He Fed Me to the Serpents, So I Came Back to Ruin Him

ReelForge

Transcript

00:00:09I was born to kill serpents, so the Hargroves used me as their perfect shield.

00:00:14In my past life, I entered their cursed hall for Callum, the man I loved.

00:00:19But when the serpent gate opened, he chose Jenna, locked the door, and left me to be devoured.

00:00:25Death gave me one chance to return.

00:00:27I traded my beauty for silver sight, and woke up with a scar no man was supposed to love.

00:00:32But I did not come back for love.

00:00:34I came back to watch Callum's devotion rot, expose Jenna's snake magic, and let the serpents choose their real prey.

00:00:41My name's Rowena Whitmore.

00:00:43In my past life, I loved Callum Hargrove so much that it cost me everything.

00:00:47I knew exactly what Hargrove Hall was, a century-old estate built over a sealed serpent gate, rotting from the

00:00:53inside out with ancient venom.

00:00:54I still walked in, for him.

00:00:57Whitmuster blood ran through my veins, and that blood was born to suppress serpents.

00:01:01So when the curse came for Callum, I threw myself in its path and let the poison tear through me

00:01:06instead.

00:01:06What I did not know, what I never saw coming, was that he and Jenna had already decided how my

00:01:11story would end.

00:01:11The venom spread through my body like fire through dry wood.

00:01:14My flesh began to rot from the inside.

00:01:16I still remember every second of that night.

00:01:18The freezing rain, the iron door, and my bloody hands clawing at the gap in the frame.

00:01:22Callum, please, just open the door!

00:01:23My nails split down to the quick.

00:01:25Blood smeared the cracks.

00:01:26Still, nothing.

00:01:27Then his voice came through, flat and cold, without even a flicker of hesitation.

00:01:31Shut up.

00:01:32Your screaming is scaring Jenna.

00:01:33I'm not opening this door.

00:01:35You're useful in there, so stay there.

00:01:37Keep those monster snakes inside, even if they eat you alive.

00:01:40From the other side of the door, I could hear Jenna crying softly.

00:01:44Then came Callum's voice again, low and gentle, saying things he had never once said to me.

00:01:49You're safe.

00:01:51I've got you.

00:01:52Nothing is going to touch you, I promise.

00:01:54The lock turned.

00:01:55I will never forget that sound.

00:01:57Callum had one arm around Jenna as he sealed me inside.

00:02:01He left me there to die in the dark, surrounded by serpents, and he never looked back.

00:02:06The pain was beyond anything I had words for.

00:02:08It felt like I was being torn apart from the inside out, piece by piece, until even screaming became impossible.

00:02:13When I died, I drifted in silver light, endless, cold, and silent.

00:02:17There was nothing left of me but a thin thread of soul, too broken even to cry.

00:02:21Then a voice fell through the dark like a blade through silk, clear, ancient, and completely without warmth.

00:02:26Child, look, Moir.

00:02:28You died badly.

00:02:30What I offer is not mercy.

00:02:32It is a contract.

00:02:34Give me something, and I will give you what you want.

00:02:38I'll give up my face.

00:02:39My beauty in this life.

00:02:40All of it.

00:02:41In exchange, I want the Lunar Hunt Covenant, the Silver Sight, and one more life.

00:02:45Do you understand what it means to give up your face?

00:02:48I do.

00:02:48Last time, my beauty made it easy for them to use me.

00:02:51I don't need anyone to love my face.

00:02:53I just need to see clearly.

00:02:55Silver light crapped through me like lightning, and I was thrown back into the world of the living.

00:02:59When I opened my eyes, the hissing was gone.

00:03:02The air smelled of incense.

00:03:04I raised a hand to my face and felt it.

00:03:05A scar across my cheek.

00:03:07Faint silver light pulsing beneath it like a wire.

00:03:09It was the mark of the covenant.

00:03:11The price Artemis had carved into my skin.

00:03:13I was back.

00:03:14Back to the morning Eleanor Hargreff came to beg.

00:03:17I stood in front of the mirror and traced the scar with my fingers.

00:03:20Then I smiled.

00:03:21But there was nothing warm left in it.

00:03:24I did not come back to love him.

00:03:26I came back from hell to collect what they owed me.

00:03:30One debt at a time.

00:03:38Rowena, please!

00:03:39I'm begging you!

00:03:40You have to save Callum!

00:03:42The old woman dropped to her knees in front of me, clutching the hem of my dress with both hands

00:03:46and crying like she had nothing left.

00:03:47The death mark carved into Callum's forehead was the final outbreak of decades of serpent resentment buried beneath the Hargrove

00:03:54state.

00:03:55As long as it stayed on him, the curse would keep spreading.

00:03:58And every Hargrove tied to this land by blood would carry the same death sentence.

00:04:04Only a Whitmore could even see the mark.

00:04:06Only a Whitmore could remove it.

00:04:09They needed me.

00:04:10That was a fact.

00:04:12But the only reason I was here was to take back what the Hargroves stole from us.

00:04:15The silver arrow of Whitmore.

00:04:17I stood over Eleanor, looking down at her shaking shoulders, and all I could think of was how she used

00:04:21to call me sweetheart while she watched the flames swallow me alive.

00:04:24I slowly pulled my skirt out of her grip.

00:04:27I can't break the Hargrove curse.

00:04:28There was not a single trace of emotion in my voice.

00:04:31I did not owe her that much.

00:04:32Eleanor nor froze.

00:04:33The invitation in her hands crumbled at the edges.

00:04:35Then Callum walked in from the hallway.

00:04:37He was younger than I remembered.

00:04:38Sharper and more arrogant, with all that ugly pride still sitting right on the surface.

00:04:41His eyes swept over me and stopped on the scar crossing my face.

00:04:44For one second, he went still.

00:04:47The scar was silver, winding across half my cheek and glowing faintly in the morning light.

00:04:51It did not look like an ordinary wound.

00:04:53It looked like something ancient had pressed itself into my skin and left its mark there.

00:04:56His disgust was almost impossible to miss.

00:04:58He turned his face away slightly like he could barely stand to look at it.

00:05:01I noticed.

00:05:02I said nothing.

00:05:04In my past life, I had walked through this same door with an untouched face, and he had smiled at

00:05:08me so beautifully.

00:05:09Every warm word had been perfectly calculated.

00:05:12Now that I had a scar, the mask slipped at once.

00:05:15That told me everything.

00:05:16He did not need a person.

00:05:18He needed a tool.

00:05:19And apparently he preferred his tools pretty.

00:05:21Callum stepped closer, his voice sharp with disbelief.

00:05:25What the hell is that supposed to mean?

00:05:26We came here in good faith, and you won't even give us a reason?

00:05:30You're telling me one curse is too much for a Whitmore?

00:05:33He moved into my space like he was used to people backing down when he did.

00:05:36I only looked at him.

00:05:38Go ahead.

00:05:40Look down on me, Callum.

00:05:41You have no idea that the mark on your forehead is getting darker every day.

00:05:45And the only person in this entire world who can see it,

00:05:48the only one who can take it off you,

00:05:50is standing right in front of you while you make that face at her.

00:05:53Eleanor started crying harder.

00:05:56Her hands shook as she pulled a heavy envelope from her coat.

00:06:00The wax seal bore an old, dark gold crest.

00:06:03We have nowhere else to turn.

00:06:05Please, just look at this.

00:06:07For the sake of what our families once meant to each other.

00:06:11I almost did not bother.

00:06:13But the moment my eyes touched the seal,

00:06:15my silver sight flared.

00:06:17A pulse of silver light cut through the surface of the wax,

00:06:20and beneath it, clear and understakeable,

00:06:23was the trace of a Whitmore silver arrow.

00:06:28The silver arrow was the most sacred relic of the Whitmore bloodline.

00:06:31The Hargroves had stolen it from us,

00:06:33and it had been lost for generations.

00:06:38I only learned the truth as I was dying in my past life,

00:06:41when it was already too late to do anything about it.

00:06:44Now I knew exactly where it was.

00:06:47That was the real reason I would walk into Hargrove Hall.

00:06:50Not Callum.

00:06:51The arrow.

00:06:53Callum saw me take it,

00:06:55and his whole body relaxed.

00:06:56He lifted his chin slightly,

00:06:59satisfaction spreading across his face.

00:07:00He had already decided I was still hung up on him,

00:07:03that I had finally given in because of old feelings.

00:07:06Then he turned on that warm, reasonable voice,

00:07:09the one that used to make me believe every word.

00:07:12Good.

00:07:12All you have to do is come with us,

00:07:14and suppress the curse.

00:07:16Once I'm better, I'll make sure you're rewarded.

00:07:18The Hargroves take care of people who prove useful to us.

00:07:22He said it like he was doing me a favor,

00:07:24like I was something he could summon,

00:07:26use,

00:07:26and dismiss whenever it suited him.

00:07:28I looked at him slowly,

00:07:30the way you look at something that does not know it is already finished.

00:07:34I'm going to Hargrove Hall to take back what belongs to the Whitmore family.

00:07:38I was never doing this for you.

00:07:40The smile on his face died, died completely.

00:07:45The next morning, the man had everything packed before I came downstairs.

00:07:50Lady, the carriages are here.

00:07:51He was the boy the Whitmore family had taken in years ago,

00:07:54quiet, precise, and so still that most people mistook him for cold.

00:07:59Since I came back, he was the only person who looked straight at the scar on my face

00:08:03without flinching or glancing away.

00:08:05Two Hargrove carriages were waiting outside.

00:08:08Eleanor had one to herself,

00:08:09and the other was meant for Callum and me.

00:08:11Jenna, who supposedly could not handle the mountain road,

00:08:14was supposed to have her own space.

00:08:16I was about to step into the second carriage when a voice cut across the courtyard.

00:08:20Wait!

00:08:21Callum, I want to ride with you!

00:08:22She ran toward us with her skirts gathered in both hands,

00:08:26her cheeks flushed and her eyes red at the rims,

00:08:28as if she had already been crying.

00:08:30She was the girl the Hargroves had taken in years ago,

00:08:33the orphan daughter of some distant relation.

00:08:35She had grown up inside the estate walls,

00:08:38right beside Callum.

00:08:39Everyone said she was sweet and innocent,

00:08:41the one person Callum protected more than anyone else.

00:08:44She had a white silk scarf in her hands.

00:08:47Before Callum could answer,

00:08:48she was already looping it around his neck

00:08:50and smoothing it down with both palms.

00:08:53The mountain road is freezing.

00:08:54I don't want you getting sick again.

00:08:56Callum did not move away from her hands.

00:08:58In my past life, I thought she was only being kind.

00:09:00This time, my silver sight caught the edge of the scarf

00:09:03the moment it touched him.

00:09:04Faint dark lines were woven into the silk,

00:09:06forming the exact pattern of a serpent mark.

00:09:08Callum did not see any of it.

00:09:10He was already brushing a loose strand of hair away from Jenna's face.

00:09:13Jenna turned to me with wide, apologetic eyes.

00:09:16Lady Rowena, I hope you don't mind.

00:09:17I won't take up much space, I promise.

00:09:19She did not wait for my answer.

00:09:21She climbed in ahead of me.

00:09:23I watched her settle beside Callum

00:09:25and push me toward the window seat without even looking at me.

00:09:28I said nothing.

00:09:29Jenna, last time I missed every move you made.

00:09:31This time I'm gonna watch every single one.

00:09:35The carriage wound its way up the wet cobblestone road

00:09:38towards the Hargraf estate.

00:09:39There was barely enough room for two people to sit comfortably,

00:09:42and Jenna had made sure she stayed pressed against Callum for the entire ride.

00:09:47Every time the wheels hit a rough patch,

00:09:49she let out a soft, breathy sound and leaned into his shoulder.

00:09:51The timing was perfect, always within my line of sight,

00:09:54like a little performance stage just for me.

00:09:57Callum, I feel so dizzy.

00:09:58I can barely breathe.

00:10:00She twisted her fingers into the front of his shirt,

00:10:02lifting her eyes just enough to catch the light,

00:10:05looking soft and helpless and miserable.

00:10:07In my past life, watching this would have made me want to shrink into myself and disappear.

00:10:12Now I only sat still and watched her work.

00:10:14Callum noticed me looking.

00:10:16His expression hardened at once.

00:10:17He tightened his arm around Jenna and turned his face away from me,

00:10:20like even the air on my side of the carriage disgusted him.

00:10:23Rowena, stop staring.

00:10:24Jenna is kind and gentle, not that you would know anything about that.

00:10:27And stop using that face to scare her.

00:10:28Jenna reached over and touched his arm gently.

00:10:30Callum, don't.

00:10:32Lady Rowena probably doesn't mean it.

00:10:34She knows exactly what she's doing.

