CHAPTER EIGHT
TANYA'S POV
Though I refused to let Tammary become my friend or my servant, I had already vowed in my heart to protect her. Seeing that wicked human who called himself Daniel attack Tammary made me furious. I wanted to give him a painful death.
Watching him stab Tammary in the chest reminded me of my childhood when I went to the king to report what my uncle had done to me. I was the victim, yet the guards beat me without mercy, not even caring about my young age. I begged them to investigate the matter, but mercy never saved me.
How dare Daniel attack someone I had sworn to protect in front of my eyes? What had Tammary done to deserve being stabbed like that? After all, these two strangers were the ones who came to steal from our ancient tree.
The baobab tree was an ancient tree in our territory that we had protected for many years. Humans traveled from faraway lands just to obtain its roots, but none of them ever succeeded. They either died or were left paralyzed.
Humans were disrespectful and cunning. None of them ever asked for the roots from the rightful owners of the tree—the witches. Instead, they tried to destroy us so they could take control of the ancient tree. My godmother told me the history of that tree and the power it held.
My godmother had always wished to help sick and paralyzed humans. But she soon realized that many of them wanted to use the roots for selfish reasons—killing others and strengthening themselves so they could become powerful and rule over people with fear.
My godmother once told me a story about her great-grandmother, who had been the Queen Mother of all witches and wizards, ruling every clan of witches and wizards.
Long ago, no human knew about the existence of the ancient tree or its powerful uses. Only witches knew about it, because it belonged to them. They had lived in that jungle since the beginning of time, where the baobab tree stood.
The Queen Mother used to create powerful traditional herbs using the roots of the ancient tree. Then she would send one of her servants to the human towns to help those who were sick.
Because of this kindness, humans became stronger and sickness became less common.
But one day everything changed.
The Queen Mother encountered a human man who had been banished by his king and his people. He had been accused of being cursed by the gods because everyone close to him kept dying mysteriously.
The humans threw him into the Jungle of Witches, a place where humans had never dared to step before.
He was attacked by wild animals in the jungle, but by fate the Queen Mother saved his life.
Later, the handsome man captured the Queen Mother's heart, and she fell in love with him. But loving a human was forbidden in the witch covenant.
Her sisters warned her many times, but she used her position as the Queen Mother of all witches and wizards to marry the human she had saved.
Her fiancé from the Wolf Pack, who had been betrothed to her since childhood, was heartbroken. But he let her go because he feared her power and authority.
The Queen Mother began teaching the human about the activities of the witch covenant. But once he learned about the ancient tree and its power, his heart changed.
One day he betrayed her.
He killed the Queen Mother, believing that he would take everything the witches possessed.
But the Queen Mother's former fiancé did not allow that to happen. Suspicious of the human, he secretly followed him into the human town.
There he discovered the truth.
The human was selling the sacred herbs to kings and witch doctors, who used them for selfish purposes instead of helping the sick.
The former fiancé killed him before he could escape.
But by then it was too late.
Humans had already discovered the secret of the ancient tree and the jungle where it stood.
From that day onward, witches began killing any human who tried to enter their territory in search of the ancient tree. They also swore never to fall in love with humans again.
Thinking about all this only reminded me of how cunning humans truly were.
My hatred for them grew stronger.
When I was about to stab Daniel, I invited every demon within my body to rise. At that moment I was completely uncontrollable. My body began to change, filling with dark power.
But something surprised me.
Daniel did not look away from me.
Whenever I became angry, no human or witch dared to look into my eyes. They said my gaze was like fire that could burn someone instantly.
But this human did not show fear.
Who was this man who refused to lower his gaze?
His arrogance irritated me even more. I wanted to drink his filthy blood and watch him beg for mercy, just like so many humans had done before. Their cries never saved them, just as no one had saved me in the past.
I raised my dagger, the one I had coated with deadly poison. Once it pierced your body, death would come slowly and painfully.
Just as I was about to strike, my godmother stopped me.
She said Daniel was useful and that it would be better to make him one of our servants.
I refused to let him go.
But suddenly something strange happened.
As I prepared to kill him, my body suddenly felt weak.
That had never happened to me before.
I immediately turned and ran toward my chamber. Anger burned inside me. Was he more powerful than me? Why couldn't I kill him?
Maybe it was my godmother who had used her powerful charms to stop me. But she always said that I was more powerful than her. So how had she managed to overpower me today?
I pushed those thoughts away and went straight to the Snake Pack to check on Tammary. Using one of my powerful charms, I healed the deep wound on her chest that had nearly taken her life.
That night I could not sleep.
Instead, I went to the dungeon where Daniel and his accomplice were being held.
When I arrived, Daniel was sitting with his back facing me.
I stepped back slightly.
His back looked strangely familiar.
But where had I seen him before?
I turned and began walking back toward my chamber.
"Princess Tanya," he suddenly called out.
His husky voice made me freeze in place.
END OF CHAPTER EIGHT