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

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Transcript

00:00:09I was born to kill serpents, so the Hargrows 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.

00:00:24Death gave me one chance to return.

00:00:26I 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 Hargrit so much that it cost me everything.

00:00:47I knew exactly what Hargrit 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.

00:00:56Whitmuster 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

00:01:05instead.

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

00:01:10story 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, the freezing rain, the iron door, and my bloody hands clawing at

00:01:21the gap in the frame.

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

00:01:23My nails split down to the quick, blood smeared the cracks, still 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 of Wittmoyer, you 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, my beauty in this life, all 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.

00:03:03I 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.

00:03:29One debt at a time.

00:03:38Rowena, please!

00:03:39I'm begging you!

00:03:40You have to save Callum!

00:03:41The old woman dropped to her knees in front of me, clutching the hem of my dress with both hands

00:03:45and 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.

00:04:30I 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.

00:05:59The 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.

00:06:27The 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,

00:06:54and his whole body relaxed.

00:06:56He lifted his chin slightly,

00:06:58satisfaction spreading across his face.

00:07:01He 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, and dismiss whenever it suited him.

00:07:29I 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.

00:07:55Quiet, 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.

00:08:04Two Harkron carriages were waiting outside.

00:08:07Eleanor had one to herself, and 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! Callum, 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, right 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 and smoothing it down with both palms.

00:08:52The mountain road is freezing.

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

00:08:55Callum did not move away from her hands.

00:08:57In my past life, I thought she was only being kind.

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

00:09:15Lady Rowena, I hope you don't mind.

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

00:09:18I promise.

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

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

00:09:22I watched her settle beside Callum and 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 towards 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.

00:09:46Every time the wheels hit a rough patch, she let out a soft, breathy sound and leaned into his shoulder.

00:09:51The timing was perfect.

00:09:52Always within my line of sight, like 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, lifting 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.

00:10:49Now 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, I could see what was really happening.

00:10:57Dark 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.

00:11:13And 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, behind 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, she 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 that 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, my silver sight erupted.

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

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

00:12:01It hulged at anyone with Hargreth blood,

00:12:03then 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.

00:12:54I raised one hand,

00:12:55a silver seal dropped across the corridor,

00:12:58and 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.

00:13:12You might want to ask how that line broke in the first place.

00:13:16Callum's brow tightened.

00:13:18In his arms,

00:13:19Jenna's eyes filled with tears at once.

00:13:20Her 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.

00:14:04She 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,

00:14:34I looked into my cup through the silver sight.

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

00:14:38but beneath the surface,

00:14:38it 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,

00:14:47I 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

00:14:53and 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.

00:15:11Lucien 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.

00:15:29Lucien looked at him calmly.

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

00:15:32He was about to snap back

00:15:33when 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, peacemaking 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,

00:15:47waiting 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

00:16:47whether I was humiliated.

00:16:48He just needed me

00:16:49to walk into 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

00:17:04like I 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

00:17:40and 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.

00:17:49His jaw tightened,

00:17:50and 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 like they hurt.

00:18:15After dinner,

00:18:16I'll have Chester bring out the legacy book.

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

00:18:20and said nothing.

00:18:23Dinner ended,

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

00:18:25the family's hand-print 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 what'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 half its contents

00:18:56across the tablecloth

00:18:57in a dark red wave.

00:18:58Servants rushed forward

00:18:59and 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.

00:19:21The 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

00:19:34to 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.

00:19:41Lucian 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 volume

00:19:50wooden box inside 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, blade cuts,

00:20:05nothing old about them.

00:20:06Callum glanced over and dismissed it

00:20:07without missing a bead.

00:20:08It's a hundred and fifty 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

00:20:19a respectable family for 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 site.

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

00:20:49through his veins all at once

00:20:50and the whole study shook.

00:20:52From deep inside Hargrove 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,

00:21:02his breath coming in sharp pulls.

00:21:05Eleanor rushed across the room

00:21:06and grabbed my arm.

00:21:07Rowene, please,

00:21:08go 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

00:21:17the 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 in the cold

00:21:52just because you 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 the right

00:22:09to leave Jenna outside alone.

00:22:10She 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 do

00:22:23what 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.

00:22:45I 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.

00:22:53Callum exploded

00:22:55and every bit of blame

00:22:55in the room

00:22:56landed on me

00:22:57while they clung

00:22:57to each other.

00:22:58Perfectly timed.

00:23:00Perfectly practiced.

00:23:02I turned toward Hargrim Hall

00:23:04and spoke without looking back.

00:23:07Fine.

00:23:08Then keep your eyes open tonight.

00:23:12Whatever happens

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

00:23:16Behind me

00:23:17I heard Callum murmur

00:23:18to 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 trying

00:23:38to claw its way out.

00:23:39The old chandelier

00:23:41swung overhead

00:23:41its candles throwing

00:23:43long crooked shadows

00:23:44across the room.

00:23:45The estate had gone still

00:23:46except for the dull shiver

00:23:48that rolled up

00:23:48from beneath the floor

00:23:49every few minutes.

00:23:51Whatever 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.

00:23:58Silver 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

00:24:05in 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.

00:24:15My 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 looked

00:24:29at me like he was

00:24:30doing me 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.

00:24:38I need the death mark

00:24:39gone completely.

00:24:40Can you actually do that?

00:24:42I turned and looked

00:24:43at him properly

00:24:44for the first time.

00:24:45Callum the 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 that later.

00:24:59He wanted to argue.

00:25:01Then the death mark

00:25:02tore at him again

00:25:03and the sound

00:25:04that left his throat

00:25:05was not one

00:25:06he meant to make.

00:25:07He swallowed it down 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

00:25:17will bury you

00:25:17and I will not

00:25:18be able to pull you out.

00:25:18Callum raised

00:25:19his trembling right hand.

00:25:21This time

00:25:21he said nothing.

00:25:24The last seal

00:25:25fell into place.

00:25:26The stone floor

00:25:27cracked 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

00:25:39the walls themselves

00:25:40were breathing out ice.

00:25:42The floor began

00:25:43to shake

00:25:43in small rapid tremors.

00:25:45White mist

00:25:46bled up through the cracks

00:25:47spreading low

00:25:48and thick

00:25:48across the ground

00:25:49catching the faint

00:25:50silver light

00:25:51of my formation.

00:25:53Then

00:25:53from the center

00:25:54of the mist

00:25:55she came.

00:25:57Althea

00:25:58A thousand year old serpent

00:26:00white as bone

00:26:02as large

00:26:02as a river dragon

00:26:03with golden slit eyes

00:26:05burning in the dark

00:26:06like two cold fires.

00:26:07Decades of rage

00:26:09grief

00:26:09and imprisonment

00:26:10moved through the air

00:26:12around her

00:26:12like a physical force.