00:10:35She's had it out for you since the moment she saw you.

00:10:38Maybe she just doesn't like me.

00:10:40It's alright, I'm used to it.

00:10:41That is her problem, not yours.

00:10:43I don't care what she thinks.

00:10:44I did not answer.

00:10:45In my past life, that exchange would have hollowed me out for days.

00:10:48Now I only filed it away.

00:10:50Every word, every dismissal.

00:10:52I was keeping track.

00:10:54At the same time, through the silver sight,

00:10:56I could see what was really happening.

00:10:58Dark energy was seeping from the coral bracelet on Jenna's wrist,

00:11:01winding along Callum's collar and pushing inch by inch into the skin at the back of his neck.

00:11:06She was not dizzy.

00:11:07She was feeding the serpent.

00:11:09Callum, the sweet, innocent girl you're so desperate to protect,

00:11:12is poisoning you right now, and you're holding her tighter.

00:11:14He pulled her closer and pressed his cheek against the top of her head, completely blind.

00:11:20By midday, the carriages stopped in front of the Hargreth family's main residence.

00:11:24This was not Hargreth Hall.

00:11:26Not the old estate with the serpent gate buried beneath it.

00:11:29The hall stood deeper inside the grounds,

00:11:31behind a locked inner courtyard that almost never opened.

00:11:34This was only where the family lived.

00:11:35When Jenna stepped down from the carriage,

00:11:37she grabbed the doorbraim, her face going pale,

00:11:39and sagged into Callum's side.

00:11:41I'm fine.

00:11:42Just cold.

00:11:43My legs feel strange.

00:11:44Callum wrapped an arm around her at once.

00:11:46The look he sent me over her shoulder made it clear

00:11:48that somehow this was supposed to be my fault.

00:11:50We passed through the front entrance hall.

00:11:52The moment we crossed the threshold,

00:11:54my silver sight erupted.

00:11:56Dark serpent energy crawled across every wall and ceiling,

00:11:59coiling and shifting like something alive.

00:12:02It hulged at anyone with Hargreth blood,

00:12:04then recoiled the second it touched the silver light of my mark,

00:12:07shrieking back into the cracks.

00:12:09Jenna was walking ahead.

00:12:10I watched her cross the threshold,

00:12:11and I saw the exact moment her shoe came down

00:12:14on the protection line hidden beneath the doorframe.

00:12:18It was not an accident.

00:12:19The movement was too precise.

00:12:21The line snapped.

00:12:22The energy that had been held down broke loose all at once,

00:12:25and a wave of freezing air tore down the corridor like a blade.

00:12:29Oh God!

00:12:30Help me!

00:12:31She stumbled backwards straight into his arms,

00:12:33clean and practiced, like a stage fall.

00:12:36Callum caught her without even looking.

00:12:37One arm locked across her chest,

00:12:39and his first words were for me.

00:12:40Rowena!

00:12:42What the hell are you doing just standing there?

00:12:45You're a Whitmore!

00:12:47You're supposed to handle this!

00:12:50If Jenna gets hurt because of you,

00:12:52I swear you'll answer for it.

00:12:55I raised one hand,

00:12:56a silver seal dropped across the corridor,

00:12:57and the serpent energy shrank back into the walls.

00:13:00The hallway went still.

00:13:02I looked at Callum.

00:13:04You're welcome.

00:13:05I let the silence stretch for a moment.

00:13:07Then I lowered my gaze to the broken line on the floor,

00:13:10before slowly lifting my eyes to Jenna's shoes.

00:13:13You might want to ask how that line broke in the first place.

00:13:16Callum's brow tightened.

00:13:17In his arms, Jenna's eyes filled with tears at once.

00:13:21Her lower lip trembled as she looked up at him,

00:13:22as if she was the one being attacked.

00:13:24Callum looked between us, and clenched his jaw.

00:13:27What exactly are you accusing her of?

00:13:29Nothing.

00:13:30Just giving you advice.

00:13:32While you're in this house,

00:13:33pay attention to what's right in front of you.

00:13:35Then I walked toward the sitting room without looking back.

00:13:42When we settled into the sitting room,

00:13:44Eleanor came in herself with a tray of peach blossom tea.

00:13:47Steam curled slowly from each cup.

00:13:49You must be exhausted after that ride, sweetheart.

00:13:52I made this myself.

00:13:53Drink it while it's hot.

00:13:55It will calm your nerves.

00:13:57She had the warmth turned all the way on.

00:13:59Deep smile lines,

00:14:00a gentle voice,

00:14:01every inch the loving grandmother.

00:14:02Jenna sat beside Callum.

00:14:03She picked up his cup first,

00:14:05blew on it softly,

00:14:06and placed it in his hands.

00:14:07Drink it while it's hot.

00:14:09It'll warm you up.

00:14:10In my past life,

00:14:11I fell for all of it.

00:14:12I drank the tea,

00:14:13and by nightfall,

00:14:14my silver sight was almost blind.

00:14:16The poison had worked slowly and silently the whole time.

00:14:19When I tried to suppress the serpents that night,

00:14:21I kept making the wrong calls,

00:14:22and one of them tore my palm open.

00:14:24I burned with fever for three days straight,

00:14:27and Jenna had been there the entire time,

00:14:29smiling sweetly as she added a spoonful of sugar to my cup.

00:14:31Something sweet makes everything less bitter,

00:14:33Lady Rowena.

00:14:34This time,

00:14:35I looked into my cup through the silver sight.

00:14:36The tea should have been pale amber,

00:14:38but beneath the surface,

00:14:39it was deep crimson.

00:14:40Something small and dark moved along the bottom.

00:14:42I picked up the cup and drank most of it.

00:14:44I let none of it touch me.

00:14:46Under the cover of my sleeve,

00:14:48I pressed two fingers to my wrist

00:14:49and sealed my throat and chest with a silver seal.

00:14:52The poison slammed into the barrier

00:14:54and thrashed like a trapped thing,

00:14:55but it got nowhere.

00:14:56Jenna kept her eyes on my face the whole time.

00:14:59She was waiting for my gaze to blur,

00:15:00waiting for the sight to go dark.

00:15:02When I set the cup down,

00:15:03breathing evenly and looking straight back at her,

00:15:06I saw the corner of her smile crack.

00:15:08Just a twitch.

00:15:09Just one second.

00:15:10But it was there.

00:15:12Lucian picked up his own cup,

00:15:13gave it one slow sniff,

00:15:15then turned and poured the whole thing

00:15:16into the planter beside his chair.

00:15:18Too sweet.

00:15:19Hides the taste of rot.

00:15:21Eleanor's expression flickered.

00:15:23Calatin's eyes sharpened.

00:15:24My grandmother made that tea herself.

00:15:26You want to explain what the hell you're doing?

00:15:28I just did.

00:15:29Lucian looked at him calmly.

00:15:31Callum's face turned ugly.

00:15:32He was about to snap back

00:15:34when Jenna laid a hand on his arm.

00:15:35Callum, don't.

00:15:36We asked them to come here.

00:15:37It's fine, really.

00:15:38She said it in that soft,

00:15:40peacemaking voice.

00:15:41But as she lifted her own cup back to her lips,

00:15:44her eyes slid sideways to me,

00:15:46patient, calculating,

00:15:48waiting to see something

00:15:48that was never going to happen.

00:15:50I looked at her and said nothing.

00:15:52Jenna, I'm just getting started.

00:15:54Next time, I'll make sure you see it coming.

00:15:58The welcome dinner that night

00:16:00was exactly the kind of show

00:16:01the Hargroves loved to put on.

00:16:03Candles stretched down the table.

00:16:05Silver gleamed at every place setting,

00:16:07and there was more food

00:16:08than anyone could finish.

00:16:09Jenna sat to Callum's left,

00:16:11cutting her food with careful,

00:16:12effortless grace.

00:16:13Then she set down her knife,

00:16:15turned to me,

00:16:15and spoke in the softest,

00:16:17most concerned voice she had.

00:16:18Ladies Rowena,

00:16:19I've been meaning to ask you something.

00:16:21With a scar like that on your face,

00:16:23do people avoid you when you go out?

00:16:25You must feel so lonely.

00:16:27I can't even imagine.

00:16:29Perfectly worded,

00:16:30perfectly gentle,

00:16:31loud enough for every servant

00:16:32in the room to hear.

00:16:33I held my knife and fork

00:16:35and did not respond.

00:16:36Jenna, don't say it like that.

00:16:38She's a guest,

00:16:39you'll embarrass her.

00:16:40In my past life,

00:16:41I had actually been grateful for that.

00:16:43I thought he was standing up for me.

00:16:44Now I could see it clearly.

00:16:46He did not care whether I was humiliated.

00:16:49He just needed me to walk

00:16:50into that hall tomorrow night,

00:16:51and a scene at dinner

00:16:52would make things harder.

00:16:53That sentence was for him,

00:16:55not for me.

00:16:56Jenna's face crumpled at once.

00:16:58Her eyes filled.

00:16:59I didn't mean it that way.

00:17:00I was worried about her.

00:17:02Callum,

00:17:03why are you making it sound like

00:17:04I did something wrong?

00:17:05Her voice broke on the last word.

00:17:07Two tears slipped down her face.

00:17:09And just like that,

00:17:10Callum changed.

00:17:11The hardness left him,

00:17:12and his voice turned low and gentle.

00:17:15I know you didn't.

00:17:16I'm sorry.

00:17:18I shouldn't have said it like that.

00:17:20Lucian set down his silverware.

00:17:22I have a question.

00:17:23Is this how the Hargroves

00:17:25treat guests they begged for help?

00:17:26Every sound at the table stopped.

00:17:28Jenna's tears paused mid-fall.

00:17:31Callum's head snapped up,

00:17:32and the look he gave Lucian

00:17:33was full of real anger.

00:17:35Who the hell do you think you are?

00:17:36Nobody asked for your opinion!

00:17:38Lucian did not move.

00:17:39He only held Callum's gaze

00:17:41and took his time answering.

00:17:42I came with Lady Whitmore.

00:17:43As long as she is here,

00:17:45I have every right to speak.

00:17:47Callum pressed one hand flat

00:17:48against the edge of the table.

00:17:50His jaw tightened,

00:17:51and his face went pale with fury.

00:17:52Rowena, control your people.

00:17:54I set my wine glass down slowly

00:17:55and looked at him.

00:17:57He's right.

00:17:58Callum, I came because your family

00:17:59begged me to save you.

00:18:01I did not come here

00:18:02to be insulted at your dinner table.

00:18:03If you can't understand the difference,

00:18:05I don't need to enter that hall tomorrow.

00:18:07I can leave tonight.

00:18:09Silence fell over the room.

00:18:10Then Callum exhaled through his nose,

00:18:12forced down his anger

00:18:13and ground out the words

00:18:14like they hurt.

00:18:15After dinner,

00:18:16I'll have Chester bring out

00:18:17the legacy book.

00:18:19I picked up my wine glass again

00:18:20and said nothing.

00:18:23Dinner ended,

00:18:24and I asked for the Hargrove legacy book,

00:18:26the family's hand-brent record

00:18:27dating back to 1840.

00:18:28It dorted how the serpent gate

00:18:29was first sealed and why.

00:18:31If the silver arrow

00:18:32was hidden somewhere on these grounds,

00:18:33there would be a trace of it

00:18:34in those pages.

00:18:36Callum's face tightened at once.

00:18:39It's a dusty old record book.

00:18:41You're here to deal with the curse,

00:18:43not dig through our family history.

00:18:45If I'm going to suppress

00:18:46what's down there,

00:18:47I need to know what caused it.

00:18:48The answer is in that book.

00:18:49Is that too hard for you to understand?

00:18:51He opened his mouth to argue,

00:18:52and Jenna let out a sharp little cry.

00:18:53Her elbow caught the wine bottle

00:18:54at the edge of the table.

00:18:55It tipped over and spilled

00:18:56half its contents across the tablecloth

00:18:57in a dark red wave.

00:18:59Servants rushed forward,

00:19:00and the moment broke apart.

00:19:01I'm so sorry.

00:19:02I'm so sorry.

00:19:03My hands are so shaky tonight.

00:19:04Callum leaned over

00:19:05and took her hands in his,

00:19:07checking them with a deep frown.

00:19:08You didn't cut yourself.

00:19:09It's just a bottle.

00:19:10It doesn't matter.

00:19:11Then he looked at me sideways,

00:19:12contempt clear in his eyes.

00:19:14All this over one old book?

00:19:16Did you really have to push that hard

00:19:17and scare her like that?

00:19:18What is this, an interrogation?

00:19:20I was not looking at him.

