Chapter4

The moment the witch doctor's words faded, Kaelen froze. A second later, he thrust out his hand, locking his fingers tightly around my throat, and lifted me completely off the ground.

"I built that hound-breaking camp for you, arranged for those lion clansmen to train you, just to teach you a lesson. Is this how you learned to behave?" He glared at me, his eyes bloodshot. "You're actually cheap enough to get pregnant behind my back? With a bastard from those stinking lions?"

I wanted to explain, but my shredded nape pulled at my nerves, preventing me from squeezing out a single complete syllable. I could only shake my head frantically.

Pregnant? It was utterly ridiculous. By my second month in that hound-breaking camp , they had broken my legs and locked me in the same beast cage as several crazed male lions. After that night, I bled for half a month straight. The dark healer those lion clansmen secretly brought in had long since concluded that my womb was completely necrotic, and even my remaining half beast core was heavily corrupted. How could I possibly be pregnant!

I opened my mouth, wanting to tell him this was all a lie fabricated by Elara and her bought witch doctor. But what surged up my throat was blood. I threw up directly onto his chest plate.

Kaelen glanced down at the bloody mess on his chest. A brief flash of shock crossed his eyes, but that tiny bit of hesitation was immediately crushed, replaced once more by an even deeper disgust.

He released his grip, throwing me brutally back onto the wooden bed.

"Still pretending to be on death's door?" He ripped off his cape to wipe away the blood and tossed it to the floor. "Bring in the abortion draught. Melt that bastard in her belly right now."

Before long, a guard rushed in carrying a bowl of black, bubbling potion. Two pairs of hands pressed down hard on my shoulders and legs. I desperately turned my head away, but the guard pinched my jaw open, and the foul, acidic liquid was forced down my throat.

In less than ten seconds, a tearing agony exploded deep in my lower abdomen. Blood poured down the base of my thighs, soaking through the wooden boards.

Kaelen didn't look at me again. He turned and strode out of the room.

The moment the wooden door closed, Elara stepped out of the shadows, looking down at me seizing in a pool of blood.

"You were never actually pregnant, you know." She leaned close to my ear, lowering her voice. "That bowl wasn't an abortion draught either. It's a poison I specifically prepared, meant to dissolve blood and shatter beast cores."

I glared at her furiously.

"Do you really think a pile of rotting bones like you deserves to come back and fight me for the queen's throne?" She patted away a spot of blood that had ruined her dress. "Rot here slowly, sister."

Humming a tune, she turned and walked out.

I was left alone in the room.

My heartbeat grew slower and slower, and my vision blurred. The pain faded away little by little, until it disappeared entirely.

I felt myself stand up, but my feet didn't have the solid sensation of stepping on wood. I reached out to grab the edge of the bed, but my fingertips phased right through the wood, catching nothing.

I looked down. Lying on the bed was an emaciated corpse, its hollow eyes wide open. The blood had stopped spreading.

That was me.

It turned out the Beast God's messenger hadn't taken me away. My beast soul was still here.

...

Deep in the night, the pungent stench of liquor filled the corridor. Kaelen stumbled to a halt outside the door and smashed his fist against the wooden panel.

I stood right behind him, floating there, just watching him.

"Anya, are you done throwing your tantrum?" His voice still carried its usual arrogance. "As long as you get rid of that bastard cleanly, as long as you obediently bow to Elara tomorrow... my promise still holds. The position of queen is still yours."

There was no response from beneath the door. He waited for half a minute before scoffing coldly. "Play dead all you want. You're attending the ceremony tomorrow whether you like it or not."

He turned and disappeared into the darkness of the corridor.

I stared at his retreating back, my heart completely devoid of emotion.

A tantrum? Kaelen, I really don't have the life left to throw one.

Early the next morning in the grand hall, maids were helping Kaelen into his ceremonial attire.

The wooden doors were violently shoved open, and a guard stumbled inside, tumbling to the floor. "My King... My King! Something's happened!"

Kaelen frowned. "Is Anya throwing another temper tantrum and refusing to come?"

"No..." The guard pressed his head against the ground, his voice trembling violently. "In the room... Princess Anya, she's dead!"