"Serenity?" Mary and Tina cried out at the same time, horror shing across their faces as Dn suddenly threw himself forward, knocking Eliza to the ground.
She barely had time to react before she scrambled up again, only to find a venomous snake-half its body already torn- sinking its fangs deep mto Dn''s forearm.
Tina didn''t hesitate. With a clean swing, she sliced off the snake''s head and skewered the twitching body, but the damage had already been done.
Eliza immediately pulled back Dn''s sleeve, and her heart dropped. The skin around the bite was already turning a deep.
sickly ck
Tie off his upper arm. Tight-now!" she snapped.
Mary handed Eliza Caroline''s remains, then moved quickly to help. As Tina secured the tourniquet, Mary retrieved a detox pill from her sleeve and pressed it into Dn''s mouth. But they all knew-it wouldn''t be enough
Nonus''s snakes weren''t ordinary. Their venom was designed to kill swiftly. Even the best antidote could only dy it for a few minutes. Ten, maybe fifteen-and then Dn would be dead.
Yet despite everything. Dn still looked up at her, his voice barely a whisper. ''Eliza... are you alright? The snake-get away from it... it''s dangerous
His face was ghostly pale, his limbs already beginning to weaken, but still-he was worried about her.
Eliza froze for half a second, then clenched her jaw and said, "Don''t talk. You''re the one in danger now. Save your strength." Her tone was as t as ever, but Dn couldn''t help smiling. “Alright... I''ll do whatever you say.”
She turned her face away quickly, blinking back the heat behind her eyes. "Mary... is there anything else we can do?" Eliza finally let out a breath.
Mary pulled herself upright, her face already glistening with sweat. "Serenity, take one of your scorpions and sting him at the bite. Fight poison with poison-we might be able to suppress it that way."
Without hesitation, Eliza grabbed one of her scorpion kings and pressed it to Dn''s arm. After it delivered the sting. Mary gestured for another.
The second scorpion struck, and for a few moments, nothing happened-then Dn suddenly arched back with a strangled
cry.
"It burns! God-it hurts!"
"Hold him down. Mary ordered.
Eliza and Tina pinned him while Mary forced another handful of pills into his mouth, then jabbed a final needle into his neck, knocking hum unconscious Panting. Mary wiped her brow. "That should keep the venom at bay-for now. If Prince Regent''s men find anything useful on Nonus, we might just get the antidote time to reverse-engineer the cure. And if Eliza had
If not, they still had a chance. The scorpion venom would buy Mary ti prepared the antidote to her own venom....
Mary suddenly turned. "Wait-Serenity, you do have an antidote for your scorpions... right?"
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Eliza stiffened. How do I say I spent three days raising killer scorpions andpletely forgot the antidote?
Mary slowly turned toward her. Their eyes met. The silence stretched.
Finally, Mary let out a sharp breath and muttered through gritted teeth, "How many
times have I told you-poison and antidote must be developed together?"
Eliza rubbed her temple, sheepish. "There wasn''t time. But I''ll start working on it as soon as we get back."
Thankfully, before Mary could explode, reinforcements arrived-with good news.
While patrolling the area with ck g, Nn had managed to intercept Nonus and the others. They practically walked into his ambush.
But just when they were about to seize them, the Stonor family showed up.
Eliza''s face darkened. "What were they doing there?"
Nn sighed. They took Sophie and let her go. Gilbert escaped too. But we did capture Septimus and Nonus. I figured they might be of use to you, so I had them brought over
Of course. Gilbert''s "escape" had been intentional, Nn had quietly instructed his men to leave a convenient gap in their formation-and Gilbert, quick as ever, had taken it without hesitation, abandoning Septimus and Nonus without a second thought.
Eliza didn''t waste time. "I don''t need them brought to me. Kill Septimus. Search Nonus. If he has the antidote, take it and kill him. If not-kill him anyway!"
Snake venom wasn''t something she couldn''t handle. But leaving loose ends? That she wouldn''t allow.
Nn nodded once and issued the order.
Soon after, the report came back. Nonus didn''t have the antidote on him-but he imed it was stored in a hidden location Hoping to barter with Eliza, he tried to use it as leverage.
She gave him a single word: "Kill."
And Nonus''s head hit the ground.
With the threat eliminated, Eliza and Mary gathered Dn and Caroline''s remains and began the journey back.
They couldn''t take the donkey this time, so Ross and his men stepped in.
"Don''t worry," Ross assured her, gently patting the creature''s head. "We''ll take good care of this little guy"
ck g escorted them down the mountain.
But just as they reached the base of Mount Westin, the sound of galloping hooves cut through the quiet night. Several riders appeared and blocked the road ahead.
Eliza''s eyes snapped open. Still cradling her mother''s bones, she slowly turned her head toward the window, her gaze frosty and razor-sharp.
Through the curtain she could just make out the three riders: Gabriel, Benedict, and Matthew.
Gabriel''s voice rang out, firm and authoritative "Nn, I''m not here to debate. Tell Eliza toe out. I want Caroline''s body returned."
Nn arched an eyebrow, amused. "You''ll have to forgive me-I must''ve
misheard. Eliza has had a long day. She''s resting
now, and I''d rather not disturb her. 1
suggest you head back"
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Gabriel''s expression darkened. "Cut the games. Don''t think I don''t see what''s happening here. If you try to take my wife''s body by force, don''t me me for making it public. The whole world will hear how tyrannical you''ve be... and just how unfilial Eliza truly is."
AD
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