00:19:21Through the silver sight,

00:19:22I watched dark serpent energy

00:19:24pour from Jenna's sleeve

00:19:25and curl around the cabinet

00:19:26where the legacy book was kept

00:19:28like a hand pressing the door shut.

00:19:30She had not dropped the bottle

00:19:31because her hands were unsteady.

00:19:34She had dropped it

00:19:35to keep that cabinet closed.

00:19:36I raised one hand.

00:19:37A silver seal shot across the room

00:19:38and pinned the serpent energy

00:19:39flat against the cabinet doors.

00:19:41Jenna went white.

00:19:42Lucian walked to the cabinet,

00:19:43opened it without asking,

00:19:44and looked calmly at Chester in the corner.

00:19:45Chester, bring out the legacy book.

00:19:47Chester hesitated.

00:19:48Then he lowered his head,

00:19:49took the yellowed leather-valume wooden box

00:19:50inside the cabinet,

00:19:51and held it out with both hands.

00:19:52I took it and opened it.

00:19:53I caught sight of the serpent brand

00:19:54running along the edge of Chester's sleeve.

00:19:56I filed it away.

00:19:59The first several pages of the legacy book

00:20:01had been cut out.

00:20:02Clean cuts.

00:20:04Blade cuts.

00:20:05Nothing old about them.

00:20:06Callum glanced over and dismissed it

00:20:07without missing a bead.

00:20:09It's a 150-year-old book.

00:20:10Pages go missing.

00:20:11That's not suspicious.

00:20:12That's time.

00:20:13Jenna stepped in right on cue.

00:20:16Exactly.

00:20:17Lady Rowena,

00:20:18the Hargroves have been a respectable family

00:20:20for generations.

00:20:21There's nothing to hide here.

00:20:22Don't you think you're reading

00:20:23too much into this?

00:20:24I ignored them both

00:20:25and bent over the torn edges,

00:20:26looking through the silver sight.

00:20:28There it was,

00:20:29buried in the yellowed fringe,

00:20:30the faint silver glow

00:20:31of dried Whitmore blood,

00:20:32ancient and thin.

00:20:33Tangled through it

00:20:34was the serpent energy

00:20:35from the bracelet on Jenna's wrist,

00:20:36the exact same signature.

00:20:38She was the one

00:20:39who had cut out those pages,

00:20:40which meant she had known

00:20:41about the silver arrow all along.

00:20:43I was about to speak

00:20:44when the death mark

00:20:45on Callum's forehead split open.

00:20:47Serpent energy burst through his veins

00:20:49all at once,

00:20:50and the whole study shook.

00:20:52From deep inside,

00:20:53Hargrove Hall

00:20:53came a low, grinding sound,

00:20:55like something massive

00:20:56turning in its sleep.

00:20:58Callum's legs buckled.

00:20:59He caught the edge of a shelf,

00:21:01his face white,

00:21:01his teeth clenched,

00:21:03his breath coming in sharp pulls.

00:21:05Eleanor rushed across the room

00:21:06and grabbed my arm.

00:21:07Rowena,

00:21:08please,

00:21:09go tonight,

00:21:09you're the only one

00:21:10who can stop it.

00:21:11Please.

00:21:12I closed the legacy book.

00:21:14I'll enter Hargrove Hall tonight,

00:21:15but I'm going to question the serpent,

00:21:17not break the curse.

00:21:19Get that straight now.

00:21:20Then I turned to Jenna.

00:21:21My voice stayed calm,

00:21:22but every person in the room

00:21:23heard me one more thing.

00:21:24During the ritual tonight,

00:21:25Jenna does not come anywhere

00:21:26near the main hall.

00:21:27Her energy is corrupt.

00:21:28If she gets close,

00:21:28she'll provoke what's down there,

00:21:29and the entire formation

00:21:30will collapse.

00:21:31This is not a request.

00:21:32It's a condition.

00:21:33The study went completely silent.

00:21:35Jenna blinked.

00:21:37Then her head lowered,

00:21:38and tears rolled down her face

00:21:40without a sound.

00:21:42Callum pushed himself up

00:21:43from the shelf,

00:21:44still pale and tight with pain,

00:21:46and turned on me at once.

00:21:47On what grounds?

00:21:49Jenna came all this way

00:21:50because she was worried about me.

00:21:51You don't get to throw her out

00:21:52in the cold just because

00:21:53you hate her.

00:21:53On the grounds that

00:21:54if I walk in tonight,

00:21:56you live.

00:22:00Callum stayed quiet,

00:22:01but it was not over.

00:22:02He steadied himself

00:22:03against the shelf

00:22:04and started again

00:22:05a few seconds later.

00:22:06Even if you have to

00:22:07enter the hall tonight,

00:22:08that does not give you

00:22:09the right to leave

00:22:09Jenna outside alone.

00:22:11She scares easily.

00:22:12What if something happens

00:22:13and you are not there?

00:22:14Are you going to take

00:22:14responsibility for that?

00:22:15Jenna's tears fell faster,

00:22:16but she still reached out

00:22:17and grabbed Callum's sleeve

00:22:18with both hands.

00:22:19Callum, please don't fight

00:22:20with Lady Rowena.

00:22:21This is my fault.

00:22:22I shouldn't have come.

00:22:23You go in and let her

00:22:23do what she needs to do.

00:22:24Don't worry about me.

00:22:25I'll wait outside.

00:22:26I just want you safe.

00:22:27That's all I want.

00:22:28Every word landed

00:22:29exactly where she wanted it to.

00:22:31Callum's chest rose

00:22:32and fell hard.

00:22:33Then he turned

00:22:34all that anger on me.

00:22:35You hear that?

00:22:37She's willing to stand

00:22:38out there alone in the dark

00:22:39just to make things

00:22:40easier for you.

00:22:41What kind of person are you?

00:22:42Jenna stays by the door tonight.

00:22:44No one is stopping her.

00:22:46I looked at them

00:22:46without anger.

00:22:48I was not even surprised.

00:22:50This was the same performance

00:22:51they had put on

00:22:52in my past life.

00:22:53Jenna cried,

00:22:54Callum exploded,

00:22:55and every bit of blame

00:22:56in the room landed on me

00:22:57while they clung

00:22:57to each other.

00:22:59Perfectly timed.

00:23:01Perfectly practiced.

00:23:02I turned toward

00:23:04Hargrim Hall

00:23:04and spoke without

00:23:05looking back.

00:23:07Fine.

00:23:08Then keep your eyes

00:23:09open tonight.

00:23:12Whatever happens

00:23:13don't come crying to me.

00:23:16Behind me,

00:23:18I heard Callum murmur

00:23:19to Jenna.

00:23:20You're okay.

00:23:21I'm right here.

00:23:22I walked into the dark

00:23:23of Hargmite Hall

00:23:24without turning around.

00:23:25I already knew

00:23:26he would open that door

00:23:27for her when the time came.

00:23:28And the harder he fought

00:23:29to protect her tonight

00:23:30the worse the backlash

00:23:31would hit him.

00:23:33Midnight.

00:23:34The main hall

00:23:35of Hargrave Hall.

00:23:36The wind howled

00:23:37through the walls

00:23:37like something was

00:23:38trying to claw its way out.

00:23:40The old chandelier

00:23:41swung overhead,

00:23:42its candles throwing

00:23:43long crooked shadows

00:23:44across the room.

00:23:45The estate had gone still,

00:23:47except for the dull shiver

00:23:48that rolled up

00:23:48from beneath the floor

00:23:49every few minutes.

00:23:50Whatever had been

00:23:51sleeping down there

00:23:52was starting to wake.

00:23:53I stood in the center

00:23:54of the hall and focused.

00:23:55Whitmore blood

00:23:56ignited in my veins.

00:23:57Silver seals

00:23:58poured out of me

00:23:59in rings,

00:24:00spreading across the floor

00:24:01like a net of cold light

00:24:03pressing the serpent energy

00:24:04back into the walls

00:24:05and stone.

00:24:06Building a formation

00:24:07like this

00:24:08burned through

00:24:08everything I had.

00:24:10Power,

00:24:10focus,

00:24:11and sheer will.

00:24:12But I did not

00:24:13let it show.

00:24:14My hands were steady.

00:24:16My face was calm.

00:24:19Callum stood

00:24:19on the far side

00:24:20of the formation,

00:24:21supported by

00:24:22the old butler.

00:24:23The death mark

00:24:24on his forehead

00:24:25pulsed blood red

00:24:26in the silver light.

00:24:27He was shaking,

00:24:28yet he still

00:24:29looked at me

00:24:29like he was doing

00:24:30me a favor

00:24:30by letting me help.

00:24:32How sure are you

00:24:33about this?

00:24:34I did not look at him,

00:24:35sure enough.

00:24:36A pause.

00:24:37I need more than questions.

00:24:39I need the death mark

00:24:40gone completely.

00:24:41Can you actually do that?

00:24:42I turned and looked

00:24:43at him properly

00:24:44for the first time.

00:24:45Callum,

00:24:46the only reason

00:24:46I'm standing in this room

00:24:47is because the silver arrow

00:24:48is here.

00:24:50Not because of you.

00:24:52Whether that mark

00:24:52comes off at all.

00:24:54Depends on whether

00:24:55the Hargroves

00:24:56start paying

00:24:56what they owe

00:24:57the Whitmans.

00:24:58We can discuss

00:24:59that later.

00:24:59He wanted to argue.

00:25:01Then the death mark

00:25:02tore at him again.

00:25:04And the sound

00:25:04that left his throat

00:25:05was not one

00:25:06he meant to make.

00:25:07He swallowed it

00:25:08down hard.

00:25:09Palm up.

00:25:09Catch the light

00:25:10from the core

00:25:10of the formation.

00:25:11Whatever you hear,

00:25:12whatever you see,

00:25:13do not move.

00:25:14This creature

00:25:15follows Hargrove blood.

00:25:16If you move,

00:25:16the backlash will bury you

00:25:17and I will not be able

00:25:18to pull you out.

00:25:18Callum raised

00:25:19his trembling right hand.

00:25:21This time,

00:25:22he said nothing.

00:25:24The last seal

00:25:25fell into place.

00:25:26The stone floor

00:25:28cracked with a deep,

00:25:29grinding boom

00:25:30that rose

00:25:30through the soles

00:25:31of my feet.

00:25:32The eternal flame

00:25:33in its copper lamp

00:25:34guttled

00:25:35until it was almost gone

00:25:36and the temperature dropped.

00:25:38So fast,

00:25:39it felt like the walls

00:25:40themselves

00:25:40were breathing out ice.

00:25:42The floor began

00:25:43to shake

00:25:43in small,

00:25:44rapid tremors.

00:25:45White mist

00:25:46bled up

00:25:46through the cracks,

00:25:47spreading

00:25:48low and thick

00:25:49across the ground,

00:25:50catching the faint

00:25:51silver light

00:25:51of my formation.

00:25:53Then,

00:25:54from the center

00:25:54of the mist,

00:25:55she came.

00:25:57Althea.

00:25:58A thousand-year-old serpent,

00:26:01white as bone,

00:26:02as large as a river dragon,

00:26:04with golden-slit eyes

00:26:05burning in the dark

00:26:06like two cold fires.

00:26:08Decades of rage,

00:26:09grief,

00:26:10and imprisonment

00:26:11moved through the air

00:26:12around her,

00:26:13like a physical force.

00:26:15The servants screamed,

00:26:18Elinor collapsed

00:26:19to her knees.

00:26:21Callum made a sound

00:26:22he probably did not

00:26:23mean to make,

00:26:24as the death mark

00:26:25nearly tore itself open

00:26:26under the pressure

00:26:27of her presence.

00:26:29But when those golden eyes

00:26:30swept across the hall

00:26:31and found him,

00:26:33they stopped.

00:26:35She recognized something.

00:26:37The covenant.

00:26:38The silver light

00:26:39around me.

00:26:41Something older

00:26:42than her rage.

00:26:43Althea went still

00:26:44in a way

00:26:44she had not been

00:26:45still in years.

00:26:47Then she lowered

00:26:48her slowly,

00:26:49all the way

00:26:50to my feet.

00:26:51A low,

00:26:52grieving sound

00:26:53came from her throat,

00:26:54like a creature

00:26:55finally standing

00:26:56before the person

00:26:57it had been waiting for.

00:26:58No one in the room

00:26:59could speak.

00:27:00Callum's breathing

00:27:01was loud,

00:27:02raggled,

00:27:02and stunned.

00:27:03He had spent

00:27:04his whole life

00:27:05under the shadow

00:27:06of what she had done

00:27:07to his family.

00:27:08He had never expected

00:27:09to see her bow.

00:27:10I crouched

00:27:11and touched

00:27:12her scales.

00:27:13They were cold,

00:27:14smooth,

00:27:15and faintly luminous.

