flesh as I watched her younger self cradling the baby on the woman’s thigh, moving her closer to the tree.
Young Anastasia sobbed, her shoulders trembled. Fell to her knees, her face pale and wet with tears, her hands stained with blood.
Light burst from the roots of the tree, swallowing everything in a golden-green glow. The flames hissed and died, and for a long moment there was only silence.
"They... they did it," she whispered. "The tree will live."
She let out a bitter laugh. "Only one death remaining." She held the dagger, she raised it, aiming it at her chest.
Her hands dropped by her side when she heard a ragged breath. She swiftly retracted the barrier and hid behind the tree.
My breath hitched as Damon young self climbed up the hill. His body was covered in wounds, and his eyes were swollen like he had been crying for a long time.
He let out a shaky breath, his eyes widened in horror as he saw the lifeless body of the human lady resting on the tree, cradling a baby in her arms.
His step faltered, and instinctively he turned and blood drained from his face.
"Emelia." He muttered with dread in his eyes.
Damon dropped to his knees beside her. He reached out with trembling fingers, brushing her hair from her face. His lips parted like he wanted to say something... but nothing came out. The words wouldn’t form. His hand lingered on her cheek, but it was already cold.
"I’m sorry..." his voice cracked.
Then as if something snapped inside him, a deep agonising howl tore from his throat, followed by hot tears streaming down his face.
"NOOOOOO!" His cry tore through the air.
"PLEASE DON’T... PLEASE!"
"I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me the most... I’m sorry I came too late... I’m sorry I broke my promise to see you this morning... I’m sorry Emelia... Please come back. STAY WITH ME! PLEASE!" Young Damon wailed.
"Don’t punish me like this... I can’t live without you... I won’t live without you. So please... please... please. Open your eyes... WAKE UP EMELIA!"
His cry tore through my heart like a searing hot blade... watching him in this pitiful state made me realize... he wasn’t wrong for hating me as a fae.
My kind took everything that mattered to him... I really wanted to hate him for everything he had done to me... but if I were to be in his shoes... I would also do the same as he did.
’But two wrongs don’t make a right.’