Daryn gulped. Did Pia know she was… next?

Slowly he shook his head. "No…"

​​

Sedora's face paled. She stared at him for a long time hoping he would change his decision. If he would accept Pia's gift, then she would instantly release the rings over the heads of Dawn and Brenda. But the man couldn't speak lies. He honestly didn't like the gift from Pia. She looked back at Pia whose face was white as chalk.

Pia gave an anxious stare to Daryn and then she turned to look at Dawn. Her breathing became constricted and shallow. She shook her head, "No… no… no! This can't be." She yelled, "This can't be!" A frantic bellow escaped her chest. "Sedora! Mother! You can't do this to me!" She cried.

Sedora's face was like that of a ghost as she looked at Pia, whom she knew since she was a little child. But she had to do what she was bound to in front of the Ixoviyans, her subjects. She flicked her finger and the ring of fire fell over Pia. The crowd watched her in horror as the red, yellow and orange flames danced around her and her cries echoed throughout the arena. Dawn closed her eyes but Daryn watched her as the flames charred her body, the tendril of smoke leaping up to the dome of the gold cage, as if trying to escape out of Dante's inferno of hell.

Pia met her end through the hands of a woman who had saved her from the wolves after her tribe abandoned her. The woman, who had a big hand in marrying her to her elder son, killed her. Her charred remains scattered on the ground. Her dream to be with the man she loved burned with her.

Sedora felt a sharp jab at her heart. She steeled herself away from the burnt ashes of the girl she had known from a long time and with trembling lips said. "Open the next gift!" She wanted to take revenge. Her fingers were itching to kill Dawn. What could be better than to get her slayed at the hands of Brenda? She examined Dawn's dirty burlap sack, which moved again. And that instant she knew that Brenda would win. She couldn't wait.

When the guards opened Brenda's gift, the nose pin and the anklet came out. The guards took it to Daryn. Before he could speak or pass his decision, Sedora intervened, "At this point we will open Dawn's gift too."

Daryn frowned.

"This is so that there is fairness. The gifts have to be compared and then only you can make a proper decision."

Daryn took in a deep breath. He understood the game she was playing but he was ready for the worst. He scoffed and said, "Okay…"

The guards went to open the last gift—the burlap sack. As soon as they untied it, a soft whimper came and they were met with two hazel eyes. It was a wolf cub, who was barely a few days old. It looked at them with so much fear and innocence that their hearts melted. One of them pulled out the little white wolf cub with brown paws and held it high for Sedora and Daryn to see. The cub wriggled slightly, whimpered again and let out a growl that was like a cat's purr.

The females in the crowd went crazy. In the arena where they had seen so much gore, where cruelty had taken its toll on their emotions, the little bundle of love made them swoon over it.

Dawn steeled herself as she felt the heat of the fire above her, which was ready to fall on her. In the arena, no one could move her, no one could parthon her away. 'You are such a fool, Dawn. Why would Daryn like the cub?' She lowered her head and waited for the doom. When she looked up she stared at him to read his expressions, to commit his face to her memory one last time. Did she really think she had a chance to win?

He stared back at her.

"So what is your choice Daryn?" asked Sedora, almost laughing on the inside. Yes she lost Pia, but Dawn was so going down. "Who wins? Whom do you choose, Prince of Ixoviya?"

Daryn looked at the wolf cub and he remembered that Dawn would be giving birth to their cubs. The love he felt for her, it was indescribable. She had gifted him the best thing in his life—their twins. When the world had said that they would never become parents, Dawn had given a new direction to his life after she announced that she was pregnant. Tears rose in his eyes. So many emotions bounced in his head—love, tenderness, comfort, yet there was a little nervousness. He rose from the throne and walked forward. His gaze traveled to Brenda who stood there with a knowing smile. She blinked her eyes once to tell him that she regarded his decision.

Daryn's stomach churned to see that his friend was standing there so confidently to meet her fate. He shuddered a little.

There was a loud rumble in the distance followed by an explosion. Some guards rushed at the back of the stage.

Sedora was getting impatient. "What is it Daryn? Tell us."

"I am sorry Brenda," he said, "But those gifts hold no value in front of the cub."

Sedora stared at him. He chose that stupid wolf cub? Suddenly it hit her as to why he made that choice. She looked at Dawn, whose eyes had watered.

The crowd went mad. "Dawn! Dawn! Dawn!" They cheered for her. It was a wonderful moment, full of love.

Dawn looked up at Daryn and laughed through her tears. All her fears allayed.

Suddenly the flames that had shackled her and Brenda disappeared.

Daryn stepped down from the stage and walked towards the gold cage amongst the cheers of the crowd. He wanted to go to his mate, but a solid wall of air stopped him. With all his will, he focused and walked through the air as it rippled around him and closed again. Sedora watched him with wide eyes. Her mouth fell. Her son was able to shatter her illusions and now her magic.

When Daryn reached the bars of the cage, he pulled them aside with ease to enter. He wanted to hug her and also the cub. From where did she get it? It was so cute. Suddenly he had thousands of plans on how he would pamper his kids.

Sedora shouted on the loudspeaker, "Stop Daryn! Now, according to the terms of the third task, Dawn has to kill Brenda." Her voice was filled with anger. Dawn had defeated her again. She shook her head and gave a side-glance to her guards. She wouldn't take defeat. The neotide was going to go down the moment she killed her doctor friend.

A guard gave Dawn his javelin, whose tip was burning with fire.

Dawn's breathing hitched. She looked at Daryn who had paled. The crowd once again fell silent.

"You have to kill her Dawn! That was the task."

Brenda sighed. "My Luna, do it quickly. I don't care now. You have won and that was my main aim. Let me die with pride. I would be damned if I don't see a smile on your face when you kill me."

Dawn shook her head. "No, I can't." Her stomach churned. She felt nauseated.