00:27:17Althea,

00:27:18I need to ask you

00:27:19something.

00:27:20The silver arrow,

00:27:21the one taken

00:27:21from the Whitmore family

00:27:22a hundred years ago

00:27:23and brought into

00:27:24this estate.

00:27:25Where is it?

00:27:26Her whole body

00:27:27convulsed.

00:27:27She reared halfway up,

00:27:29her great tail

00:27:29striking the stone floor

00:27:31as she pointed

00:27:32deeper into the estate.

00:27:35Somewhere farther in.

00:27:36One more step.

00:27:38One answer.

00:27:38That was all

00:27:40it would have taken.

00:27:42That was when

00:27:43the screaming

00:27:44started outside

00:27:44the hall doors.

00:27:46Callum!

00:27:46Callum,

00:27:47help me!

00:27:47It's going to eat me!

00:27:48Please!

00:27:49Every note

00:27:49was perfectly pitched.

00:27:51Every word

00:27:51landed right at

00:27:52the weakest seam

00:27:53of the ritual.

00:27:54I did not move.

00:27:56But Althea's head

00:27:56snapped up

00:27:57and her golden eyes

00:27:58flooded red.

00:28:00I turned to Callum.

00:28:01Do you remember

00:28:02what I told you

00:28:03earlier tonight?

00:28:04His hand had already

00:28:04curled into a fist.

00:28:06Something broke

00:28:07behind his eyes

00:28:08when he heard

00:28:08Jenna's voice.

00:28:10He stared at the door,

00:28:11throat working,

00:28:12and then he ran.

00:28:13Callum!

00:28:14That's Jenna!

00:28:15I don't care!

00:28:16He threw the doors open.

00:28:18Jenna crashed into him

00:28:19from the other side,

00:28:20shaking,

00:28:21soaked with tears

00:28:22and buried her face

00:28:23in his chest.

00:28:24I was so scared.

00:28:25I just wanted to make

00:28:26sure you were okay.

00:28:27I needed to see you.

00:28:29That thing is terrifying,

00:28:30Callum.

00:28:31I couldn't stay out there.

00:28:32The second her foot

00:28:33crossed the threshold,

00:28:34Serpent Energy burst free

00:28:36from her coral bracelet.

00:28:38It came in a dark,

00:28:40thick wave,

00:28:41carrying a resonance

00:28:42that matched

00:28:43Althea's imprisoned resentment.

00:28:46Frequency for frequency.

00:28:49A signal going both ways.

00:28:52Althea felt it.

00:28:54The red in her eyes deepened.

00:28:57Her scales lifted

00:28:58all across her body

00:28:59as she rose higher.

00:29:01And the sound she made

00:29:02was no longer grief.

00:29:05I stood still

00:29:06with my hands

00:29:07behind my back.

00:29:08In my past life,

00:29:09I had thrown myself

00:29:10in front of that rage.

00:29:11I took all of it

00:29:12so they would not have to.

00:29:14Afterward,

00:29:14I burned with fever

00:29:15for three days

00:29:16and nearly died twice

00:29:17before the fever broke.

00:29:18When I woke up,

00:29:19Callum stood beside my bed

00:29:21with Jenna at his side

00:29:22and said,

00:29:22She needs me more than you do.

00:29:24You're tough.

00:29:24You'll be fine on your own.

00:29:26This time,

00:29:27I breathed out

00:29:28slowly and quietly

00:29:29and I let it happen.

00:29:34Althea hit them

00:29:35like a wave

00:29:36smashing into a wall.

00:29:37The formation shattered.

00:29:40The eternal flame died.

00:29:42The silver seals

00:29:43cracked all at once

00:29:45with a sound

00:29:46like breaking ice.

00:29:47And the core

00:29:48of the ritual collapsed.

00:29:51The whole hall convulsed.

00:29:56Callum was thrown backward

00:29:58and slammed into

00:29:59the offering table

00:30:00hard enough to knock it over.

00:30:01He hit the ground

00:30:02coughing blood.

00:30:04Jenna went down

00:30:05beside him,

00:30:06white-faced,

00:30:07with blood at the corner

00:30:09of her mouth.

00:30:10The ground shook.

00:30:13Serpent Heeks

00:30:14rose from every crack

00:30:16in the stone,

00:30:17growing louder

00:30:18and closer.

00:30:20If the formation

00:30:21stayed broken,

00:30:23the serpents under the estate

00:30:25would come up

00:30:26through the floor.

00:30:28Everyone in this house

00:30:29would die.

00:30:30That included me

00:30:31and Lucian.

00:30:33I pressed my fingers together

00:30:35like a blade

00:30:36and cut across

00:30:37my own palm.

00:30:41Silver blood fell

00:30:43onto the extinguished flame.

00:30:45The fire came back

00:30:46like an explosion.

00:30:48Three feet of silver flame

00:30:50roared up from the lamp,

00:30:51flooding the hall

00:30:53in cold light.

00:30:54Althema hit that light

00:30:55and went rigid.

00:30:56The red drained

00:30:58from her eyes.

00:30:59She lowered herself

00:31:00to the floor,

00:31:01pressed her head

00:31:02against my feet

00:31:03and went still,

00:31:06breathing,

00:31:06slow and deep,

00:31:08like something

00:31:09finally put to rest.

00:31:11The hall went quiet.

00:31:15Then Callum dragged himself

00:31:17up from the floor

00:31:18with one arm

00:31:19around Jenna.

00:31:20He looked across

00:31:21the ruined hall at me,

00:31:23standing in the silver light

00:31:24with blood,

00:31:25still running down my wrist.

00:31:26For one moment,

00:31:27he just stared.

00:31:29Then he opened his mouth.

00:31:31Rowena!

00:31:32You could control that thing

00:31:33the whole time!

00:31:34So why the hell

00:31:35did you just stand there

00:31:36and let it go

00:31:36after Jenna?

00:31:38What is wrong with you?

00:31:40What sick game

00:31:41are you playing?

00:31:43He said it like

00:31:44he was the victim.

00:31:46Like he was not the one

00:31:48who had opened that door,

00:31:49after a direct warning,

00:31:51like I was not standing

00:31:52in front of him,

00:31:53bleeding to hold

00:31:54the ritual together.

00:31:56I looked down

00:31:57at my palm.

00:31:59The silver blood

00:32:00was already slowing.

00:32:02I did not answer him,

00:32:03in Callum's arms,

00:32:04too quietly for him

00:32:05to notice.

00:32:07Jenna lifted her head.

00:32:08Her face was wet,

00:32:10her hair a mess,

00:32:11tears still drying

00:32:12on her cheeks.

00:32:13But from an angle

00:32:14he could not see,

00:32:15the corner of her mouth

00:32:16curved.

00:32:17Less than a second.

00:32:18I caught every bit of it.

00:32:20I almost wanted to laugh.

00:32:22It was the same

00:32:23in this life

00:32:23as it had been

00:32:24in the last.

00:32:25Jenna worked in the dark,

00:32:27soft and sweet

00:32:28and untouchable.

00:32:29And Callum,

00:32:31righteous,

00:32:31devoted,

00:32:32completely blind Callum,

00:32:33picked up every knife

00:32:34she left behind

00:32:35and walked it

00:32:36straight into me.

00:32:37Except this time,

00:32:38I was not the one

00:32:40bleeding out on the floor.

00:32:42This time,

00:32:43I was the one

00:32:44still standing.

00:32:47I stood in the ruined hall,

00:32:50the cold serpent energy

00:32:51still lingering in the air

00:32:53like frost on my skin.

00:32:57Callum's accusation

00:32:59hung between us,

00:33:01sharp and accusatory.

00:33:02I didn't rush

00:33:03to defend myself.

00:33:05Instead,

00:33:06I raised my hand

00:33:08and let the silver seat flare.

00:33:12Silver light swept over Jenna,

00:33:15amplifying the dark serpent patterns

00:33:17twisting on her coral bracelet.

00:33:19They projected clearly

00:33:21onto the wall,

00:33:22rivaling like living shadows.

00:33:27The exact energy

00:33:29that had provoked Althea.

00:33:30The servants gasp.

00:33:32Eleanor's face drained of colour.

00:33:35Jenna's expression crumpled

00:33:37as she threw herself

00:33:38into Callum's arms,

00:33:39sobbing violently.

00:33:41Callum,

00:33:42I don't know what that is.

00:33:44I really don't.

00:33:47Did Lady Rowish

00:33:48do this on purpose

00:33:48to scare me?

00:33:51Callum pulled her tighter,

00:33:53his voice rising in fury

00:33:54as he glared at me.

00:33:56Rowena,

00:33:57enough!

00:33:58You already hurt her tonight,

00:34:00and now you want to humiliate her

00:34:02in front of everyone?

00:34:03The disbelief

00:34:04hit me hard.

00:34:05Evidence right in front of him,

00:34:07and still he chose her.

00:34:09Lucian stepped to my side,

00:34:10his voice like ice.

00:34:11Are you blind?

00:34:13Or has your brain rotted too?

00:34:15You have no right to speak here!

00:34:16I held Lucian back

00:34:17with a hand on his arm.

00:34:18No need to argue with him.

00:34:19Serpent energy recognises its own,

00:34:21and so does Althea.

00:34:22Callum,

00:34:22you can keep pretending

00:34:22not to see it,

00:34:23but the formation collapsed tonight

00:34:24because you opened that door yourself.

00:34:25Callum's face stiffened.

00:34:27Jenna cried even harder.

00:34:28I turned away from them,

00:34:29crouching beside Althea

00:34:30and placing my hand on her head.

00:34:31The great white serpent

00:34:32calmed under my touch,

00:34:32lowering her head like a tamed beast.

00:34:34Everyone saw it.

00:34:35The serpents didn't fear me.

00:34:36They feared the Hargrove.

00:34:39Lucian helped me back to my room.

00:34:41The cut in my palm

00:34:43still seeped silver blood,

00:34:45and the Lunarn Hunt scar

00:34:46on my face burned.

00:34:48Every use of the covenant

00:34:49reminded me of the price

00:34:50I had paid.

00:34:51My face for this power.

00:34:54Lucian banded the wound

00:34:55with careful hands,

00:34:57his touch gentle,

00:34:58as if afraid to break me.

00:35:00Don't cut so deep next time.

00:35:02If I hadn't,

00:35:03this entire estate

00:35:04would have collapsed tonight.

00:35:06That's not your burden

00:35:07alone to carry.

00:35:08I looked up at him.

00:35:10He met my eyes steadily,

00:35:13never flinching

00:35:13from the scar,

00:35:15only seeing me.

00:35:17After my re-rebirth,

00:35:18I had accepted

00:35:19that trading my beauty

00:35:21meant no man

00:35:22would love me again.

00:35:24Others saw fear

00:35:24or disgust first,

00:35:26but Lucian never did.

00:35:28I pulled my hand away,

00:35:30my voice turning cold.

00:35:32Don't be too good to me.

00:35:34I don't need it.

00:35:36Whether you need it

00:35:37is your business.

00:35:38Whether I do it

00:35:39is mine.

00:35:40Footsteps sounded outside.

00:35:43Callum stood in the doorway,

00:35:45his face dark.

00:35:47Seeing Lupien holding my hand

00:35:49made his expression

00:35:50twist with jealousy.

00:35:52So you have time

00:35:53for your servant

00:35:54to fawn him over you.

00:35:55I smiled coldly.

00:35:56At least he knows

00:35:58who was bleeding,

00:35:59unlike some people

00:36:00who only held

00:36:02the real culvert

00:36:03while accusing me.

00:36:04Callum's face

00:36:05darkened further.

00:36:07Tomorrow morning,

00:36:07you're coming with me

00:36:08to the family cemetery.

00:36:10I need to know

00:36:10why this serpent

00:36:11clings to the Hargroves.

00:36:13Fine.

00:36:14But Jenna stays behind.

00:36:16You're meddling too much.

00:36:18I said nothing.

00:36:20I knew Jenna

00:36:21would come anyway.

00:36:24Jenna appeared

00:36:26the next day,

00:36:27wrapped in a pale cloak,

00:36:29looking frail

00:36:30as she clung

00:36:31to Callum's side.

00:36:33Callum,

00:36:34I can't let you go alone.

00:36:36Let me come.

00:36:38I promise

00:36:39I won't cause trouble.

00:36:40Callum glanced at me,

00:36:43waiting for protest.

00:36:44I stayed silent.

00:36:46Let her.

00:36:47The closer she gets

00:36:49to the truth,

00:36:49the faster her mask slips.

00:36:52Jenna's eyes flickered

00:36:53before she looked down.

00:36:55We reached

00:36:56the Hargrove Cemetery,

00:36:57where serpent energy

00:36:59coiled around

00:37:00every grave.