00:26:15The servants screamed.

00:26:18Eleanor collapsed

00:26:19to her knees.

00:26:21Callum made a sound

00:26:22he probably did not

00:26:23mean to make

00:26:23as the death mark

00:26:25nearly tore itself open

00:26:26under the pressure

00:26:27of her presence.

00:26:28but when those golden eyes

00:26:30swept across the hall

00:26:31and found him

00:26:32they stopped.

00:26:35She recognized something.

00:26:37The covenant.

00:26:38The silver light

00:26:39around me.

00:26:40Something older

00:26:41than her rage.

00:26:43Althea went still

00:26:44in a way

00:26:44she had not been still

00:26:45in 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

00:27:01raggled

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 her scales.

00:27:13They were cold

00:27:14smooth

00:27:15and faintly luminous.

00:27:17Althea

00:27:18I need to ask you something.

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 this estate.

00:27:25Where is it?

00:27:26Her whole body convulsed.

00:27:27She reared

00:27:28halfway 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.

00:27:39That 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 help me!

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

00:27:48Please!

00:27:49Every note

00:27:49was perfectly pitched.

00:27:50Every word

00:27:51landed right

00:27:52at the weakest seam

00:27:53of the ritual.

00:27:54I did not move.

00:27:55But 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

00:28:22in his chest.

00:28:23I was so scared.

00:28:25I just wanted to make

00:28:25sure 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

00:28:35burst free

00:28:36from her coral bracelet.

00:28:38It came in a dark,

00:28:39thick wave

00:28:40carrying a resonance

00:28:42that matched

00:28:43Althea's imprisoned

00:28:44resentment.

00:28:46Frequency for frequency.

00:28:48A signal going both ways.

00:28:52Althea felt it.

00:28:54The red in her eyes

00:28:55deepened.

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

00:29:06behind 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 I burned

00:29:15with fever for 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 like 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 the 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

00:30:08at the corner of 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

00:30:24under 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 Lucien.

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

00:30:42onto the extinguished flame.

00:30:44The 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

00:30:52in cold light,

00:30:53Althema 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

00:31:07like something

00:31:09finally put to rest.

00:31:11The hall went quiet.

00:31:15Then Calium 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,

00:31:22standing in the silver

00:31:24light with blood

00:31:25still running down

00:31:25my 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

00:31:33that thing the 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.

00:31:50like I was not standing

00:31:52in front of him,

00:31:53bleeding to hold

00:31:53the 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 Calum's arms

00:32:04too quietly

00:32:05for him to 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,

00:32:26soft and sweet

00:32:28and untouchable.

00:32:29And Calum,

00:32:31righteous,

00:32:31devoted,

00:32:32completely blind Calum,

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

00:32:39bleeding 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.

00:32:57Calum's accusation

00:32:59hung between us,

00:33:00sharp 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

00:33:33drained of color.

00:33:35Jenna's expression crumpled

00:33:37as she threw herself

00:33:38into Calum's arms,

00:33:40sobbing violently.

00:33:41Calum,

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

00:33:43I really don't.

00:33:46Did Lady Rowish

00:33:48do this on purpose

00:33:48to scare me?

00:33:51Calum 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

00:34:01to humiliate her

00:34:02in front of everyone?

00:34:03The disbelief

00:34:04hit me hard.

00:34:05Evidence

00:34:06right in front of him

00:34:07and still he chose her.

00:34:08Lucian stepped to my side,

00:34:10his voice like ice.

00:34:11Are you blind?

00:34:13Or has your brain

00:34:14rotted too?

00:34:15You have no right

00:34:15to 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

00:34:20recognizes its own

00:34:21and so does Althea.

00:34:22Calum,

00:34:22you can keep pretending

00:34:22not to see it

00:34:23but the formation

00:34:23collapsed tonight

00:34:24because you opened

00:34:25that door yourself.

00:34:25Calum's face stiffened.

00:34:26Jenna cried even harder.

00:34:28I turned away from them,

00:34:29crouching beside Althea

00:34:30and placing my hand

00:34:30on her head.

00:34:31The great white serpent

00:34:32calmed under my touch,

00:34:32lowering her head

00:34:33like a tamed beast.

00:34:34Everyone saw it.

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

00:34:36They feared the Hargroves.

00:34:39Lucian helped me

00:34:40back to my room.

00:34:41The cut in my palm

00:34:43still seeped silver blood

00:34:44and the Lunarn Hunt

00:34:46scar on my face burned.

00:34:48Every use of the covenant

00:34:49reminded me

00:34:50of the price I 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

00:35:01next time.

00:35:01If 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.

00:35:16After my rebirth,

00:35:18I had accepted

00:35:19that trading my beauty

00:35:21meant no man

00:35:22would love me again.

00:35:23Others saw fear

00:35:24or disgust first,

00:35:26but Lucian never did.

00:35:28I pulled my hand away,

00:35:29my 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

00:35:36is your business.

00:35:38Whether I do it

00:35:39is mine.

00:35:40Footsteps sounded outside.

00:35:43Callum stood in the doorway,

00:35:44his face dark.

00:35:47Seeing Lupien holding my hand

00:35:48made 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

00:35:57who is bleeding.

00:35:59Unlike some people

00:36:00who only held

00:36:02the real culvert

00:36:03while accusing me,

00:36:05Callum'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

00:36:38I won't cause trouble.

00:36:40Callum glanced at me,

00:36:42waiting 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,

00:36:58where serpent energy

00:36:59coiled around

00:37:00every grave.

00:37:01My silver sight

00:37:02revealed snake bones

00:37:03pressed beneath

00:37:04each male

00:37:05Hargrove tombstone.

00:37:07This was no simple curse.

00:37:08It was a betrayal.

00:37:10What do you see?

00:37:12Your family

00:37:13wasn't cursed by serpents.

00:37:15You used them first,

00:37:17then betrayed them.

00:37:20Jenna suddenly

00:37:21cried out

00:37:22and stumbled,

00:37:23her hand

00:37:23landing precisely

00:37:24on a formation node.

00:37:26Serpent energy

00:37:27erupted.

00:37:30Callum rushed

00:37:31to her.

00:37:33Jenna!

00:37:34I saw dark energy

00:37:35flash between her fingers.

00:37:37In my past life,

00:37:39I thought it was

00:37:40an accident.

00:37:43Now I knew better.

00:37:45Lucian stepped

00:37:46in front of me,

00:37:47and the underground bones

00:37:49recoiled from him,

00:37:50as if terrified.

00:37:52A question

00:37:53stirred in my mind.

00:37:57Who exactly

00:37:58was Lucian?

00:38:01Jenna clung

00:38:02to 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

00:38:12it was dangerous here!

00:38:13Why didn't you

00:38:14clear it first?

00:38:17Did you see her step

00:38:18on the node?

00:38:20Callum paused.

00:38:21Jenna lifted

00:38:22her tear-stripped face.

00:38:25Lady Rowena,

00:38:27I know you

00:38:28dislike me,

00:38:28but I didn't touch

00:38:30any node.

00:38:31I was just scared.

00:38:33Callum's gaze

00:38:34softened

00:38:35toward her immediately.

00:38:37Rowena,

00:38:38enough.

00:38:39Stop pinning

00:38:40everything on her!

00:38:41I didn't argue.

00:38:43I extracted

00:38:44the serpent energy

00:38:45from her palm

00:38:47and held it

00:38:49suspended in the air,

00:38:51a rivaling

00:38:52black thread

00:38:53trying to return

00:38:54to her sleeve.

00:38:56Jenna paled.

00:38:59Still need

00:39:00an 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

00:39:14he saw.

00:39:15He just refused

00:39:16to admit it.

00:39:18Lucian spoke

00:39:18softly behind me.

00:39:20He doesn't deserve

00:39:21a single word

00:39:22from you.

00:39:23His words

00:39:23eased some of the

00:39:24cold weight

00:39:25in my chest.

00:39:26I turned back

00:39:27to the graves.

00:39:29Keep digging.

00:39:32Jenna's desperation

00:39:33to interrupt

00:39:33means there's

00:39:35something important

00:39:36down there.

00:39:38I used silver blood

00:39:40on the tombstone.

00:39:42A fragment

00:39:43of memory rose.

00:39:45Centuries ago,

00:39:46Althea had

00:39:47willingly guarded

00:39:48the Hargroves,

00:39:50shielding them

00:39:50and even giving

00:39:51her white scales

00:39:52as a token.

00:39:53They repaid her

00:39:54by stabbing her

00:39:55with the stolen

00:39:56silver arrow

00:39:56while she slept,

00:39:58turning her

00:39:59into a living lock

00:40:00for the serpent gate.

00:40:01She was no monster.

00:40:04She was a

00:40:05betrayed protector.

00:40:07When the vision

00:40:08faded,

00:40:09Callum looked grim.

00:40:11I expected him

00:40:13to ask about

00:40:13Althea.

00:40:14Instead,

00:40:16If she's the

00:40:16living lock,

00:40:19she can still

00:40:20hold the gate,

00:40:20right?

00:40:21I turned slowly,

00:40:23anger flaring.

00:40:25That's all

00:40:26you take from this?

00:40:28The Hug 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

00:40:53sword 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

00:41:07me out alone.

00:41:09Her gentle mask

00:41:11dropped completely

00:41:12as she leaned

00:41:13against a

00:41:13corazilla,

00:41:14twisting her

00:41:15coral bracelet.

00:41:17You 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

00:41:33victim.

00:41:34She laughed,

00:41:35her eyes

00:41:35turning venomous.

00:41:37You're much smarter

00:41:37than last time,

00:41:38so you remember too?

00:41:42Jenna didn't

00:41:43answer directly.

00:41:45She stroked

00:41:46the bracelet.

00:41:49Whether I remember

00:41:50doesn't matter.

00:41:52Callum will

00:41:52always believe me.

00:41:55You can shove

00:41:55proof in his face,

00:41:56and he'll still

00:41:57make 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

00:42:08no one loves 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

00:42:21craves it back.

00:42:22You're just

00:42:23pretending to be

00:42:24clear-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

00:42:34in pain,

00:42:35but quickly shifted

00:42:36to a pitiful expression

00:42:37as Callum's

00:42:38foot stems

00:42:39approached.

00:42:40Callum!

00:42:41He's trying

00:42:42to kill me!

00:42:48I only wanted to 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 Hargrove

00:43:06estate.

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

00:43:29touches you,

00:43:30your mark deepens.

00:43:31What trick

00:43:32did 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 time

00:43:46on fools.

00:43:49This time,

00:43:49I didn't disagree.

00:43:54Late that night,

00:43:54Chester knocked

00:43:55on my door,

00:43:56holding a lantern

00:43:56with perfect servant

00:43:57deference.

00:43:58Lady Whitmere,

00:43:58the old madam

00:43:59asks if you will

00:44:00enter the hall

00:44:00again tomorrow.

00:44:01Eleanor did 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

00:44:18control the serpent

00:44:18gate,

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

00:44:24sacred 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

00:44:35room.

00:44:35Are they plotting

00:44:36something?

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 with the

00:44:49serpent court

00:44:50through Chester.

00:44:53I didn't deny

00:44:54seeking the arrow.

00:44:57It was my goal.

00:44:59He seized on it,

00:45:01turning everyone

00:45:02against me.

00:45:05You were never

00:45:06here to save us.

00:45:09You came for

00:45:10Hargrave possessions

00:45:11from the start.

00:45:12That relic

00:45:13belongs to Whitmore,

00:45:15not Hargrige.

00:45:16Hargrige.

00:45:17Jenna spoke

00:45:18softly.

00:45:19Callum,

00:45:21I've long

00:45:22felt Lady Rowena's

00:45:23hostility.

00:45:25I didn't dare

00:45:26say it before.

00:45:28I feared

00:45:28you'd think me

00:45:29petty.

00:45:30Her eyes

00:45:31reddened again.

00:45:33Callum's disgust

00:45:34towards me

00:45:35deepened.

00:45:36Hand over

00:45:36your silver seals.

00:45:39From now on,

00:45:41any ritual

00:45:41needs my approval.

00:45:44You want to

00:45:45control my 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

00:45:54a wisp of

00:45:55Althea's

00:45:55white serpent shadow.

00:45:57It coiled

00:45:58around Callum's

00:45:59death mark.

00:46:01He cried out

00:46:02in 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

00:46:09I allow it.

00:46:10Jenna stumbled

00:46:11back in fear.

00:46:13Callum stared

00:46:14at me with a mix

00:46:15of rage

00:46:15and newfound terror.

00:46:17Lucien spoke

00:46:18quietly at my side.

00:46:20She 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

00:46:39the gate,

00:46:40but clearly

00:46:41meant to force

00:46:42me to submit

00:46:42publicly.

00:46:45Many saw

00:46:46my 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

00:46:53Jenna.

00:46:56I heard every word.

00:46:58In my past life,

00:46:59such talk

00:47:00would have crushed me.

00:47:02Now it was just

00:47:03noise.

00:47:04Eleanor sat

00:47:05at the head,

00:47:06voice heavy.

00:47:09Lady Whitmora,

00:47:11your power

00:47:12is great,

00:47:13but we've seen

00:47:14your emotions

00:47:15are unstable.

00:47:17For the family's

00:47:18safety,

00:47:19the sealing arts

00:47:20cannot remain

00:47:21solely in your hands.

00:47:24callum

00:47:24didn't intervene.

00:47:27He sat

00:47:28silently,

00:47:29endorsing

00:47:30the ambush.

00:47:32Jenna added

00:47:33fuel.

00:47:36I'm only

00:47:36worried Lady

00:47:37Roweth might

00:47:38resent me

00:47:39and take it

00:47:40out on the

00:47:41entire

00:47:41Hargroff family.

00:47:43All eyes

00:47:44turned to me.

00:47:45I stood

00:47:45and activated

00:47:46the silver

00:47:47sight.

00:47:48Behind every

00:47:48person,

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

00:47:57knees 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

00:48:15sight.

00:48:15Others accused

00:48:16Eleanor.

00:48:16She paled and

00:48:17instinctively

00:48:18protected the

00:48:18legacy book.

00:48:19I saw it.

00:48:19The sacrificed

00:48:20ledger is

00:48:21inside the

00:48:21book.

00:48:21Eleanor's

00:48:21hand froze.

00:48:22Callum tried

00:48:22to block me.

00:48:23Rowena,

00:48:24don't make

00:48:24this uglier.

00:48:24The ugly

00:48:25one is your

00:48:25family's

00:48:26centuries of

00:48:26blood debt.

00:48:27Jenna clutched

00:48:28her chest,

00:48:28collapsing into

00:48:29a chair.

00:48:30I can't breathe.

00:48:31Callum,

00:48:32I'm so scared.

00:48:33Callum moved

00:48:34to help her,

00:48:34but a white

00:48:35serpent shadow

00:48:36blocked him,

00:48:37staring coldly

00:48:38at Jenna.

00:48:40She stopped

00:48:40aggravating her

00:48:41sobs.

00:48:42I approached

00:48:42Eleanor.

00:48:43Give me

00:48:44the ledger.

00:48:45Eleanor forced

00:48:46a smile.

00:48:47Child,

00:48:48those are old

00:48:49matters.

00:48:49you already

00:48:50died once.

00:48:51Why keep

00:48:52pursuing?

00:48:53I leaned

00:48:54close.

00:48:56Because I

00:48:57died once.

00:48:58I know

00:48:58exactly what

00:48:59being chosen

00:49:00by you

00:49:01feels like.

00:49:02Callum watched

00:49:03with fleeting

00:49:04complexity before

00:49:05Jenna's sobs

00:49:06pulled him away

00:49:07again.

00:49:07my cold laugh

00:49:09deepened.

00:49:12He was never

00:49:13worth it.

00:49:14Callum tried

00:49:15a softer

00:49:16approach that

00:49:16evening,

00:49:17coming to my

00:49:18room with a

00:49:18gentler tone.

00:49:20Roland,

00:49:21we can cooperate.

00:49:23You want the

00:49:24silver arrow?

00:49:25I want the

00:49:26Hargroves to

00:49:27survive.

00:49:27Our goals

00:49:28are clean.

00:49:29I knew

00:49:30what came

00:49:31next.

00:49:32The same

00:49:32fake,

00:49:33fake concern

00:49:33from my

00:49:34past life.

00:49:35I know

00:49:35some words

00:49:36hurt you

00:49:36before,

00:49:37but now

00:49:38isn't the

00:49:38time to

00:49:38dwell on

00:49:39it.

00:49:39Some

00:49:40words?

00:49:41I turned

00:49:42my face

00:49:42so he

00:49:42could see

00:49:43the scar

00:49:43clearly.

00:49:45You mocked

00:49:46my face,

00:49:47protected

00:49:47Jenna as

00:49:48she harmed

00:49:48me,

00:49:49demanded

00:49:50my seals.

00:49:52And you

00:49:52call it

00:49:52some words?

00:49:54Callum frowned.

00:49:56You're too

00:49:56sensitive now.

00:49:57Lucien

00:49:58entered with

00:49:59medicine and

00:49:59overheard.

00:50:00She died

00:50:01once because

00:50:02of you all,

00:50:03and now you

00:50:03call her

00:50:04sensitive?

00:50:05Who do you

00:50:06think you

00:50:06are?

00:50:06Her

00:50:07servant,

00:50:08guard,

00:50:08or just

00:50:09the dog

00:50:09she keeps?

00:50:10Lucien

00:50:10remained

00:50:11calm.

00:50:12I can

00:50:12be anything

00:50:12she wants.

00:50:13But you?

00:50:14You're

00:50:14different.

00:50:15How?

00:50:16Even when

00:50:16she bleeds,

00:50:17you only

00:50:18ask why

00:50:18she didn't

00:50:19protect

00:50:19others.

00:50:20The room

00:50:20fell silent.

00:50:21I looked

00:50:22away,

00:50:23no longer

00:50:24wanting to

00:50:24hear Callum.

00:50:26Give me

00:50:26the key.

00:50:27Tomorrow we

00:50:27enter the

00:50:28underground

00:50:28chamber.

00:50:31Callum

00:50:31gritted

00:50:32his teeth

00:50:33and placed

00:50:34the key

00:50:34on the

00:50:35table.

00:50:38The

00:50:39underground

00:50:39chamber

00:50:39lay

00:50:40behind

00:50:40Hargrove

00:50:41Hall.

00:50:41Dust

00:50:42and serpent

00:50:43energy

00:50:43rushed out

00:50:44as the

00:50:44door opened.

00:50:45Whitmore

00:50:45hunting

00:50:45tools,

00:50:46silver

00:50:47blades,

00:50:47short

00:50:47bows,

00:50:48chains,

00:50:48hung on

00:50:49the walls

00:50:49like

00:50:50trophies.

00:50:51My chest

00:50:52tightened.

00:50:52These

00:50:52belonged to

00:50:53my family,

00:50:54displayed as

00:50:55Hargrok's

00:50:56spoils.

00:50:56As I

00:50:57approached,

00:50:57the tools

00:50:58hummed in

00:50:59recognition.

00:51:00Several

00:51:00blades tilted

00:51:01toward me.

00:51:02Callum's

00:51:03eyes gleamed

00:51:03with greed.

00:51:05If these

00:51:05can suppress

00:51:06the gate,

00:51:07why not

00:51:08lend them

00:51:08to the

00:51:08Hargroves

00:51:09first?

00:51:10After

00:51:10stealing

00:51:10them for

00:51:11centuries,

00:51:11you still

00:51:12want to

00:51:12borrow

00:51:12more?

00:51:13Jenna

00:51:13followed

00:51:13us in.

00:51:15Seeing the

00:51:15tools respond

00:51:16to me,

00:51:17jealously

00:51:17flashed in

00:51:18her eyes.

00:51:19Impressive.

00:51:21Too bad

00:51:22it all came

00:51:22at the cost

00:51:23of your

00:51:23face.

00:51:24Lucian

00:51:25took a

00:51:25loosened

00:51:26silver blade

00:51:27from the

00:51:27wall and

00:51:27placed it

00:51:28in my

00:51:28hand.

00:51:33His words

00:51:35settled

00:51:35warmly in

00:51:36my heart.

00:51:36I gripped

00:51:37the blade.

00:51:38Silver light

00:51:39bloomed.

00:51:40All the

00:51:40tools vibrated

00:51:41in univine.

00:51:42Jenna's

00:51:42expression

00:51:42soured

00:51:43completely.

00:51:44What she

00:51:45hated most

00:51:45wasn't my

00:51:46strength.

00:51:46It was that

00:51:47even scarred,

00:51:47I still had

00:51:48someone standing

00:51:48by my

00:51:49side.

00:51:50Deepest

00:51:50in the

00:51:51chamber

00:51:51hung an

00:51:52old

00:51:52painting.

00:51:52The

00:51:53first

00:51:53Whitmore

00:51:54lunar

00:51:54huntress

00:51:55beside a

00:51:55golden-horned

00:51:56white deer.

00:51:57The deer

00:51:57shielded her

00:51:58from serpents,

00:52:00its antlers

00:52:00wrapped in

00:52:01moonlight.

00:52:02Lucian's

00:52:03face changed

00:52:04when he

00:52:04saw it.

00:52:05He looked

00:52:05away too

00:52:06late.

00:52:06You've seen

00:52:07this painting?

00:52:08No.

00:52:08He answered

00:52:09too quickly.

00:52:10Callum noticed,

00:52:10his expression

00:52:11turning dangerous.

00:52:12Seems your

00:52:12servant knows

00:52:12quite a lot.

00:52:13I stepped

00:52:13in front of

00:52:14Lucian.

00:52:14None of

00:52:15your concern.

00:52:15Callum

00:52:16sneered.

00:52:16Rowena,

00:52:16you'd shield

00:52:17a mere

00:52:17servant

00:52:17from me?

00:52:18Lucian's

00:52:18eyes chilled.

00:52:19I spoke

00:52:19calmly without

00:52:20turning.

00:52:20He is

00:52:20not a

00:52:20mere

00:52:21servant.

00:52:21Lucian

00:52:21fell

00:52:22silent.

00:52:22My

00:52:22own

00:52:23heart

00:52:23stirred

00:52:23unexpectedly

00:52:24at the

00:52:24words.

00:52:25Jenna

00:52:25watched

00:52:25with a

00:52:26light

00:52:26laugh.

00:52:26Lady

00:52:27Rowena

00:52:27is so

00:52:28enviable.

00:52:29Face ruined,

00:52:30yet still

00:52:31so protected.

00:52:32How much

00:52:33of that

00:52:33protection

00:52:33is real,

00:52:34I wonder?

00:52:35At least

00:52:35more than

00:52:36what you

00:52:36stole.

00:52:37Her

00:52:37face

00:52:37darkened.

00:52:38Suddenly,

00:52:39her bracelet

00:52:40glowed.

00:52:41Serpent

00:52:41energy

00:52:42corrupted

00:52:42the

00:52:42tools,

00:52:43turning

00:52:44them

00:52:44against

00:52:44me.

00:52:45Jenna

00:52:46cried

00:52:46out in

00:52:46fake

00:52:47alarm.

00:52:48Callum,

00:52:48watch

00:52:48out!

00:52:49The

00:52:49tools

00:52:49have

00:52:50gone

00:52:50out

00:52:50of

00:52:50control!

00:52:51But

00:52:51excitement

00:52:52burned

00:52:52in

00:52:52her eyes.

00:52:54The tools

00:52:54lunged

00:52:55at

00:52:55me.

00:52:57They

00:52:57heard

00:52:57their

00:52:58silver

00:52:58lament.

00:53:00They

00:53:00didn't

00:53:01want

00:53:01to

00:53:01harm

00:53:01their

00:53:01true

00:53:02owner.

00:53:03Jenna's

00:53:03serpent

00:53:03energy

00:53:04forced

00:53:04them.

00:53:05Callum's

00:53:05first

00:53:05instinct

00:53:06was to

00:53:06shield

00:53:06Jenna.

00:53:07Rowena,

00:53:08control

00:53:09them!

00:53:09Don't

00:53:09let them

00:53:10touch

00:53:10Jenna!

00:53:11I

00:53:11ignored

00:53:11him,

00:53:12and

00:53:12summoned

00:53:13the

00:53:13moon

00:53:13silver

00:53:14bow.

00:53:15Moonlight

00:53:15formed

00:53:16the

00:53:16string.

00:53:17I

00:53:18fired

00:53:18arrows,

00:53:19tearing

00:53:20serpent

00:53:20energy

00:53:21from the

00:53:21blades

00:53:21one

00:53:22by

00:53:22one.

00:53:24They

00:53:24fell

00:53:24obediently

00:53:25at my

00:53:26feet.

00:53:27Each shot

00:53:27burned my

00:53:28scar like

00:53:28a fresh

00:53:28blade cut.

00:53:29Pain seared

00:53:30through me.

00:53:30I grit my

00:53:31teeth and

00:53:31kept drawing.

00:53:32Lucian

00:53:33suddenly grabbed

00:53:33my hand.

00:53:34Enough!

00:53:34Not yet

00:53:35cleared!

00:53:36I said

00:53:36enough,

00:53:36you're hurting!

00:53:37Everyone else

00:53:37fixated on my

00:53:38scar,

00:53:38fearing,

00:53:39hating,

00:53:39using it.

00:53:40Only Lucian

00:53:40cared if it hurt.

00:53:41This isn't the

00:53:42time for your

00:53:42intimacy.

00:53:43Rowena,

00:53:44continue!

00:53:44Lucian

00:53:45turned on him.

00:53:46Shut

00:53:46your mouth.

00:53:48Callum's

00:53:48face

00:53:49darkened.

00:53:51I

00:53:51released the

00:53:52bowstring,

00:53:53refusing his

00:53:53order for the

00:53:54first time.

00:53:55The rest can

00:53:55wait until I

00:53:56decide.

00:53:57Jenna

00:53:57looked furious.

00:53:58She had

00:53:59wanted to

00:53:59exhaust me.

00:54:00She never

00:54:01expected Lucian

00:54:02could make me

00:54:02stop, or that

00:54:03I would choose

00:54:04to for him.

00:54:06I followed

00:54:06Jaina into the

00:54:07underground water

00:54:08chath.

00:54:09She stood on

00:54:09the stone steps

00:54:10before the

00:54:11outer serpent

00:54:11gate.

00:54:12Her

00:54:12innocent mask

00:54:13finally

00:54:13debardened.

00:54:14Do you know

00:54:15where the

00:54:15silver arrow

00:54:16really is?

