Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Great Vengeance is Served

Lila POV

I took a deep breath and nodded. Though I had braced myself, when the moment truly came, my palms still grew slick with a thin layer of sweat.

We stepped out of the tent and, flanked by Kael and a group of guards, made our way toward the altar at the heart of the tribe.

Along the way, all the tribespeople looked at us with expressions of awe and gratitude. They parted before us, bowing their heads low to clear a path to the altar.

The altar, a raised platform built from massive black stones, stood at the highest point of the encampment. It was now surrounded by elders and warriors. One elder stood at the very front, cradling an ancient parchment scroll.

In the center of the altar sat the solid steel cage. Derek had been dragged out of it, his dirty clothes stripped away and replaced with a gray sackcloth tunic—the garb of the condemned. His hands and feet were bound behind him with thick ropes, and a tattered rag was stuffed in his mouth, allowing him to make only muffled, whimpering sounds.

He looked even more wretched than he had yesterday. His eyes were unfocused, and his body trembled uncontrollably. When he saw Jasper and me, his eyes flashed with extreme terror and… a faint, incredulous flicker of a will to live.

He struggled desperately, trying to crawl toward us, but was pinned firmly in place by two burly men.

The elder glanced at me, and I gave a slight nod.

He turned to face the entire tribe and began to recite an incantation in an ancient, obscure language. His voice was low and resonant, echoing across the open altar and carrying a suffocating, oppressive weight.

I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but Jasper squeezed my hand, and the warmth of his palm was a comfort.

The recitation went on for a long time, not stopping until the sun reached its zenith. The elder turned and took a ceremonial dagger, its blade glinting coldly, from the hands of another.

He walked over to Derek and raised the dagger high.

“Derek! You controlled the great beasts, poisoned the Wolf King, and harmed a Royal Descendant! Your crimes are monstrous, an offense to heaven and earth!” the Great Elder’s voice thundered. “Today, in the name of our ancestors and by the laws of our tribe, I sentence you—to death! Blood for blood, and a life for a life!”

“NGHH—! NGHH—!” Shrill whimpers escaped Derek. He shook his head frantically, tears and snot streaming down his face, his expression a mask of pure despair. He tried to kneel and beg for mercy, but he was held fast.

Without a moment’s hesitation, the elder gripped the dagger and plunged it into Derek’s heart.

SQUELCH—

It was a dull, sickening thud of a blade sinking into flesh.

Derek’s body went rigid. He looked down at the dagger embedded in his chest, and in that instant, all the terror, madness, and ambition in his eyes was extinguished.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but only blood gushed out. His body swayed, then slowly crumpled to the ground like a boneless heap.

Dead.

Derek, the man who had been so arrogant, who had orchestrated so much slaughter and so many schemes, was dead. Just like that.

A dead silence fell over the gathering.

Everyone stared at the corpse lying in a pool of blood, watching the dark red stain spread across the stone.

I stood on the raised platform, looking down on the scene. ’There’s no thrill of revenge, no rush from seeing vengeance served. There’s only a profound exhaustion, as if all my strength has been drained away.’

’Is this the end?’

’Yes. It’s over.’

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath of the dry desert air. It was thick with the scent of blood, but I knew that smell would soon fade. The wind would sweep across this land and bring new life.

“Lila.” Jasper’s voice was in my ear, tinged with worry. He wrapped an arm around my waist, steadying my trembling frame.

“I’m fine.” I opened my eyes and managed a weak smile.

The Great Elder pulled the dagger from the body, wiping it clean on Derek’s tunic. He then turned to me, his expression complex.

“Goddess,” he said, stepping before me. “He has paid for his crimes. His blood will nourish this land and allow our tribe to prosper once more.”

I nodded, unwilling to spare the corpse another glance. “Elder, since this matter is concluded, it’s… time for us to leave.”

The Great Elder seemed surprised for a moment, then nodded solemnly. “Very well. We will never forget our great debt to you, Goddess, and to the Hale Wolf King. Please, accept my obeisance.”

He knelt once more, and all the elders and warriors behind him followed suit, performing the tribe’s most reverent salute.

Jasper and I didn’t linger. I had no desire to take part in the rituals that would follow, nor did I want to see how they would deal with Derek’s body. ’None of that has anything to do with me anymore.’

Back in the tent, I shed the intricate robe I had worn for the ceremony and changed back into my own practical clothes. I sat on the edge of the bed, gazing out at the familiar oasis, my heart a tangle of emotions.

Jasper came in and saw me staring into space. He didn’t say a word, simply walking over and wrapping his arms around me from behind.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked, resting his chin on my shoulder, his warm breath ghosting against my neck.

“I was just thinking…” I said softly. “This all feels like a dream. From the black storm, to finding Derek, to watching him die with my own eyes… It all happened so fast.”

“It did,” Jasper sighed, holding me tighter. “But the dream is over now. It’s time for us to go home.”

“Home…” I repeated, savoring the word. A genuine smile finally touched my lips.

“That’s right. Home.” Jasper released me and pulled me to my feet. “Let’s go. Riven’s already waiting with the helicopter in a clearing outside the oasis. If we don’t leave now, I’m afraid those old men will try to rope you into some grand farewell ceremony.”

I let him pull me along, a laugh escaping me. “Alright, let’s go.”

We slipped away without alerting the rest of the tribe, having Kael quietly escort us to the edge of the oasis.

It was a wide, open stretch of sand. A solid black helicopter, emblazoned with the Hale family crest, sat waiting, its rotors whipping the yellow sand into a storm.

Seeing the familiar piece of modern machinery gave me a surreal feeling, as if I were in a different lifetime. It felt like we were truly about to leave this ancient, primitive land and return to our world, the world of civilization.

“Goddess!”

A shout came from behind us. I turned to see the elder hurrying toward us with a group of people in tow. He appeared to be carrying something.

Jasper frowned, clearly annoyed by this “send-off.”

But I stopped anyway.

The elder reached me, panting for breath, and handed me a long, cloth-wrapped object. “Goddess, this is an ancient blade, passed down in our tribe for generations. It is said to have been left behind by a Moon Priestess of old. Now that you are leaving, please take it as a symbol of our alliance.”

I accepted the blade. Though I couldn’t see its form through the cloth, I could feel the palpable weight of its history.

“Thank you, Elder,” I said sincerely.

Kael stepped forward as well. He looked at me, his eyes filled with respect and… a hint of reluctance. “Goddess. Hale Wolf King. If you should ever have need of us, the warriors of the Sand Sea Tribe are at your command.”

Jasper raised an eyebrow, a flicker of satisfaction finally crossing his face. “So you’re not completely clueless.”

“Let’s go,” he said, turning to me with a smile as he pulled open the helicopter door.

I took one last look at the golden desert and the oasis nestled within it, then climbed decisively into the helicopter.

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