CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
TANYA'S POV
I watched him break.
From the shadows.
From a distance he would never notice.
Daniel fell to his knees in the middle of the palace chamber, his hands trembling as he looked around him—at his people, at his father, at the life he thought he had lost.
Pain.
Relief.
Confusion.
All of it was written clearly on his face.
And I felt it.
Every single piece of it.
As if his emotions had found a way to reach me… even when I stood far away.
Hidden.
Invisible.
Gone.
I had saved them.
All of them.
The kingdom.
The king.
Even him.
And yet—
I could not stay.
I could not let him see me.
Because if he did…
Everything would fall apart.
So I turned away.
Silently.
And I left.
---
The journey back to the covenant felt longer than usual.
Heavier.
Each step I took felt like I was leaving something behind.
Something important.
Something I could never take back.
By the time I arrived, the night had already swallowed the sky.
The air was quiet.
Too quiet.
Almost as if the covenant itself could feel the storm inside me.
I walked past everyone without a word.
Without a glance.
Straight to my chambers.
But I wasn't alone for long.
"My child."
My godmother's voice.
Soft.
Knowing.
I closed my eyes briefly before turning to face her.
She stood at the entrance, her gaze calm but piercing.
She didn't need to ask.
She already knew.
"You saved them," she said quietly.
It wasn't a question.
I nodded.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
"You are troubled," she added.
I looked away.
"I am fine."
She sighed softly.
"You forget who you are speaking to."
Of course I did.
Nothing escaped her.
Not my actions.
Not my thoughts.
Not even the feelings I was trying so hard to bury.
"Is it him?" she asked gently.
My chest tightened.
I didn't answer.
But I didn't need to.
That was answer enough.
---
Daniel.
---
The way he looked at the baobab roots.
The way his eyes filled with emotion.
The way his entire body trembled as if he had just been given back something he thought he had lost forever.
That moment—
It stayed with me.
It followed me.
It haunted me.
And worst of all…
It made my heart ache.
"He will come," I said quietly.
My godmother nodded.
"Yes."
"He will not stop until he finds the truth."
"I know."
"And when he does…"
I swallowed.
"…he will hate me."
My godmother stepped closer.
"Or love you even more."
I shook my head immediately.
"No."
That was not a possibility I was willing to accept.
Love…
Between a witch and a human prince?
It was forbidden.
Dangerous.
Destructive.
It would not only destroy us—
It would destroy everything.
The covenant.
The kingdom.
The fragile balance that still remained between our worlds.
"I cannot allow that," I said firmly.
My voice no longer uncertain.
No longer weak.
"I have already caused enough damage."
My godmother watched me carefully.
As if measuring my resolve.
"And what do you intend to do?" she asked.
The answer sat heavily in my chest.
Painful.
Unforgiving.
But necessary.
"I will erase his memory."
The words left my lips like a death sentence.
Even I felt their weight.
For a moment—
Even my godmother was silent.
"You are certain?" she asked after a pause.
I nodded.
"He must forget me."
"He must forget everything about the covenant."
"He must return to his life… without me in it."
My voice cracked slightly at the last words.
But I didn't stop.
"If he remembers… he will come after us."
"And if he comes after us…"
I closed my eyes.
"…I might not be able to stop myself from choosing him."
Silence filled the room.
Deep.
Heavy.
Understanding.
My godmother stepped closer and placed her hand gently on my shoulder.
"This decision…"
She paused.
"…will save many lives."
I opened my eyes slowly.
"But it will break yours."
I didn't respond.
Because she was right.
---
That night—
I went to him.
---
The palace was quiet.
Still recovering from the chaos.
Still unaware of the truth.
I stood outside his chamber for a long moment.
Just watching.
Through the door.
Through the walls.
Through the distance I had created between us.
He was asleep.
Restless.
His breathing uneven.
Even in sleep…
He looked troubled.
I stepped inside.
Silently.
Carefully.
As if I was afraid of disturbing something fragile.
Something sacred.
I moved closer to him.
My heart beating faster with each step.
This was the last time.
The last time I would see him like this.
The last time I would stand this close.
The last time…
I allowed myself to feel this way.
I raised my hand slowly.
Magic gathered at my fingertips.
Soft.
Glowing.
Dangerous.
"Forgive me," I whispered.
My voice barely audible.
"You will forget everything."
"Me…"
"The covenant…"
"Us…"
The magic began to move.
Flowing from my hand…
Into him.
Into his mind.
Into his memories.
I felt it.
Every memory.
Every moment.
Every glance we shared.
Every word.
Every feeling.
Being pulled away.
Erased.
Destroyed.
Tears filled my eyes.
But I didn't stop.
I couldn't.
This was the only way.
The only way to protect him.
The only way to protect myself.
The only way to end something that should never have begun.
When it was over—
I stepped back slowly.
My hand trembling.
My chest aching.
He shifted slightly in his sleep.
Then…
He became still.
Calm.
Peaceful.
As if none of it had ever happened.
As if I had never existed.
I stared at him for a long moment.
Memorizing his face.
His presence.
Everything I was about to lose.
Then I turned away.
And left.
---
Days passed.
But nothing felt right.
The covenant was safe.
Daniel had forgotten.
Everything had gone exactly as planned.
And yet—
I couldn't breathe properly.
I couldn't think clearly.
I couldn't sleep.
Everywhere I went—
I felt his absence.
Like something had been ripped out of me.
Something I didn't even realize I had given away.
I tried to focus.
On my duties.
On my power.
On my revenge.
But none of it filled the emptiness.
None of it silenced the voice inside me.
The one that kept whispering his name.
"Daniel…"
I clenched my fists tightly.
Forcing myself to stay strong.
Forcing myself to remember why I did this.
He was human.
An enemy.
A threat.
This was necessary.
This was right.
So why—
Why did it feel like I had just destroyed the only good thing in my life?
I stood by the window, staring into the distance.
Unmoving.
Unfeeling.
Uncertain.
"I made the right choice," I whispered to myself.
But my heart—
Refused to believe it.
---
And somewhere deep inside me…
I knew.
This was not the end.
END OF CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR