Before the whip could strike, Aron caught Shiqi’s wrist and pulled her close as a pale light flared around them immediately, wrapping them in a shield and hiding their figures from the others giving the idea that they had teleported.
However, before they could really escape, the light was suddenly trapped.
A golden net fell from above and closed around them, sealing them inside. The threads of the net glowed with divine power, pressing in from every side. So, even though Aron and Shiqi remained hidden, the light over them remained visible under the net.
Aron tried to force his way through it, sending dark energy against the barrier again and again, but the net did not even tremble, let alone tear.
No matter how hard he struggled, it would not break. "Aron," Shiqi called out in a broken voice, however, his entire being was only focused on one thing, escaping here. He needed to find a way back and return to the Redwood clan and recharge himself for battle.
But, the broken voice sounded again," Dark Lord."
He turned back to her slowly. The woman standing before him was no longer the proud woman, she had once been. Her body looked weak and thin, her face pale and lined with fear. Her hands trembled as she clutched his sleeve, as if he were the only thing holding her upright.
His hands clenched in anger. They were supposed to be together after all these years. Tonight was meant to be their reunion.
After decades of planning, hiding, and waiting, this night was supposed to belong to them. He had imagined standing beside her again, free from enemies and past mistakes.
And yet, as he looked down at her now, he knew the truth in his heart. She would not live past this night. Even if he managed to escape this trap, even if he tore open space and fled, he would not be able to save his Shiqi.
His jaw tightened as his hands clenched into fists.
It was only now, as Emira had spoken about the past, that he truly understood how Emira had managed to deceive everyone, even him.
She had exchanged souls with Ramona Vye.
Ramona’s soul had been locked inside Emira’s body, while Emira herself had walked freely into the ritual circle using Ramona’s body . In that moment, she had escape their carefully laid trap and everything that they had worked to achieve. But what pained him even more was that she had gained the idea from him. That claim of hers was true as well.
It was the same technique he had used when he had possessed Caspian Redwood’s body in order to approach Emira. She had copied his idea perfectly and used it for her own survival.
Because of that, the wrong woman had been punished. Because of that, his Shiqi had ended up suffering.
Aron felt a sharp bitterness rise in his chest. And for the first time, his killing instinct rose not for power or his gains. But to finish the woman who had harmed his most beloved. He closed his eyes for a moment.
She thought she could use the soul-stripping whip and not get any backlash? Then she was highly mistaken.
He looked at Shiqi carefully, cupping her wrinkled face before looking around at the net that was covering them. Then, he turned back to her and spoke softly, "I miscalculated, Shiqi. Because of that woman, everything we built was ruined."
Shiqi’s hands shook as she held onto him, while closing her eyes and savoring the warmth of his hand.. "What will you do now? How will you stop her? Will you avenge me Aron?"
"I will destroy her," he replied. "And everyone who stands with her. For what she did to you... and for what she took from me."
She lifted her eyes to him. "How?"
"You don’t need to know," he said. "Just trust me."
Shiqi hesitated, then slowly stepped closer. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against his chest. "I trust you," she whispered, closing her eyes.
Aron did not return the embrace. Instead, his hand moved away from her and to the back of her head.
"You are not meant to survive this night anyway," he said coldly. "But your death, I will make it useful."
Shiqi’s eyes widened at the sudden cold words. She was about to move to ask him what he meant when the spell struck. In that minute, her body went stiff in his arms. Her breath stopped before she could cry out. He held her upright as her form began to break apart into light.
Two streams rose from her fading body. One was faint and trembling. The other burned bright and sharp.
Aron’s lips curved slightly. "The maid sacrificed herself to protect you," he muttered. "And now you have sacrificed for me, these two make the perfect shield against the soul stripping whip. Thank you, my love. For always supporting me. In life and in death. "
He drew both lights into himself. They wrapped around his body, hardening into a glowing shield.
The golden net pressed down again, but it could not touch him anymore even as Shiqi disappeared. With that, he let the blue light that had been protecting them from the other eyes also disappear.
Now, only Aron remained under the golden net. His eyes were dark with hatred.
His eyes met Emira’s and he gave a cold smile. "Do you think you have won?"
Emira’s eyes narrowed and she raised the whip, "What a love, spanning over a century, huh? Dark lord. You even killed your most loyal follower, to gain protection, forgetting her love of a lifetime in a minute."
"Only fools believe in love. Love is nothing but a tool to use to gain what one wants. Shiqi’s only purpose was to serve me. I believe she has done that."
Emira scoffed at the words. And then, without warning, she flicked her wrist so that the whip cracked, its long thread moving towards the dark lord at a quick speed.