00:37:01My silver sight

00:37:02revealed snake bones

00:37:03pressed beneath

00:37:05each male

00:37:05Hargrove tombstone.

00:37:07This was no simple curse.

00:37:09It was a betrayal.

00:37:10What do you see?

00:37:12Your family wasn't

00:37:14cursed by serpents.

00:37:15You used them first,

00:37:17then betrayed them.

00:37:20Jenna suddenly cried out

00:37:22and stumbled,

00:37:23her hand landing

00:37:24precisely on a formation node.

00:37:26Serpent energy

00:37:27erupted.

00:37:30Callum rushed to her.

00:37:33Jenna!

00:37:34I saw dark energy

00:37:35flash between her fingers.

00:37:38In my past life,

00:37:39I thought it was an accident.

00:37:43Now I knew better.

00:37:45Lucian stepped in front of me,

00:37:47and the underground bones

00:37:49recoiled from him,

00:37:50as if terrified.

00:37:52A question stirred

00:37:53in my mind.

00:37:57Who exactly

00:37:58was Lucian?

00:38:01Jenna clung to Callum,

00:38:03claiming her legs

00:38:04had simply given out.

00:38:06He held her protectively,

00:38:08but turned on me

00:38:09in anger.

00:38:11You knew it was dangerous here!

00:38:13Why didn't you clear it first?

00:38:17Did you see her step

00:38:18on the node?

00:38:19Callum paused.

00:38:20Jenna lifted her

00:38:22tear-stripped face.

00:38:25Lady Rowena,

00:38:27I know you dislike me,

00:38:29but I didn't touch any node.

00:38:31I was just scared.

00:38:33Callum's gaze softened

00:38:35toward her immediately.

00:38:37Rowena, enough.

00:38:39Stop pinning everything on her!

00:38:42I didn't argue.

00:38:43I extracted the serpent energy

00:38:45from her palm

00:38:48and held it suspended

00:38:49in the air,

00:38:51a writhling black thread

00:38:53trying to return

00:38:54to her sleeve.

00:38:56Jenna paled.

00:38:59Still need an explanation?

00:39:01Callum saw it.

00:39:02Everyone did.

00:39:04But after a moment,

00:39:05he muttered,

00:39:08maybe the node

00:39:09latched onto her.

00:39:10I laughed bitterly.

00:39:11In my past life,

00:39:12I thought he was blind.

00:39:14Now I realized he saw.

00:39:15He just refused to admit it.

00:39:18Lucian spoke softly

00:39:19behind me.

00:39:20He doesn't deserve

00:39:21a single word from you.

00:39:23His words eased

00:39:24some of the cold weight

00:39:25in my chest.

00:39:26I turned back

00:39:27to the graves.

00:39:29Keep digging.

00:39:31Jenna's desperation

00:39:33to interrupt means

00:39:34there's something

00:39:35important down there.

00:39:38I used silver blood

00:39:40on the tombstone.

00:39:42A fragment of memory rose.

00:39:45Centuries ago,

00:39:46Althea had willingly

00:39:47guarded the Hargroves,

00:39:49shielding them

00:39:50and even giving her

00:39:51white scales as a token.

00:39:53They repaid her

00:39:54by stabbing her

00:39:55with the stolen silver arrow

00:39:56while she slept.

00:39:58Turning her into

00:39:59a living lock

00:40:00for the Serpent Gate.

00:40:02She was no monster.

00:40:04She was a betrayed protector.

00:40:07When the vision faded,

00:40:09Callum looked grim.

00:40:12I expected him

00:40:13to ask about Althea.

00:40:15Instead,

00:40:16If she's the living lock,

00:40:19she can still

00:40:20hold the gate, right?

00:40:21I turned slowly,

00:40:23anger flaring.

00:40:25That's all you take

00:40:27from this?

00:40:28The Hugg family

00:40:29cannot fall.

00:40:31I need to know

00:40:32how to save it.

00:40:33His selfishness

00:40:34drained even my rage.

00:40:36In my past life,

00:40:37my pain,

00:40:38my blood,

00:40:38my life had only

00:40:39ever been tools to him.

00:40:42Jenna squeezed

00:40:42his hand gently.

00:40:44Callum,

00:40:45you're just worried

00:40:45about the family.

00:40:46Lady Rowena

00:40:47wouldn't understand

00:40:48your burden.

00:40:49Her voice was soft,

00:40:50but her eyes smiled.

00:40:52Lucian's hand

00:40:53tightened on his sword hilt.

00:40:54Don't rush.

00:40:55Let them dig

00:40:56their own graves deeper.

00:40:59The filthier

00:41:00their words now,

00:41:01the cleaner

00:41:02the reckoning later.

00:41:05Later,

00:41:06Jenna sought me out alone.

00:41:10Her gentle mask

00:41:11dropped completely

00:41:12as she leaned

00:41:13against a cord ziller,

00:41:15twisting her

00:41:15coral bracelet.

00:41:16You must feel

00:41:18so smug right now,

00:41:19making Callum

00:41:20look bad,

00:41:21making everyone

00:41:22doubt me,

00:41:24enjoying yourself.

00:41:26It's nowhere near

00:41:27as entertaining

00:41:29as you feeding

00:41:30serpents

00:41:31while playing

00:41:32the helpless victim.

00:41:34She laughed,

00:41:35her eyes turning venomous.

00:41:37You're much smarter

00:41:37than last time.

00:41:39So you remember too?

00:41:42Jenna didn't answer

00:41:43directly.

00:41:45She stroked

00:41:46the bracelet.

00:41:49Whether I remember

00:41:50doesn't matter.

00:41:52Callum will always

00:41:53believe me.

00:41:54You can shove proof

00:41:56in his face,

00:41:56and he'll still

00:41:58make excuses for me.

00:41:59Her words cut deep,

00:42:01laced with malice.

00:42:03Look at you.

00:42:05Traded your face

00:42:06for power,

00:42:07and still no one

00:42:09loves you.

00:42:10How pathetic.

00:42:12You think I still

00:42:13want Callum's love?

00:42:14Jenna stepped closer,

00:42:15lowering her voice.

00:42:17Of course you do.

00:42:18Once a woman

00:42:19has been loved,

00:42:20she always craves it back.

00:42:22You're just pretending

00:42:23to be clear-headed now.

00:42:25She reached

00:42:26toward my scar.

00:42:27Lucian emerged

00:42:28from the shadows

00:42:29and seized her wrist.

00:42:30Touch her again,

00:42:31and I'll cut off

00:42:31your hand.

00:42:33Jenna winced in pain,

00:42:35but quickly shifted

00:42:36to a pitiful expression

00:42:38as Callum's foot stems

00:42:39approached.

00:42:41Callum!

00:42:41He's trying

00:42:42to kill me!

00:42:49I only wanted

00:42:50to apologize

00:42:50to Lady Rowena,

00:42:51but he suddenly

00:42:52grabbed me.

00:42:53I was so scared.

00:42:55Let her go.

00:42:58Lucian,

00:42:59release her.

00:43:01Rowena,

00:43:02control your people.

00:43:03Don't forget,

00:43:05this is the

00:43:06Hargro estate.

00:43:10I remember

00:43:11perfectly.

00:43:12That's exactly

00:43:13why it's so filthy

00:43:14here.

00:43:27See that?

00:43:29Every time she touches

00:43:30you, your mark deepens.

00:43:31What trick did you pull?

00:43:33Wonderful.

00:43:34She poisons you,

00:43:36and I get blamed.

00:43:37You really are

00:43:38her perfect blade.

00:43:39Lucian stepped

00:43:40beside me.

00:43:43Let's go.

00:43:45Don't waste

00:43:45time on fools.

00:43:49This time,

00:43:50I didn't disagree.

00:43:54Late that night,

00:43:55Chester knocked

00:43:55on my door,

00:43:56holding a lantern

00:43:56with perfect servant

00:43:57deference.

00:43:58Lady Whitmere,

00:43:59the old madam

00:43:59asks if you will

00:44:00enter the hall

00:44:00again tomorrow.

00:44:01Eleanor,

00:44:02did the serpent

00:44:02send you,

00:44:02did she?

00:44:03Chester's expression

00:44:04stayed neutral.

00:44:05You're overthinking.

00:44:06I sealed the room

00:44:07with silver seals.

00:44:08Only Lucian and I

00:44:09remained with him.

00:44:10Chester finally

00:44:11looked up.

00:44:11The silver site

00:44:12lives up to its name.

00:44:13How many years

00:44:14have you hidden

00:44:14in the Hargroves?

00:44:1543.

00:44:16He spoke calmly.

00:44:17The Hargroves

00:44:17think they can control

00:44:18the serpent gate,

00:44:19but those behind it

00:44:19have waited for them

00:44:20to walk into the trap.

00:44:21I asked about

00:44:22the silver arrow.

00:44:24You want the sacred relic?

00:44:25The serpent court

00:44:26wants it.

00:44:27Callum wants it

00:44:27to survive.

00:44:28Jenna wants it

00:44:29to open the gate.

00:44:30Everyone is waiting

00:44:31for you to act,

00:44:31Lady Whitmore.

00:44:33Callum,

00:44:33I just saw Chester

00:44:34enter Lady Rowena's room.

00:44:36Are they plotting something?

00:44:39Rowena,

00:44:39what exactly are you

00:44:40doing behind my back?

00:44:46Callum immediately

00:44:47accused me

00:44:48of colluding

00:44:49with the serpent court

00:44:50through Chester.

00:44:53I didn't deny

00:44:54seeking the arrow.

00:44:58It was my goal.

00:45:00He seized on it,

00:45:01turning everyone

00:45:02against me.

00:45:05You were never here

00:45:07to save us.

00:45:09You came for

00:45:10Hargrave possessions

00:45:11from the start.

00:45:12That relic belongs

00:45:14to Whitmore,

00:45:15not Hargrige.

00:45:17Jenna spoke softly.

00:45:19Callum,

00:45:22I've long felt

00:45:23Lady Rowena's hostility.

00:45:25I didn't dare

00:45:26say it before.

00:45:28I feared

00:45:28you'd think me petty.

00:45:30Her eyes

00:45:31reddened again.

00:45:33Callum's disgust

00:45:34towards me deepened.

00:45:36Hand over

00:45:36your silver seals.

00:45:39From now on,

00:45:40any ritual

00:45:41needs my approval.

00:45:44You want to control

00:45:45my power

00:45:46to manage the gate?

00:45:48This is my home.

00:45:50I have the right

00:45:51to know

00:45:52what you're doing.

00:45:53I summoned a wisp

00:45:55of Althea's

00:45:55white serpent shadow.

00:45:57It coiled around

00:45:58Callum's death mark.

00:46:01He cried out in pain,

00:46:03face paling.

00:46:04You have the right

00:46:05to know this,

00:46:06for example.

00:46:07You're still standing

00:46:08only because I allow it.

00:46:11Jenna stumbled

00:46:12back in fear.

00:46:13Callum stared at me

00:46:15with a mix of rage

00:46:16and newfound terror.

00:46:17Lucien spoke quietly

00:46:19at my side.

00:46:19She saves you

00:46:21by choice,

00:46:22not obligation.

00:46:24Remember that.

00:46:31Eleanor called

00:46:32a family meeting,

00:46:33summoning all

00:46:34Hargroff branches.

00:46:38It was framed

00:46:39as discussing the gate,

00:46:41but clearly meant

00:46:41to force me

00:46:42to submit publicly.

00:46:45Many saw my scarred face

00:46:46for the first time.

00:46:48whispers spread.

00:46:50How terrifying

00:46:51the scar was.

00:46:52How no wonder

00:46:53Callum preferred Jenna.

00:46:56I heard every word.

00:46:58In my past life,

00:47:00such talk

00:47:00would have crushed me.

00:47:02Now it was just noise.

00:47:05Eleanor sat at the head,

00:47:06voice heavy.

00:47:09Lady Whitmora,

00:47:11your power is great,

00:47:13but we've seen

00:47:14your emotions

00:47:15are unstable.

00:47:17For the family's safety,

00:47:19the sealing arts

00:47:20cannot remain

00:47:21solely in your hands.

00:47:24Callum didn't intervene.

00:47:27He sat silently,

00:47:29endorsing the ambush.

00:47:32Jenna added fuel.

00:47:35I'm only worried

00:47:37Lady Roweth

00:47:37might resent me

00:47:38and take it out

00:47:40on the entire

00:47:41Hargroff family.

00:47:43All eyes turned to me.

00:47:45I stood

00:47:46and activated

00:47:46the silver sight.

00:47:48Behind every person,

00:47:49shadows of

00:47:50sacrificed women

00:47:51appeared,

00:47:52maids,

00:47:53adopted daughters,

00:47:54wives offered

00:47:55as tribute.

00:47:56Those who had

00:47:56mocked my scar

00:47:57dropped to their

00:47:58knees in terror.

00:47:59You wanted to

00:48:00talk safety?

00:48:01Then look at

00:48:02how many lives

00:48:03you've trampled

00:48:04beneath your feet.

00:48:06Jenna's smile

00:48:07finally shattered.

00:48:12Chaos erupted

00:48:13after the ghosts

00:48:13appeared.

00:48:14Some begged me

00:48:14to withdraw the sight.

00:48:15Others accused

00:48:16Eleanor.

00:48:16She paled and

00:48:17instinctively protected

00:48:18the legacy book.

00:48:19I saw it.

00:48:20The sacrifice

00:48:20ledger is inside the book.

00:48:21Eleanor's hand froze.

00:48:22Callum tried to block me.

00:48:23Rowena,

00:48:24don't make this uglier.

00:48:25The ugly one

00:48:25is your family's

00:48:26centuries of blood debt.

00:48:27Jenna clutched

00:48:28her chest,

00:48:29collapsing into a chair.

00:48:30I can't breathe.

00:48:32Callum,

00:48:32I'm so scared.

00:48:33Callum moved

00:48:34to help her,

00:48:34but a white serpent

00:48:36shadow blocked him,

00:48:37staring coldly

00:48:38at Jenna.

00:48:39She stopped

00:48:40aggravating her sobs.

00:48:42I approached

00:48:43Eleanor.

00:48:44Give me the ledger.

00:48:45Eleanor forced

00:48:46a smile.

00:48:48Child,

00:48:48those are old matters.

00:48:49You already died once.

00:48:51Why keep pursuing?

00:48:53I leaned close.

00:48:56Because I died once,

00:48:58I know exactly

00:48:59what being chosen

00:49:00by you feels like.

00:49:03Callum watched

00:49:03with fleeting complexity

00:49:05before Jenna's sobs

00:49:06pulled him away again.

00:49:08My cold laugh

00:49:09deepened.

00:49:12He was never worth it.

00:49:14Callum tried

00:49:15a softer approach

00:49:16that evening,

00:49:17coming to my room

00:49:18with a gentler tone.

00:49:20Roland,

00:49:21we can cooperate.

00:49:24You want

00:49:24the silver arrow?

00:49:25I want the Hargroves

00:49:26to survive.

00:49:27Our goals

00:49:28are clean.

00:49:30I knew

00:49:31what came next.

00:49:32The same fake,

00:49:33fake concern

00:49:33from my past life.

00:49:35I know

00:49:35some words

00:49:36hurt you before,

00:49:37but now isn't

00:49:38the time to dwell on it.

00:49:39Some words?

00:49:41I turned my face

00:49:42so he could see

00:49:43the scar clearly.

00:49:45You mocked

00:49:46my face,

00:49:47protected Jenna

00:49:48as she harmed me,

00:49:49demanded

00:49:50my seals.

00:49:52And you call it

00:49:53some words?

00:49:54Callum frowned.

00:49:56You're too sensitive now.

00:49:57Lucian entered

00:49:58with medicine

00:49:59and overheard.

00:50:01She died once

00:50:02because of you all.

00:50:03And now you call her sensitive?

00:50:05Who do you think you are?

00:50:06Her servant?

00:50:08God?

00:50:08Or just the dog she keeps?

00:50:10Lucian remained calm.

00:50:12I can be anything she wants.

00:50:13But you?

00:50:14You're different.

00:50:15How?

00:50:16Even when she bleeds,

00:50:17you only ask

00:50:18why she didn't protect others.

00:50:19The room fell silent.

00:50:21I looked away,

00:50:23no longer wanting

00:50:24to hear Callum.

00:50:26Give me the key.

00:50:27Tomorrow we enter

00:50:28the underground chamber.

00:50:31Callum gritted his teeth

00:50:33and placed the key

00:50:34on the table.

00:50:38The underground chamber

00:50:40lay behind Hargrot Hall.

00:50:42Dust and serpent energy

00:50:43rushed out

00:50:44as the door opened.

00:50:45Whitmore hunting tools,

00:50:46silver blades,

00:50:47short bows,

00:50:48chains,

00:50:48hung on the walls

00:50:50like trophies.

00:50:51My chest tightened.

00:50:52These belonged

00:50:53to my family,

00:50:54displayed as Hargrok spoils.

00:50:56As I approached,

00:50:58the tools hummed

00:50:59in recognition.

00:51:00Several blades

00:51:00tilted toward me.

00:51:02Callum's eyes

00:51:03gleamed with greed.

00:51:05If these can suppress

00:51:06the gate,

00:51:07why not lend them

00:51:08to the Hargroves first?

00:51:10After stealing them

00:51:11for centuries,

00:51:11you still want

00:51:12to borrow more?

00:51:13Jenna followed us in.

00:51:15Seeing the tools

00:51:16respond to me,

00:51:17jealously flashed

00:51:18in her eyes.

00:51:19Impressive.

00:51:21Too bad it all

00:51:22came at the cost

00:51:23of your face.

00:51:24Lucien took

00:51:25a loosened silver blade

00:51:27from the wall

00:51:27and placed it in my hand.

00:51:29They recognize you.

00:51:30Not because of your face,

00:51:32but because you are Whitmore.

00:51:34His words settled

00:51:35warmly in my heart.

00:51:36I gripped the blade.

00:51:38Silver light bloomed.

00:51:40All the tools

00:51:40vibrated in univine.

00:51:42Jenna's expression

00:51:43soured completely.

00:51:44What she hated most

00:51:45wasn't my strength.

00:51:46It was that even scarred

00:51:47I still had someone

00:51:48standing by my side.

00:51:50Deepest in the chamber

00:51:51hung an old painting.

00:51:53The first Whitmore

00:51:54lunar huntress

00:51:55beside a golden-horned

00:51:56white deer.

00:51:57The deer shielded her

00:51:58from serpents.

00:52:00Its antlers

00:52:00wrapped in moonlight.

00:52:02Lucien's face

00:52:03changed when he saw it.

00:52:05He looked away

00:52:06too late.

00:52:06You've seen this painting?

00:52:08No.

00:52:08He answered too quickly.

00:52:10Callum noticed,

00:52:10his expression

00:52:11turning dangerous.

00:52:12Seems your servant

00:52:12knows quite a lot.

00:52:13I stepped in front of Lucien.

00:52:14None of your concern.

00:52:15Callum sneered.

00:52:16Rowena, you'd shield

00:52:17a mere servant from me?

00:52:18Lucien's eyes chilled.

00:52:19I spoke calmly

00:52:19without turning.

00:52:20He is not a mere servant.

00:52:21Lucien fell silent.

00:52:22My own heart

00:52:23stirred unexpectedly

00:52:24at the words.

00:52:25Jenna watched

00:52:25with a light laugh.

00:52:26Lady Rowena

00:52:27is so enviable.

00:52:29Face ruined,

00:52:30yet still so protected.

00:52:32How much of that

00:52:33protection is real,

00:52:34I wonder?

00:52:35At least more than

00:52:36what you stole.

00:52:37Her face darkened.

00:52:38Suddenly,

00:52:39her bracelet glowed.

00:52:41Serpent energy

00:52:42corrupted the tools,

00:52:43turning them against me.

00:52:45Jenna cried out

00:52:46in fake alarm.

00:52:48Callum, watch out!

00:52:49The tools have gone

00:52:50out of control!

00:52:51But excitement

00:52:52burned in her eyes.

00:52:53The tools lunged at me.

00:52:57They heard their silver lament.

00:53:00They didn't want to harm

00:53:01their true owner.

00:53:03Jenna's serpent energy

00:53:04forced them.

00:53:05Callum's first instinct

00:53:06was to shield Jenna.

00:53:08Rowena, control them!

00:53:09Don't let them touch Jenna!

00:53:10I ignored him

00:53:12and summoned

00:53:13the moon's silver bow.

00:53:15Moonlight formed

00:53:16the string.

00:53:18I fired arrows,

00:53:19tearing serpent energy

00:53:21from the blades

00:53:21one by one.

00:53:24They fell obediently

00:53:25at my feet.

00:53:27Each shot burned my scar

00:53:28like a fresh blade cut.

00:53:29Pain seared through me.

00:53:30I grit my teeth

00:53:31and kept drawing.

00:53:32Lucian suddenly grabbed

00:53:33my hand.

00:53:34Enough!

00:53:35Not yet cleared!

00:53:36I said enough,

00:53:36you're hurting.

00:53:37Everyone else fixated

00:53:38on my scar.

00:53:38Fearing, hating,

00:53:39using it.

00:53:40Only Lucian cared

00:53:41if it hurt.

00:53:41This isn't the time

00:53:42for your intimacy.

00:53:43Rowena, continue!

00:53:44Lucian turned on him.

00:53:46Shut your mouth!

00:53:48Callum's face darkened.

00:53:51I released the bowstring,

00:53:53refusing his order

00:53:54for the first time.

00:53:55The rest can wait

00:53:55until I decide.

00:53:57Jenna looked furious.

00:53:58She had wanted

00:53:59to exhaust me.

00:54:00She never expected

00:54:01Lucian could make me stop

00:54:03or that I would choose

00:54:04to for him.

00:54:06I followed Jaina

00:54:07into the underground

00:54:08water chath.

00:54:09She stood on the stone steps

00:54:10before the outer serpent gate.

00:54:12Her innocent mask

00:54:13finally debardened.

00:54:14Do you know

00:54:15where the silver arrow

00:54:16really is?

00:54:17I remained silent,

00:54:18gripping the hilt

00:54:18of the silver blade,

00:54:19see the sound echoing

00:54:20coldly off the walls.

00:54:21It's not in the chamber.

00:54:23It's buried

00:54:24in Althea's heart.

00:54:26The first Hargroves

00:54:27used it to nail her

00:54:28into the earth vein

00:54:29and create this gate.

00:54:31My fingers

00:54:32tightened painfully.

00:54:33The weight of generations

00:54:34of betrayal

00:54:35pressed down on me.

00:54:36Jenna stepped closer,

00:54:37her voice dripping venom.

00:54:39If you want Whitmore's relic back,

00:54:41you'll have to pull the arrow.

00:54:43But the moment you do,

00:54:45the gate opens.

00:54:46Everyone will blame you

00:54:47for destroying Hargrove Hall.

00:54:49Callum will hate you.

00:54:50Eleanor will hate you.

00:54:51They'll say you did it

00:54:52because no one could love

00:54:53your scarred face.

00:54:54The words stung,

00:54:55but not as deeply

00:54:56as they once would have.

00:54:57I met her gay steadily,

00:54:59the lunar scar on my cheek

00:55:00pulsing with silver light.

00:55:01You still think I care

00:55:02what Callum thinks of me?

00:55:04Jenna's smile faltered

00:55:05for a split second.

00:55:06I continued,

00:55:08my voice low but firm.

00:55:09You're wrong.

00:55:10I didn't come back

00:55:11to prove I'm worthy of love.

00:55:13I came to make sure

00:55:14all of you pay what you owe.

00:55:16Her expression turned ugly.

00:55:17She spat one last barb

00:55:19before leaping deeper

00:55:20into the waterway.

00:55:22You really think Lucien

00:55:23will keep protecting you?

00:55:25Men are all the same.

00:55:26Once he gets tired

00:55:28of looking at that face,

00:55:29he'll leave too.

00:55:31I stood there

00:55:31as her footsteps faded,

00:55:33the cold water

00:55:33lapping at my boots.

00:55:35Her words tried

00:55:35to burrow into old wounds,

00:55:37but Lucien's steady presence

00:55:38in my mind

00:55:39pushed them back.

00:55:39I turned

00:55:40and climbed back

00:55:41to the surface,

00:55:42the truth now clear

00:55:43in my heart.

00:55:44The silver arrow

00:55:44rested in Althea's chest.

00:55:47Back above ground,

00:55:48I found Lucien

00:55:49waiting in the shadows

00:55:50of the hall.

00:55:51His quiet strength

00:55:52grounded me

00:55:53as I told him

00:55:54what Jenna had revealed.

00:55:55He listened

00:55:56without interruption,

00:55:57his eyes never leaving mine.

00:55:59Will you pull it?

00:56:00I have to,

00:56:01but not recklessly.

00:56:03I'll use Callum's blood,

00:56:04Jenna's serpent contract,

00:56:06Chester's serpent court mark,

00:56:08and Eleanor's sacrifice ledger

00:56:10to form a new seal.

00:56:11Lucien studied me carefully,

00:56:13no fear in his gaze,

00:56:14only unwavering resolve.

00:56:16Then we do it.

00:56:17A small smile

00:56:18tugged at my lips

00:56:19despite everything.

00:56:20You won't ask

00:56:21if I'll turn into a monster?

00:56:23You won't.

00:56:24How can you be so sure?

00:56:26He paused,

00:56:27then stepped closer,

00:56:28and gently re-wrapped

00:56:30the bandage on my palm.

00:56:32Because even when you

00:56:33could have let Callum

00:56:34die tonight,

00:56:35you still saved

00:56:36the entire estate.

00:56:37His words pierced

00:56:38through the armor

00:56:38I had built around my heart.

00:56:40I had hated them all

00:56:42so fiercely,

00:56:43yet I refused

00:56:44to become the destroyer

00:56:45they feared.

00:56:46Lucien saw that in me

00:56:47when no one else did.

00:56:48The scar on my face

00:56:49burned less fiercely

00:56:50in that moment.

00:56:51Tomorrow we go to Eleanor.

00:56:53Good.

00:56:53I lingered in his presence

00:56:54a moment longer,

00:56:56drawing quiet comfort

00:56:58from the way

00:56:58he stood guard beside me,

00:57:00unflinching.

00:57:02Eleanor refused

00:57:03to surrender

00:57:04the sacrifice's ledger.

00:57:05She sat in the main study,

00:57:07cradling her peach blossom tea.

00:57:08Her grandmotherly facade

00:57:10finally stripped away

00:57:11to reveal cold calculation.

00:57:13Rowena,

00:57:13you already know too much.

00:57:15A smart girl

00:57:16knows when to stop.

00:57:17The memories flooded back.

00:57:19Her smiles

00:57:20as she fed me poison.

00:57:22Her indifference

00:57:23as she watched me die.

00:57:24Anger surged

00:57:25through my veins.

00:57:27When you sent me

00:57:28into the serpent gate

00:57:29in my past life,

00:57:31did you also think

00:57:32I should have stopped?

00:57:33Her hand trembled

00:57:33slightly on the teacup.

00:57:35Do you remember?

00:57:35I remember everything.

00:57:37Your sweet words.

00:57:38The poisoned tea,

00:57:40how you locked me inside

00:57:41without a flicker

00:57:43of remorse.

00:57:43I sealed her teacup

00:57:45with a silver seal.

00:57:47The liquid inside

00:57:48turned black.

00:57:49Serpent shadows

00:57:50thrashing wildly.

00:57:52Lupien stood behind me.

00:57:54His presence

00:57:55a wall of silent fury.

00:57:57Eleanor's composure cracked.

00:57:59What do you want?

00:58:01The ledger.

00:58:02She resisted.

00:58:04I stepped forward

00:58:06and sealed her throat

00:58:07with silver light.

00:58:10Her mouth opened,

00:58:11but no sound emerged.

00:58:14You lied so many people

00:58:15to their deaths.

00:58:16This mouth of yours

00:58:18deserves rest.

00:58:19I retrieved the ledger

00:58:20from her hidden compartment.

00:58:22Page after page

00:58:22listed women's names.

00:58:24The final entry

00:58:25was my own.

00:58:26Rowena Whitmore.

00:58:28My fingers clenched

00:58:29until my knuckles

00:58:30whitened.

00:58:31This life,

00:58:32I would cross it out myself.

00:58:35Callum learned

00:58:36of the stolen ledger

00:58:37quickly.

00:58:38Instead of confronting

00:58:39Mimi directly,

00:58:40he lured Lupien away

00:58:42and trapped him

00:58:43in the old underground chapel

00:58:44beneath Hargrove Hall,

00:58:46an ancient altar

00:58:47etched with serpent arrays

00:58:48designed to suppress

00:58:49Lunarn Hunt blood.

00:58:51When I arrived,

00:58:51Lucien knelt in the center

00:58:52of the array,

00:58:53covered in wounds,

00:58:54yet his eyes glowed

00:58:55with a faint golden light.

00:58:56Callum stood outside

00:58:57the formation,

00:58:57a silver blade in hand.

00:58:58Don't come closer, Rowena.

00:59:00One more step

00:59:00and he dies for you.

00:59:01Eyes alight

00:59:02with vicious excitement.

00:59:03Lady Rowena,

00:59:04you're so powerful.

00:59:05Choose the silver arrow

00:59:07or him.

00:59:07Lucien looked at me

00:59:08through the pain

00:59:09and shook his head wiltly.

00:59:10Leave me.

00:59:11The plea tore at my chest.

00:59:13In my past life,

00:59:14I had told Callum

00:59:14the same thing,

00:59:15only for him to abandon me.

00:59:16I would not repeat

00:59:17his cruelty.

00:59:18Power erupted

00:59:19from my Huntress mark.

00:59:20Silver light shattered

00:59:21the serpent array

00:59:22inch by inch.

00:59:24Callum paled.

00:59:25You're mad!

00:59:26The Covenant will backlash!

00:59:28That's not for you

00:59:28to decide.

00:59:31I rushed into the formation,

00:59:33grabbed Lucien's hand

00:59:34and dragged him free.

00:59:36His silver-gold blood

00:59:37touched my pie palm

00:59:39and the lingering

00:59:40dark energy

00:59:41recoiled as if burned.

00:59:45Lucien's blood

00:59:46was not red.

00:59:47It shimmered

00:59:48with faint silver-gold light.

00:59:49The realization hit me

00:59:50as the serpent

00:59:51Arame's rainness

00:59:52fled from him.

00:59:53Who are you, really?

00:59:54Lucien remained silent

00:59:55for a long moment

00:59:56before answering softly.

00:59:57I promised to stay

00:59:58by the Whitmore heir's side.

00:59:59Promised whom?

01:00:01He didn't reply.

01:00:03But Callum had seen the blood.

01:00:05Greed twisted his features.

01:00:06So he's even more special

01:00:08than you.

01:00:08She laughed cruelly.

01:00:10Callum, if we use him

01:00:11as the new living lock,

01:00:13we won't need Rowena anymore.

01:00:14Callum didn't deny it.

01:00:16Cold fury settled

01:00:17in my chest.

01:00:18Touch him.

01:00:20And I will end

01:00:21the hog-rave bloodline tonight.

01:00:24You care about him that much?

01:00:26So even you can feel fear.

01:00:28I helped Lucien to his feet,

01:00:30my voice steady

01:00:32despite the storm inside.

01:00:34Yes, I fear.

01:00:36I fear him suffering

01:00:38the same fate I did.

01:00:39Being sacrificed

01:00:40by people like you

01:00:42who treat lives

01:00:42as disposable.

01:00:44Lucien glanced at me,

01:00:46emotion flickering

01:00:47in his eyes.

01:00:48I avoided looking back,

01:00:50afraid my own feelings

01:00:52would spill over.

01:00:55Callum and Jenna

01:00:56united against us.

01:00:58They spread rumors

01:00:59rumors that Lucien's

01:01:00non-human aura

01:01:01was the true cause

01:01:02of the gate's instability.

01:01:05Jenna wept publicly,

01:01:07claiming she saw

01:01:08his golden blood

01:01:09and couldn't sleep

01:01:10from fear.

01:01:13Callum played

01:01:14the responsible family head.

01:01:15I don't want

01:01:16to hurt anyone.

01:01:17But for the Hargroves,

01:01:19I must uncover

01:01:20what he is.

01:01:21The hypocrisy

01:01:22made me want to laugh.

01:01:24This was their old game.

01:01:26One crying,

01:01:27the other forced to act.

01:01:29Only now,

01:01:30the knives

01:01:31were aimed elsewhere.

01:01:34I stepped in front

01:01:35of Lucien.

01:01:36Anyone who wants

01:01:37to investigate him

01:01:38goes through me first.

01:01:40Callum's face darkened.

01:01:41Rowena,

01:01:42you'd abandoned

01:01:43the entire Hargrove

01:01:44family's safety

01:01:44for him?

01:01:46I protected him.

01:01:48You don't deserve it.

01:01:49Lady Rowena,

01:01:51have you forgotten

01:01:51Lucien's just an outsider

01:01:52you picked up?

01:01:53An outsider

01:01:54cleaner than you'll ever be.

01:01:56Lucien spoke quietly

01:01:57behind me.

01:01:58You don't have to

01:01:59shield me like this.

01:02:00I want to.

01:02:04The words surprised

01:02:05even me.

01:02:06We retreated

01:02:07to the forest

01:02:08behind the hall.

01:02:09Serpent energy

01:02:10pursued us to the edge

01:02:11but dared not enter.

01:02:14Moonlight filtered

01:02:15through the trees

01:02:16as I tended

01:02:17Lucien's wounds.

01:02:19Why do you remember

01:02:19the past life?

01:02:21He was quiet

01:02:22for a long time.

01:02:23Because when you died,

01:02:25I was there too.

01:02:27My hand stilled

01:02:28on the bandages.

01:02:28I was trapped

01:02:29in the formation.

01:02:30I heard you

01:02:31begging him

01:02:31to open the door.

01:02:33I couldn't break free.

01:02:34I could only

01:02:35watch it close.

01:02:36The memory

01:02:36of that freezing night

01:02:37crashed over me.

01:02:39Not everyone

01:02:40had abandoned me.

01:02:42Someone

01:02:43had tried.

01:02:45My throat

01:02:46tightened.

01:02:47I always thought

01:02:48if I were stronger,

01:02:49you wouldn't have died.

01:02:50That wasn't your fault.

01:02:52But I was still

01:02:53too late.

01:02:53I looked at him,

01:02:54the urge to embrace him

01:02:56nearly overwhelming.

01:02:57Instead,

01:02:58I whispered,

01:02:59this time,

01:03:00you weren't too late.

01:03:01Lucien met my eyes

01:03:03and smiled faintly

01:03:04for the first time.

01:03:05It was small,

01:03:07but it lit up

01:03:07the darkness around us

01:03:09like moonlight on water.

01:03:11My huntress mark

01:03:12began spiraling out of control.

01:03:16visions of blood deeds

01:03:18and deaths

01:03:18flooded my silver sight.

01:03:23I saw Eleanor

01:03:24dragged by ghosts.

01:03:29Chester devoured

01:03:31by the serpent court.

01:03:33Jenna consumed

01:03:34by her own power.

01:03:37And Callum

01:03:38begging on his knees.

01:03:42Ardus's voice

01:03:43echoed in my mind,

01:03:45commanding me

01:03:46to hunt those

01:03:51who fed the serpents.

01:03:55I nearly summoned

01:03:56the oath arrow.

01:03:58Lucien seized my shoulders.

01:04:00Rowena, look at me.

01:04:01The silver light

01:04:02and blood

01:04:02blurted my vision.

01:04:04Pain tore through

01:04:05the scar on my face.

01:04:06Move!

01:04:08I need to kill them!

01:04:09Lucien held firm.

01:04:11You can take revenge.

01:04:15But don't give yourself

01:04:16to the covenant.

01:04:18He cut his own palm

01:04:19and pressed the silver-gold blood

01:04:21against my scar.

01:04:22The divine fury

01:04:24retreated.

01:04:24I could breathe again.

01:04:26You are not

01:04:27the goddess's blade.

01:04:28You are Rowena.

01:04:30Tears stung my eyes.

01:04:33He had shown me

01:04:34I could hurt,

01:04:35hate,

01:04:35and still remain myself.

01:04:38I closed my eyes.

01:04:40Don't let go.

01:04:42Don't let go.

01:04:43Chester stole

01:04:44the sacrifice ledger,

01:04:46hoping to trade it

01:04:47to the serpent court

01:04:48for freedom.

01:04:50We tracked him

01:04:51to an old underground room

01:04:53where he knelt

01:04:54before a black serpent mirror.

01:04:57A pale hand

01:04:59reached out

01:05:00and took the ledger,

01:05:01offering no promise.

01:05:05Executors have no freedom.

01:05:08Only the next order.

01:05:11Chester protested

01:05:13his 43 years of service.

01:05:16The mirror cracked

01:05:17and dark energy

01:05:19retaliated,

01:05:19rotting his brand.

01:05:27I didn't save him immediately.

01:05:30Lady Whitmore,

01:05:31save me!

01:05:33I can tell you

01:05:34how to close the gate!

01:05:39How many have you

01:05:40helped kill?

01:05:40Let him die.

01:05:43I stabilize the energy

01:05:45in Chester's body

01:05:46with a silver seal.

01:05:49You won't die yet.

01:05:53You'll watch what you serve

01:05:54to devour you.

01:05:57I reclaimed the ledger.

01:06:00The path to the silver arrow

01:06:02lay clear.

01:06:03The path to the silver arrow

01:06:05clear.

01:06:06Jenna publicly revealed

01:06:08the arrow's location

01:06:09in Althea's heart.

01:06:10She stood in the meeting hall,

01:06:13crying convincingly.

