CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
DANIEL'S POV
The dungeon was cold.
Dark.
Silent.
Yet none of those things bothered me.
What hurt me most was seeing Tanya imprisoned beside me.
She was carrying our child.
She should have been resting peacefully inside the covenant, surrounded by people who loved her.
Instead, she was locked inside a prison because of me.
Because of our love.
Every time I looked at her, guilt tightened around my heart.
If I had been stronger...
If I had stopped Raymond sooner...
None of this would have happened.
I clenched my fists angrily.
Tanya immediately noticed.
She always did.
"My love," she said softly.
I turned toward her.
Her beautiful eyes held no fear.
Only determination.
"You need to be strong."
I lowered my head.
"How can I be strong when you're suffering because of me?"
Tanya moved closer and gently held my hand.
"This is not your fault."
Her voice was calm.
"No matter what happens, I will stand beside you."
I stared at her in silence.
Even now...
She was comforting me.
The one sitting on death row was comforting me.
My lioness truly was something else.
Then she surprised me.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Besides, I can get us out of here whenever I want."
I frowned.
"What?"
Tanya rolled her eyes.
"Daniel, I am one of the most powerful witches alive."
For a moment, I almost laughed.
Leave it to Tanya to remind me of that.
"I can break these chains."
"I can destroy this prison."
"I can teleport us back to the covenant."
She leaned against the wall.
"But I won't."
I looked at her carefully.
"Why?"
Her expression hardened.
"Because I want King Adrian to see Raymond's true face."
The answer surprised me.
"You are risking your life for that?"
"I am risking my life for the truth."
Her eyes flashed.
"If I leave now, Raymond wins."
I remained silent.
Part of me hated her decision.
I wanted her safe.
Far away from this place.
I moved closer.
"Tanya..."
She looked at me.
"Escape."
Her eyes narrowed instantly.
I already knew that look.
The dangerous one.
"You leave."
I continued anyway.
"I'll stay."
"Daniel."
"You and our child deserve to live."
Her expression darkened.
"Absolutely not."
"Tanya—"
"No."
She folded her arms stubbornly.
"If fate decides we die because we love each other..."
Her voice softened.
"Then we face it together."
I knew that tone.
There was no changing her mind.
Not when she looked like that.
Eventually, I sighed in defeat.
Tanya smirked triumphantly.
I shook my head.
Impossible woman.
Then I pulled her into my arms.
She rested her head against my chest.
For a moment, the prison disappeared.
The kingdom disappeared.
The problems disappeared.
There was only us.
I lowered my head and kissed her.
The kiss was gentle.
Filled with longing.
Filled with love.
And somehow...
It eased the weight crushing my heart.
Several hours later, darkness covered the kingdom.
Most people were asleep.
Tanya had dozed off against my shoulder when I suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"Your Highness."
I froze.
My eyes snapped toward the shadows.
"Tanya."
She immediately woke up.
Both of us stood alert.
Then a masked figure stepped forward.
My eyes widened.
"Jerry?"
The man removed the mask.
Sure enough—
It was him.
I stared in disbelief.
"How did you get in here?"
Jerry smiled faintly.
"You trained me yourself."
I blinked.
Then laughed despite everything.
Fair point.
"I was your bodyguard for years."
He crossed his arms.
"I know every secret entrance in this palace."
That was true.
Even I had forgotten some of them.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
Jerry's expression became serious.
Immediately, my smile vanished.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
After we left the covenant, Jerry explained everything.
And every word made my blood run colder.
"Raymond visited Adrian Royal Hospital."
My eyes narrowed.
"What for?"
"He cured several cancer patients."
I froze.
"What?"
Jerry nodded.
"The entire kingdom is talking about it."
My stomach tightened.
Already I could see where this was heading.
"People are calling him a hero."
"The council elders support him."
"The nobles support him."
"Even the common people support him."
I cursed under my breath.
Raymond was buying influence.
And it was working.
Jerry continued.
"He is also telling everyone that Tanya is dangerous."
Beside me, Tanya rolled her eyes.
"He says she will destroy the kingdom if you marry her."
My fists clenched.
Jerry hesitated.
Then spoke again.
"He told the council the only solution is to execute her."
Silence filled the dungeon.
Then—
Tanya laughed.
Actually laughed.
Jerry and I stared at her.
She shook her head.
"They really think they can kill me?"
Her eyes glowed slightly.
The air around her shifted.
Dangerously.
"If I wanted to leave, I would already be gone."
A cold smile appeared on her face.
"And Raymond would be buried six feet underground."
I looked at her.
Part of me worried.
The other part felt proud.
That was my lioness.
Feared by the covenant.
Feared by witches.
And feared by demons.
Then Jerry mentioned something else.
Something far more terrifying.
"Tammary contacted me."
Tanya immediately became serious.
"So?"
Jerry swallowed.
"The Queen used the Sacred Mirror."
My heart stopped.
The Queen.
My biological mother.
I already knew where this was going.
"What did she see?"
Jerry looked at both of us.
"Everything."
The dungeon fell silent.
"She knows you were imprisoned."
"She knows Tanya is scheduled for execution."
My chest tightened.
Then Jerry spoke the words I feared most.
"The Queen is preparing for war."
I closed my eyes.
"No..."
"Tammary said the witches are furious."
"The Lion Pack."
"The Snake Pack."
"The Wolf Pack."
"They are all ready to fight."
Tanya sighed heavily.
I rubbed my forehead.
This was exactly what Raymond wanted.
A war.
Suddenly, I felt it.
A strange pressure.
Dark.
Powerful.
Dangerous.
My eyes widened.
Tanya felt it too.
Her expression changed instantly.
"The witches."
I looked around nervously.
She nodded.
"They're already here."
Using my enhanced senses, I finally noticed it.
Invisible magical barriers.
Hidden energies.
Silent movements.
The kingdom was already surrounded.
The witches were waiting.
One wrong move...
And war would begin.
Far away from the dungeon, Prince Raymond stood alone on a balcony overlooking the kingdom.
A smile stretched across his face.
Everything was happening exactly as he planned.
The cancer patients he healed earlier were never truly healed.
The charms he used contained dark poison.
For one day, they would feel stronger.
Healthier.
Better than ever.
Then—
They would die.
Slowly.
Painfully.
And when that happened...
Raymond already knew who he would blame.
The Queen of Witches.
Tanya.
The covenant.
The perfect excuse for war.
Raymond looked toward the moon and smiled.
"Everything is finally falling into place."
But what he didn't know...
Was that destiny was already moving against him.
And soon...
The hunter would become the hunted.
END OF CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT