Chapter 6
484words
"Name your price. What will it take for you to save Lily?"
The desperation in Julian's voice sent a wave of dark satisfaction through me.
I turned my gaze to Zachary, who stood rigid nearby.
"And you?"
Zachary held my gaze for a long moment before finally breaking.
"I'll do anything—anything at all—if you'll save Lily."
Their voices trembled as they pleaded, all pride abandoned.
"We're to blame for everything. Lily is innocent in all this. Please, we're begging you—save her."
I ignored their pleas, methodically bandaging my wound with deliberate slowness. I tied a neat butterfly knot, admiring my handiwork before finally turning to face them.
"I can save her."
"Kneel and beg for it."
Julian's eyes widened in shock.
"Tara Wilson, don't push your luck."
"We only took one scale—it'll grow back anyway. Lily is about to lose her life!"
"Just a scale? Don't insult my intelligence. Every child knows merfolk die without their heart scale."
I regarded them with pure contempt.
In my previous life, after losing my heart scale, I endured 49 days of excruciating agony before death finally claimed me.
They knew. They absolutely knew.
"What? That's impossible! Lily specifically told us it was just a scale—that it would grow back!"
Zachary's voice cracked with disbelief.
Lily clutched her chest weakly, shaking her head.
"Sister, you've got it all wrong! I didn't—I truly didn't know!"
Tears streamed down her face, perfectly complementing her fragile victim act.
Julian's momentary doubt evaporated as he watched her tears.
"Die? That's ridiculous. If it were fatal, why are you still alive?"
Only because the hatred-filled scale they took wasn't actually my heart scale.
"Believe whatever you want."
I dismissed them with a casual wave.
"But you want to save her precious life, don't you? Then kneel."
They hesitated, pride warring with desperation.
Lily's weak moans drifted from nearby.
"Julian… Zachary… it hurts so much… I can't bear it…"
Julian looked from Lily's contorted face to my impassive one.
Finally, his knees hit the floor with a thud.
"Tara, I'm begging you. Please save Lily."
He clutched at Zachary's sleeve.
"We've dedicated our lives to Lily—what's a moment on our knees compared to that?"
At Julian's words, Zachary sank to his knees beside him.
"Please… save Lily."
Watching them kneel before me, I remembered my agonizing death in my previous life.
This small humiliation wasn't nearly enough.
"There. We've knelt. Now save Lily, quickly!"
They started to rise, thinking their performance sufficient.
I stepped forward and planted my foot firmly on Julian's back, forcing him back down.
They grunted in pain and surprise.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Who said you could get up? I'm far from satisfied."
"A simple kneel doesn't begin to cover it. You drugged me, violated me, harvested me like an animal. Have you forgotten all that?"
