Chapter 2

Back at the Priestess' Sanctuary, I collapsed on the cold floor.

Black blood sprayed from my mouth, soaking the white carpet.

The backlash was worse than I'd imagined.

As the High Priestess of the Elven Court, my life was tied to the sacred springs. Leonard and Elena had defiled those springs with their lust.

And yet the Sacred Tree punished me—its guardian—for it.

I curled up on the floor, gasping for air.

It felt like a million ants were chewing through my meridians.

A hundred years ago, I'd found Elena half-dead at the edge of the Withered Woods. She was a lowly Wandering Fey with no wings, exiled by her own kind.

I felt sorry for her. I fed her my own heart's blood. I taught her how to sense nature's power.

I saw her as my own little sister.

But in the end, I'd raised a viper.

Heavy footsteps pounded outside.

The door to the sanctuary burst open.

Leonard strode in.

He didn't look at the black blood on the floor. He didn't look at my pale face.

He walked straight to the central altar, grabbed the Sanctified Vessel containing the Elixir of Life—the only thing keeping me alive through the backlash—and turned to leave.

I struggled to lift my head, my voice a rasp. "Put it back."

Leonard stopped and looked down at me coldly. "Elena's wings aren't stable yet. She needs the Elixir of Life to nourish her meridians. As High Priestess, you should be willing to sacrifice for your people."

I stared at him. "That's my medicine."

He laughed bitterly. "Stop playing the victim. As the High Priestess, your body is immune to almost everything. A little mana backlash won't kill you. Elena is fragile. She'll die without this."

He walked over and loomed above me. "You embarrassed me on that altar today. Taking this bottle is your apology to Elena."

I looked at his entitled face and felt nothing but disgust.

"Leonard. Have you forgotten how you got that crown? Without me burning my soul to pave your way, you'd still be an exiled bastard son." I threw the words at him like daggers.

His face went dark.

He hated it when people brought up his past.

"There it is," he sneered, grabbing my chin, squeezing so hard I thought my bone would crack.

"You've always thought I owed you. That's why you act so entitled. But let me make something clear. I am the King of the Elves. I don't owe anyone anything," he added.

He shoved me away and walked out with the Sanctified Vessel, not looking back. "Stay here and think about what you've done. No one visits without my order."

The door slammed shut.

Silence swallowed the sanctuary.

I lay on the floor, watching the Priestess Sigil on my wrist grow dimmer with every passing second.

Every breath was agony.

I closed my eyes and cut the last pathetic thread of attachment in my heart.

What Leonard had taken wasn't just the Elixir of Life. It was also the last bit of mercy I had for him.

*****

Three days later, the Council of Elders held an emergency meeting.

Guards forced open my door. I was leaning against the wall, unable to stand straight.

Two elite guards seized me by the arms and hauled me into the council hall.

The hall was packed with Elders and Seers.

Leonard sat on his high throne. Elena curled at his feet.

Her wings had fully unfurled now, shimmering with pale green light. The Elixir of Life I'd lost was glowing right there on her.

The Grand Seer struck his staff on the ground, his face grim. "High Priestess. The sacred springs' water level has dropped by half in three days.

"As guardian of the spring, you've not only failed to perform your duties, but your mana is also completely depleted. Explain yourself."

I forced myself upright and stared coldly at Leonard on his throne. "Ask the great king what he did in the sacred springs. Ask him who he took there."

Gasps echoed through the hall.

Leonard's face turned stormy. "How dare you!" He shot to his feet, his oppressive aura flooding the room. "You can't connect to the Sacred Tree because your own mana is failing, and you dare blame me?"

Elena stood up, eyes glistening. "I know you hate me for taking His Majesty's affection. But please don't joke with the entire realm's survival at stake."

She raised her hand.

Pure wood-element mana flowed from her palm. In the corner of the hall, dead wood suddenly sprouted new leaves.

The Elders gasped in admiration.

"Such pure nature's power!" someone gasped.

"This is true blessing from the Sacred Tree!" an Elder exclaimed, awe in his voice.

I watched Elena's fake performance and felt like throwing up.

That wasn't her power. She'd drained it from Leonard through their "encounters." And that power originally came from me.

Leonard smiled smugly at the Elders' reactions. "Since everyone sees the truth, I'll be direct. The High Priestess's mana is gone. She's no longer fit for the role. I propose Elena take her place as the new High Priestess."

An awkward silence settled over the hall.

The Grand Seer frowned. "Your Majesty, the position of High Priestess isn't decided lightly. According to our laws, she must undergo a mana test before the Sacred Tree."

Leonard smirked and pointed to the Mana Crystal in the center of the hall. "Then let her test."

Guards shoved me toward the crystal.

I raised a trembling hand and pressed it against the cold stone.

The crystal gave no reaction.

My meridians had been completely destroyed by the backlash. I couldn't channel a single drop of mana.

Laughter and whispers filled the hall.

"Her mana really is gone. No wonder she threw away the crown. It was a desperate attention grab," someone scoffed.

"Without the Sacred Tree's blessing, she's worse than a common low-rank elf now," another voice jeered.

Leonard looked down at me, disgust and satisfaction flickering across his face. "Anything to say for yourself?"

I pulled my hand back from the crystal and calmly wiped the black blood from my fingertips. "Nothing. If you think she's better, let her have it."

My easy surrender caught him off guard, but he quickly recovered. "At least you're smart about something. Since you're no longer High Priestess, hand over the Priestess Sigil."

The room went dead silent.

The Grand Seer shot to his feet, his voice shaking. "Your Majesty, the Priestess Sigil is bound to her soul. Forcibly removing it will kill her!"

Leonard waved a dismissive hand. "You're overreacting, Grand Seer. She has a special constitution. A little pain won't hurt her. Elena needs that sigil to legitimately take over the springs."

He looked at me with cruel generosity. "Hand over the sigil, and I'll let you stay in the court as a maid."

I looked at him and laughed.

The sound echoed through the hall, hollow and sad.

A hundred years of sacrifice, and he called it "a little pain."

"Fine. I'll give it to you," I said.

I raised my chin and looked Leonard straight in the eye. "But I hope you don't regret this decision someday."