00:54:16I remained

00:54:17silent, gripping

00:54:18the hilt of

00:54:18the silver blade,

00:54:19see the sound

00:54:20echoing coldly

00:54:20off the walls.

00:54:21It's not in

00:54:22the chamber.

00:54:23It's buried

00:54:24in Althea's

00:54:25heart.

00:54:25The first

00:54:26Hargros used

00:54:27it to nail

00:54:27her into

00:54:28the earth

00:54:28vein, and

00:54:30create this

00:54:30gate.

00:54:31My fingers

00:54:31tightened

00:54:32painfully.

00:54:33The weight

00:54:33of generations

00:54:34of betrayal

00:54:35pressed down

00:54:35on me.

00:54:36Jenna

00:54:36stepped

00:54:37closer, her

00:54:37voice dripping

00:54:38venom.

00:54:39If you

00:54:39want Whitmore's

00:54:40relic back,

00:54:41you'll have

00:54:42to pull the

00:54:42arrow.

00:54:43But the

00:54:44moment you

00:54:44do, the

00:54:45gate opens.

00:54:46Everyone will

00:54:47blame you for

00:54:47destroying Hargrove Hall.

00:54:49Callum will hate you.

00:54:50Eleanor will hate you.

00:54:51They'll say you did it because no one could love your scarred face.

00:54:54The words stung, but not as deeply as they once would have.

00:54:57I met her gay steadily, the lunar scar on my cheek pulsing with silver light.

00:55:01You still think I care what Callum thinks of me?

00:55:04Jenna's smile faltered for a split second.

00:55:06I continued, my voice low but firm.

00:55:09You're wrong.

00:55:10I didn't come back to prove I'm worthy of love.

00:55:12I came to make sure all of you pay what you owe.

00:55:16Her expression turned ugly.

00:55:17She spat one last barb before leaping deeper into the waterway.

00:55:22You really think Lucian will keep protecting you?

00:55:25Men are all the same.

00:55:27Once he gets tired of looking at that face, he'll leave too.

00:55:31I stood there as her footsteps faded, the cold water lapping at my boots.

00:55:34Her words tried to burrow into old wounds, but Lucian's steady presence in my mind pushed

00:55:39them back.

00:55:39I turned and climbed back to the surface, the truth now clear in my heart.

00:55:43The silver arrow rested in Althea's chest.

00:55:47Back above ground, I found Lucian waiting in the shadows of the hall.

00:55:51His quiet strength grounded me as I told him what Jenna had revealed.

00:55:55He listened without interruption, his eyes never leaving mine.

00:55:58Will you pull it?

00:56:00I have to, but not recklessly.

00:56:03I'll use Callum's blood, Jenna's serpent contract, Chester's serpent court mark, and

00:56:08Eleanor's sacrifice ledger to form a new seal.

00:56:11Lucian studied me carefully, no fear in his gaze, only unwavering resolve.

00:56:16Then we do it.

00:56:18A small smile tugged at my lips despite everything.

00:56:20You won't ask if I'll turn into a monster?

00:56:22You won't.

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

00:56:26He paused, then stepped closer, and gently re-wrapped the bandage on my palm.

00:56:32Because even when you could have let Callum die tonight, you still saved the entire estate.

00:56:37His words pierced through the armor I had built around my heart.

00:56:40I had hated them all so fiercely, yet I refused to become the destroyer they feared.

00:56:46Lucian saw that in me when no one else did.

00:56:48The scar on my face burned less fiercely in that moment.

00:56:51Tomorrow we go to Eleanor.

00:56:53Good.

00:56:53I lingered in his presence a moment longer, drawing quiet comfort from the way he stood

00:56:59guard beside me, unflinching.

00:57:02Eleanor refused to surrender the sacrifice's ledger.

00:57:05She sat in the main study, cradling her peach blossom tea.

00:57:08Her grandmotherly facade finally stripped away to reveal cold calculation.

00:57:13Rowena, you already know too much.

00:57:15A smart girl knows when to stop.

00:57:17The memories flooded back.

00:57:19Her smiles as she fed me poison.

00:57:22Her indifference as she watched me die.

00:57:24Anger surged through my veins.

00:57:26When you sent me into the serpent gate, in my past life, did you also think I should have stopped?

00:57:33Her hand trembled slightly on the teacup.

00:57:34Do you remember?

00:57:35I remember everything.

00:57:37Your sweet words.

00:57:38The poisoned tea, how you locked me inside, without a flicker of remorse.

00:57:43I sealed her teacup with a silver seal.

00:57:47The liquid inside turned black.

00:57:49Serpent shadows thrashing wildly.

00:57:52Lupien stood behind me.

00:57:54His presence a 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 and sealed her throat with silver light.

00:58:10Her mouth opened, but no sound emerged.

00:58:14You lied so many people to their deaths.

00:58:16This mouth of yours deserves rest.

00:58:19I retrieved the ledger from her hidden compartment.

00:58:22Page after page listed women's names.

00:58:24The final entry was my own.

00:58:26Rowena Whitmore.

00:58:28My fingers clenched until my knuckles whitened.

00:58:31This life, I would cross it out myself.

00:58:36Callum learned of the stolen ledger quickly.

00:58:38Instead of confronting Mimi directly, he lured Lupien away and trapped him in the old underground

00:58:44chapel beneath Hargrove Hall, an ancient altar etched with serpent arrays designed to suppress

00:58:49Lunarn Hunt blood.

00:58:50When I arrived, Lucien knelt in the center of the array, covered in wounds, yet his eyes

00:58:54glowed with a faint golden light.

00:58:56Callum stood outside the formation, a silver blade in hand.

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

00:59:00One more step and he dies for you.

00:59:01Eyes alight with vicious excitement.

00:59:03Lady Rowena, you're so powerful.

00:59:05Choose the silver arrow or him.

00:59:08Lucien looked at me through the pain and shook his head wiltly.

00:59:10Leave me.

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

00:59:13In my past life, I had told Callum the same thing, only for him to abandon me.

00:59:16I would not repeat his cruelty.

00:59:18Power erupted from my huntress mark.

00:59:20Silver light shattered the serpent array, inch by inch.

00:59:23Callum paled.

00:59:25You're mad!

00:59:26The Covenant will backlash!

00:59:27That's not for you to decide.

00:59:30I rushed into the formation, grabbed Lucien's hand, and dragged him free.

00:59:36His silver-gold blood touched my pie palm, and the lingering dark energy recoiled as if

00:59:42burned.

00:59:45Lucien's blood was not red.

00:59:47It shimmered with faint silver-gold light.

00:59:49The realization hit me as the serpent Arame's rainness fled from him.

00:59:53Who are you, really?

00:59:54Lucien remained silent for a long moment before answering softly.

00:59:57I promised to stay by 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 than you.

01:00:08She laughed cruelly.