01:06:16If we get that arrow,

01:06:18can the Hargroves be saved?

01:06:21Callum, I don't

01:06:23want you to die.

01:06:28The branches went wild

01:06:30with desperation.

01:06:32Callum pretended

01:06:32to restrain them,

01:06:33but I saw his agent

01:06:35slipping toward

01:06:35the hall depths.

01:06:37I blocked the entrance.

01:06:39Call them back.

01:06:41Callum stayed silent.

01:06:43Jenna tried to soften it.

01:06:45Lady Rowena,

01:06:47why must you think

01:06:48the worst of Callum?

01:06:49He only wants

01:06:51to save his family.

01:06:52Shut your mouth.

01:06:54I faced Callum directly.

01:06:56Do you want to save

01:06:57your family

01:06:58or steal my arrow?

01:07:00If it can save

01:07:01the Hargroves,

01:07:02it shouldn't belong

01:07:03only to Whitmore.

01:07:04His true nature

01:07:05stood bare.

01:07:07The man who once

01:07:08wore affection

01:07:09like a mask

01:07:11now showed

01:07:13his greed openly.

01:07:15I descended into the earth

01:07:17vein with Lucian,

01:07:18cross-held as the strage

01:07:19and several clansmen

01:07:20forced their way

01:07:21after us.

01:07:22Serpent energy

01:07:23parted before me

01:07:24and recoiled even more

01:07:26from Lucian.

01:07:28At the core,

01:07:30Althea was pinned

01:07:30to the gate,

01:07:31the silver arrow

01:07:32buried in her heart.

01:07:34She lowered her head,

01:07:36exposing the wound,

01:07:37begging for release.

01:07:39I grasped

01:07:40the arrow's hilt.

01:07:41Lucian stepped

01:07:42protectively behind me.

01:07:44Careful.

01:07:47Callum pressed

01:07:48a silver blade

01:07:48to Lucian's throat.

01:07:50Pull the arrow,

01:07:50Rowena,

01:07:51or he dies.

01:07:54I held the hilt

01:07:55motionless.

01:07:56Blood,

01:07:57silver gold,

01:07:58trickled from Lucian's throat,

01:08:00exciting the gate further.

01:08:01Jenna's eyes

01:08:02lit with greed.

01:08:03Callum,

01:08:04his blood

01:08:05can replace hers.

01:08:06Use him

01:08:06as the new lock.

01:08:07Callum didn't deny it.

01:08:09Choose

01:08:09the arrow

01:08:10or his life.

01:08:12Don't mind me.

01:08:13The familiar cruelty

01:08:14broke something inside me.

01:08:16Why must everyone

01:08:17I cared for

01:08:18become their leverage?

01:08:19Do you know

01:08:19what disgust

01:08:20is me most about you?

01:08:21Callum frowned.

01:08:23You treat

01:08:23other people's

01:08:24sacrifices

01:08:25as natural rights?

01:08:26I released the arrow

01:08:27and slashed

01:08:28my plomb instead,

01:08:30spilling silver blood

01:08:31to summon

01:08:32the debts.

01:08:34Ghosts

01:08:34of sacrificed

01:08:35women rose,

01:08:36their eyes

01:08:37fixed on Callum.

01:08:39This time,

01:08:40judgment

01:08:40fell on the

01:08:41Hargraves.

01:08:42The ghosts

01:08:44surrounded Callum.

01:08:45They whispered

01:08:46their names.

01:08:47Wives,

01:08:48maids,

01:08:50daughters,

01:08:50and my past self.

01:08:52He stumbled back,

01:08:53the blade

01:08:54leaving Lucian's throat.

01:08:56I pulled Lucian

01:08:58behind me.

01:08:59Jenna

01:09:00launched

01:09:00for the arrow.

01:09:02Serpent energy

01:09:04from the gate

01:09:04seized her instead,

01:09:06merging with her bracelet.

01:09:09Jenna laughed wildly

01:09:11as she began

01:09:12transforming.

01:09:14Finally,

01:09:14my turn.

01:09:15You knew it wanted

01:09:16your body?

01:09:18So what?

01:09:20At least I'll drag

01:09:21you all down with me!

01:09:23She yanked the arrow

01:09:24partially free.

01:09:25Althea screamed.

01:09:27The gate cracked.

01:09:28Jenna,

01:09:29stop!

01:09:29Now you're scared?

01:09:31You protected me

01:09:32only because

01:09:33I was useful!

01:09:36Their mutual betrayal

01:09:37lay exposed.

01:09:39Only I had once

01:09:40believed in their

01:09:41false bond.

01:09:42Lucian took my hand.

01:09:43Rowene,

01:09:44don't watch me.

01:09:45Do what you must.

01:09:46I nodded,

01:09:47stealing myself.

01:09:49The gate's opening

01:09:51caused Hargro

01:09:52Hall to collapse.

01:09:53Black railed

01:09:54hunts

01:09:54and surged

01:09:55from the ground.

01:09:56Claxertmen fled,

01:09:57only to be caught

01:09:58by their own ghosts.

01:10:00Eleanor was dragged

01:10:02before the fireplace,

01:10:04forced to confront

01:10:05the ledger.

01:10:06Rowena,

01:10:07save me!

01:10:08I was forced!

01:10:09It was all

01:10:10for the family!

01:10:12That's exactly

01:10:13what you said

01:10:14while watching

01:10:15you die last time.

01:10:17She trembled.

01:10:18I was wrong!

01:10:20You're not sorry.

01:10:23You're just afraid,

01:10:24afraid to die.

01:10:26The ghosts

01:10:27pulled her

01:10:28into silver flames.

01:10:29Chester was devoured

01:10:30by his own masters.

01:10:32I asked Lucian

01:10:33if I seemed cruel.

01:10:34No.

01:10:36They owed you.

01:10:37His words erased

01:10:38my final hesitation.

01:10:40Callum seized

01:10:41the silver arrow

01:10:42and fled toward

01:10:43the main hall

01:10:44to reseal the gate.

01:10:45I chased him

01:10:46to the iron door,

01:10:48the same one

01:10:49from my past life.

01:10:50Move aside,

01:10:51Rowena,

01:10:52and I'll let you go.

01:10:54We can settle

01:10:55the past later.

01:10:56The past?

01:10:57You speak so lightly

01:10:58of it.

01:10:59Jenna screamed

01:11:00for rescue

01:11:00in the distance.

01:11:02Callum barely glanced

01:11:03at her before

01:11:04turning away.

01:11:05He activated

01:11:06the mechanism

01:11:06to crap Lucian

01:11:07and me.

01:11:09Inside,

01:11:10Lucian pushed me

01:11:11aside and shattered

01:11:12the door

01:11:12with explosive

01:11:13silver gold light.

01:11:14A golden horned

01:11:15white deer phantom

01:11:16appeared behind him.

01:11:18The serpents

01:11:18recoiled in fear.

01:11:20At last,

01:11:21I understood.

01:11:22Lucian was the

01:11:22sacred beast

01:11:23guardian

01:11:24of the Whitmores.

01:11:25Lucian knelt

01:11:26by the broken door,

01:11:27the deer phantom

01:11:28fading.

01:11:29Callum stared

01:11:30in shock.

01:11:31What are you?

01:11:34Something far

01:11:35cleaner than you.

01:11:36The serpent court

01:11:37envoyed emerged,

01:11:38terrified.

01:11:40Moon deer guardian,

01:11:42you still live.

01:11:44Lupien looked at me

01:11:45with apology.

01:11:46I didn't mean

01:11:47to hide it.

01:11:47We'll settle

01:11:48accounts after

01:11:49we get out.

01:11:50He smiled.

01:11:51I grasped

01:11:52the silver arrow.

01:11:54The huntress

01:11:55covenant fully awakened.

01:11:57Artemis warned

01:11:58of the price.

01:12:00Use mine.

01:12:01No.

01:12:02I'm the guardian.

01:12:04I should pay for you.

01:12:07I already died

01:12:08for others once.

01:12:09This life,

01:12:12I pay for

01:12:13my own choices.

01:12:18The oath arrow

01:12:19formed in cold

01:12:20white light.

01:12:22Jenna,

01:12:23half serpent,

01:12:24charged in hatred.

01:12:26Why

01:12:26can you still stand?

01:12:30Why do you still

01:12:31have someone

01:12:32protecting you

01:12:32like that?

01:12:33Because I never

01:12:34gave myself

01:12:35to you.

01:12:36Lucian shielded me

01:12:37as the deer phantom

01:12:38repelled the energy.

01:12:40Callum begged

01:12:41on his knees.

01:12:42Roar, save me!

01:12:43I was wrong!

01:12:44In the past life,

01:12:45I had no choice!

01:12:46You had choices

01:12:48every time

01:12:49you chose

01:12:50to hurt me.

01:12:51I drew the bow.

01:12:52Artemis demanded

01:12:53a span of lifespan.

01:12:55I accepted.

01:12:56Lupien cried out,

01:12:57but I reassured him

01:12:59with a glance.

01:12:59Don't worry.

01:13:00I still need to settle

01:13:02your secret with you.

01:13:03I released the arrow.

01:13:05It pierced Jenna,

01:13:07the gate,

01:13:08the blood contracts,

01:13:10and buried deep

01:13:11into the earth vein.

01:13:12silver light

01:13:14exploded.

01:13:15The serpent

01:13:16tort passages

01:13:17collapsed.

01:13:19The gate sealed.

01:13:21Althira's wound

01:13:22healed.

01:13:25She placed a final

01:13:27white scale

01:13:27in my palm

01:13:28before dissolving

01:13:29into light,

01:13:31finally free.

01:13:32Jenna lay dying,

01:13:34her body rejecting

01:13:34the serpent energy.

01:13:36I'm not willing.

01:13:38Why did someone

01:13:38like you win?

01:13:40Because I lost once,

01:13:42and I refused

01:13:42to lose again.

01:13:43Her body was consumed,

01:13:45leaving only

01:13:46shattered coral.

01:13:47Callum's death mark

01:13:48vanished,

01:13:48but so did his

01:13:49family's power.

01:13:51He knelt broken

01:13:52in the ruins.

01:13:55Rowena,

01:13:57save me once more.

01:14:01for our past.

01:14:02In the past life,

01:14:03you told me to hold

01:14:04the serpents

01:14:05until I died.

01:14:08I left him there,

01:14:12to face his fate alone.

01:14:18As the hall

01:14:18fully collapsed,

01:14:20Callum chased

01:14:20after me

01:14:21one last time,

01:14:22desperate.

01:14:23Rowish,

01:14:24I was deceived

01:14:25by Jenna.

01:14:26Now I see clearly.

01:14:28You weren't deceived.

01:14:30You chose convenient lies

01:14:32every single time.

01:14:33Lucien stepped forward,

01:14:35blocking Callum's

01:14:35view of me.

01:14:37Don't look at her.

01:14:38You have no right.

01:14:40Callum froze.

01:14:42I allowed the protection,

01:14:43embracing it fully

01:14:45this time.

01:14:48At dawn,

01:14:50Hargrove Hall

01:14:51sank completely

01:14:52into ruin.

01:14:54I stood

01:14:55at a distance.

01:14:58watching the last

01:14:59serpent's stench

01:15:00blow away

01:15:01on the wind.

01:15:02My huntress,

01:15:03Mark,

01:15:03and Scar

01:15:04remained.

01:15:07But so

01:15:08did my resolve.

01:15:14Lucien stood

01:15:15beside me.

01:15:16Does it still hurt?

01:15:19Why do you

01:15:20always ask that?

01:15:21Because you always

01:15:22pretend it doesn't.

01:15:23I laughed genuinely

01:15:24for the first time

01:15:25in ages.

01:15:26Lucien,

01:15:28how long have you

01:15:29guarded the Whitmans?

01:15:30Long enough

01:15:30that I feared

01:15:31I'd always arrive too late.

01:15:33This time you didn't.

01:15:34Rowena,

01:15:35I never loved your face.

01:15:39His gaze held mine,

01:15:41never wavering

01:15:42to the scar.

01:15:44I love that you

01:15:45crawled back from hell

01:15:46to claim your debts

01:15:47and still chose

01:15:49to save the innocent.

01:15:54I took his hand

01:15:55willingly.

01:15:56Then don't be late

01:15:57again.

01:15:58I won't.

01:15:58We walked away

01:15:59from the ruins

01:16:00together into

01:16:01the morning light.

01:16:02This time,

01:16:05I didn't look back.

01:16:09dawnsales,

01:16:09you won't be kept

01:16:10of June.

01:16:11My life will free

01:16:12to the draca

01:16:12and oncology.

01:16:12I don't have a

01:16:12for many of

01:16:12the time

01:16:12you

01:16:12never

01:16:13never

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