01:00:10Callum, if we use him as the new living lock, we won't need Rowena anymore.

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

01:00:16Cold fury settled in my chest.

01:00:18Touch him.

01:00:20And I will end the 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, my voice steady despite the storm inside.

01:00:34Yes, I fear.

01:00:36I fear him suffering the same fate I did.

01:00:39Being sacrificed by people like you who treat lives as disposable.

01:00:44Lucien glanced at me.

01:00:46Emotion flickering in his eyes.

01:00:48I avoided looking back.

01:00:50Afraid my own feelings would spill over.

01:00:55Callum and Jenna united against us.

01:00:58They spread rumors that Lucien's non-human aura was the true cause of the gate's instability.

01:01:05Jenna wept publicly, claiming she saw his golden blood and couldn't sleep from fear.

01:01:13Callum played the responsible family head.

01:01:15I don't want to hurt anyone.

01:01:17But for the Hargroves, I must uncover what he is.

01:01:21The hypocrisy made me want to laugh.

01:01:24This was their old game.

01:01:26One crying, the other forced to act.

01:01:29Only now, the knives were aimed elsewhere.

01:01:34I stepped in front of Lucien.

01:01:36Anyone who wants to investigate him goes through me first.

01:01:39Callum's face darkened.

01:01:41Rowena, you'd abandoned the entire Hargrove family's safety for him?

01:01:45I protected him.

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

01:01:49Lady Rowena, have you forgotten Lucien is just an outsider you picked up?

01:01:53An outsider cleaner than you'll ever be.

01:01:56Lucien spoke quietly behind me.

01:01:58You don't have to shield me like this.

01:02:00I want to.

01:02:03The words surprised even me.

01:02:06We retreated to the forest behind the hall.

01:02:09Serpent energy pursued us to the edge but dared not enter.

01:02:14Moonlight filtered through the trees as I tended Lucien's wounds.

01:02:18Why do you remember the past life?

01:02:21He was quiet for a long time.

01:02:23Because when you died, I was there too.

01:02:27My hands stilled on the bandages.

01:02:28I was trapped in the formation.

01:02:30I heard you begging him to open the door.

01:02:32I couldn't break free.

01:02:34I could only watch it close.

01:02:36The memory of that freezing night crashed over me.

01:02:39Not everyone had abandoned me.

01:02:42Someone had tried.

01:02:45My throat tightened.

01:02:47I always thought if I were stronger, you wouldn't have died.

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

01:02:52But I was still too late.

01:02:53I looked at him, the urge to embrace him nearly overwhelming.

01:02:57Instead, I whispered,

01:02:59This time, you weren't too late.

01:03:01Lucien met my eyes and smiled faintly for the first time.

01:03:05It was small, but it lit up the darkness around us like moonlight on water.

01:03:11My huntress mark began spiraling out of control.

01:03:16Visions of blood deeds and deaths flooded my silver sight.

01:03:22I saw Eleanor dragged by ghosts.

01:03:29Chester devoured by the serpent court.

01:03:33Jenna consumed by her own power.

01:03:37And Callum begging on his knees.

01:03:41Ardus's voice echoed in my mind,

01:03:45Commanding me to hunt those

01:03:50Who fed the serpents.

01:03:55I nearly summoned the oath arrow.

01:03:58Lucien seized my shoulders.

01:04:00Rowena, look at me.

01:04:01The silver light and blood blurted my vision.

01:04:04Pain tore through the scar on my face.

01:04:07Move!

01:04:08I need to kill them!

01:04:09Lucien held firm.

01:04:11You can take revenge.

01:04:14But don't give yourself to the covenant.

01:04:17He cut his own palm and pressed the silver-gold blood against my scar.

01:04:22The divine fury retreated.

01:04:24I could breathe again.

01:04:26You are not the goddess's blade.

01:04:28You are Rowena.

01:04:30Tears stung my eyes.

01:04:33He had shown me I could hurt,

01:04:35hate,

01:04:35and still remain myself.

01:04:38I closed my eyes.

01:04:40Don't let go.

01:04:42I'm in.

01:04:43Chester stole the sacrifice ledger,

01:04:46hoping to trade it to the serpent court for freedom.

01:04:50We tracked him to an old underground room,

01:04:53where he knelt before a black serpent mirror.

01:04:57A pale hand reached out and took the ledger,

01:05:01offering no promise.

01:05:05Executors have no freedom.

01:05:07Only the next order.

01:05:12Chester protested his 43 years of service.

01:05:16The mirror cracked,

01:05:17and dark energy retaliated,

01:05:19rotting his brand.

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

01:05:30Lady Whitmore, save me!

01:05:33I can tell you how to close the gate!

01:05:39How many have you helped kill?

01:05:41Let him die.

01:05:43I stabilize the energy

01:05:45in Chester's body with a silver seal.

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

01:05:53You'll watch what you serve to devour you.

01:05:57I reclaimed the ledger.

01:06:00The path to the silver arrow lay clear.

01:06:03The path to the silver arrow clear.

01:06:06Jenna publicly revealed the arrow's location in Althea's heart.

01:06:11She 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 with desperation.

01:06:31Callum pretended to restrain them,

01:06:33but I saw his agent slipping toward the 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 the worst of Callum?

01:06:49He only wants to save his family.

01:06:52Shut your mouth.

01:06:54I faced Callum directly.

01:06:56Do you want to save your family,

01:06:58or steal my arrow?

01:07:00If it can save the Hargroves,

01:07:02it shouldn't belong only to Whitmore.

01:07:04His true nature stood bare.

01:07:06The man who once wore affection like a mask,

01:07:11now showed his greed openly.

01:07:15I descended into the Earthvein with Lucian,

01:07:18cross-souled as the strage,

01:07:19and several clansmen forced their way after us.

01:07:22Serpent energy parted before me,

01:07:24and recoiled even more from Lucian.

01:07:28At the core,

01:07:29Althea was pinned to the gate,

01:07:31the silver arrow buried in her heart.

01:07:34She lowered her head,

01:07:35exposing the wound,

01:07:37begging for release.

01:07:39I grasped the arrow's hilt.

01:07:41Lucian stepped protectively behind me.

01:07:43Be careful.

01:07:47Callum pressed a silver blade to Lucian's throat.

01:07:49Pull the arrow, Rowena,

01:07:51or he dies.

01:07:54I held the hilt motionless.

01:07:56Blood, silver gold,

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

01:08:00exciting the gate further.

01:08:01Jenna's eyes lit with greed.

01:08:03Callum, his blood can replace hers.

01:08:06Use him as the new lock.

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

01:08:08Choose the arrow or his life.

01:08:11Don't mind me.

01:08:13The familiar cruelty broke something inside me.

01:08:16Why must everyone I cared for become their leverage?

01:08:19Do you know what disgustes me most about you?

01:08:21Callum frowned.

01:08:23You treat other people's sacrifices as natural rights?

01:08:26I released the arrow and slashed my plomb instead,

01:08:30spilling silver blood to summon the debts.

01:08:33Ghosts of sacrificed women rose,

01:08:36their eyes fixed on Callum.

01:08:38This time, judgment fell on the Hargraves.

01:08:42The ghosts surrounded Callum.

01:08:45They whispered their names.

01:08:47Wives, maids, daughters, and my past self.

01:08:52He stumbled back, the blade leaving Lucian's throat.

01:08:56I pulled Lucian behind me.

01:08:59Jenna launched for the arrow.

01:09:02Serpent energy from the gate seized her instead,

01:09:06merging with her bracelet.

01:09:09Jenna laughed wildly as she began transforming.

01:09:14Finally, my turn.

01:09:16You knew it wanted your body?

01:09:18So what?

01:09:20At least I'll drag you all down with me!

01:09:23She yanked the arrow partially free.

01:09:25Althea screamed.

01:09:27The gate cracked.

01:09:28Jenna, stop!

01:09:29Now you're scared?

01:09:31You protected me only because I was useful!

01:09:36Their mutual betrayal lay exposed.

01:09:39Only I had once believed in their false bond.

01:09:42Lucian took my hand.

01:09:43Rowene, don't watch me.

01:09:45Do what you must.

01:09:46I nodded, stealing myself.

01:09:49The gate's opening caused Hargrove Hall to collapse.

01:09:53Black railed hunts and surged from the ground.

01:09:56Clack Sertman fled,

01:09:57only to be caught by their own ghosts.

01:10:00Eleanor was dragged before the fireplace.

01:10:04Forced to confront the ledger.

01:10:06Rowena, save me!

01:10:08I was forced!

01:10:09It was all for the family!

01:10:12That's exactly what you said

01:10:14while watching you die last time.

01:10:17She trembled.

01:10:18I was wrong!

01:10:20You're not sorry.

01:10:23You're just afraid, afraid to die.

01:10:26The ghosts pulled her into silver flames.

01:10:29Chester was devoured by his own masters.

01:10:31I asked Lucian if I seemed cruel.

01:10:34No.

01:10:36They owed you.

01:10:37His words erased my final hesitation.

01:10:40Callum seized the silver arrow

01:10:42and fled toward the main hall

01:10:44to reseal the gate.

01:10:45I chased him

01:10:46to the iron door,

01:10:48the same one from my past life.

01:10:50Move aside, Rowena,

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

01:10:54We can settle the past later.

01:10:56The past?

01:10:57You speak so lightly of it.

01:10:59Jenna screamed for rescue in the distance.

01:11:02Callum barely glanced at her

01:11:03before turning away.

01:11:04He activated the mechanism

01:11:06to crap Lucian and me.

01:11:09Inside, Lucian pushed me aside

01:11:11and shattered the door

01:11:12with explosive silver-gold light.

01:11:14A golden-horned white deer phantom

01:11:16appeared behind him.

01:11:18The serpents recoiled in fear.

01:11:20At last, I understood.

01:11:21Lucian was the sacred beast guardian

01:11:23of the Whitmores.

01:11:25Lucian knelt by the broken door,

01:11:27the deer phantom fading.

01:11:29Callum stared in shock.

01:11:31What are you?

01:11:34Something far cleaner than you.

01:11:36The serpent court envoy

01:11:37emerged, terrified.

01:11:40Moon deer guardian,

01:11:42you still live.

01:11:44Lupien looked at me with apology.

01:11:46I didn't mean to hide it.

01:11:47We'll settle accounts

01:11:48after we get out.

01:11:50He smiled.

01:11:51I grasped the silver arrow.

01:11:54The huntress covenant

01:11:55fully awakened.

01:11:57Artemis warned of 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 for others once.

01:12:09This life...

01:12:12I pay for my own choices.

01:12:18The oath arrow formed in cold white light.

01:12:22Jenna, half serpent,

01:12:24charged in hatred.

01:12:25Why can you still stand?

01:12:30Why do you still have someone

01:12:32protecting you like that?

01:12:33Because I never gave myself to you.

01:12:36Lucian shielded me

01:12:37as the deer phantom

01:12:38repelled the energy.

01:12:40Callum begged on his knees.

01:12:42Ro'er, 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 to 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

01:12:58with 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 exploded.

01:13:15The serpent-tort passages

01:13:17collapsed.

01:13:18The gate sealed.

01:13:21Althira's wound healed.

01:13:25She placed a final white scale

01:13:27in my palm

01:13:28before dissolving into light,

01:13:30finally free.

01:13:32Jenna lay dying,

01:13:33her body rejecting

01:13:34the serpent energy.

01:13:36I'm not willing.

01:13:37Why did someone like you win?

01:13:40Because I lost once,

01:13:41and I refused to lose again.

01:13:43Her body was consumed,

01:13:45leaving only shattered coral.

01:13:47Callum's death mark vanished,

01:13:48but so did his family's power.

01:13:51He knelt broken in the ruins.

01:13:55Rowena,

01:13:57save me once more.

01:14:00For our past-

01:14:02In the past life,

01:14:03you told me to hold the serpents

01:14:05until I died.

01:14:08I left him there,

01:14:12to face his fate alone.

01:14:17As the hall fully collapsed,

01:14:20Callum chased after me

01:14:21one last time,

01:14:22desperate.

01:14:23Rowish,

01:14:24I was deceived by Jenna.

01:14:25Now 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,

01:14:34blocking Callum's view of me.

01:14:36Don'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 this time.

01:14:48At dawn,

01:14:50Hargrove Hall sank

01:14:51completely into ruin.

01:14:54I stood

01:14:55at a distance,

01:14:58watching the last serpent's stench

01:15:00blow away on the wind.

01:15:02My huntress mark and scar remained,

01:15:07but so did my resolve.

01:15:14Lucien stood beside me.

01:15:16Does it still hurt?

01:15:19Why do you always ask that?

01:15:21Because you always pretend it doesn't.

01:15:23I laugh genuinely

01:15:24for the first time in ages.

01:15:26Lucien,

01:15:28how long have you guarded the Whitmans?

01:15:30Long enough,

01:15:30that I feared I'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,

01:15:40never wavering to the scar.

01:15:44I love that you crawled back from hell

01:15:46to claim your debts,

01:15:47and still chose to save the innocent.

01:15:54I took his hand willingly.

01:15:56Then don't be late again.

01:15:57I won't.

01:15:58We walked away from the ruins

01:16:00together into the morning light.

01:16:02This time,

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

01:16:06I didn't look back.

01:16:07I didn't look back.

01:16:10I didn't look back.

01:16:11I didn't look back.

01:16:12I didn't look back.

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