LARA’S POV The words came as a surprise. I never believed that she would offer herself to abate this. She is prepared to offer herself as a solution. I looked at her, and tears filled my eyes. Now I wish that I was family, I wish that we share the same blood and are born of the same parents and I would have long offered myself in her stead. I truly envy her. “...Kill me and save the Chamlee. He does not have to agree first about me, right? Please go on with it, I am old enough to give my own life” she said firmly. There is no doubt that no one can talk her out of this, not even the Chamlee. She is right, and she does not need any parent’s approval to give up her life. I awaited the verdict of Eval.? “You...” Eval pointed at her. “Please don’t listen to her, Eval, pay no attention to her. It can’t be her” Scarlet screamed and went over to Dawn and pulled her furiously. “Stop it, Scarlet. Can’t you see just how much pain you are going through? I am your sister and I also have the right to decide your fate. Let me do this, allow me to do something right for once in my life” Dawn protested. “I will not let you, Dawn, this is not your fight and you are not allowed to make any decision” Scarlet yelled. “You heard her, didn’t you? The blood of family is required. The Chamlee has no family, and I am the only family with you right now. Except, of course, you want to go to Diamond Cut and get another member of the family but then you must also consider the time. It will soon be midnight and we must act now” Dawn replied in tears. “There must be another solution. It cannot be you, Dawn” Scarlet said. She let go of Dawn and moved closer to Eval. “Tell her, Eval, make her understand that it mustn’t be her. There are still a thousand and one solutions out there” “It is not...” Eval tried to respond but Scarlet stopped her. “Then take me. If you need a blood relative, then I am the best choice. I should be the best candidate for this. Use me now, I can even kill myself right now to make the whole process easier” Scarlet pleaded, looking around furiously. It is obvious she was looking for a weapon to use on herself. Dawn ran to her and held her tightly. “Are you even thinking right at all? The Chamlee already ordered that nothing should happen to his unborn child and now you want to sacrifice yourself? How do you intend to preserve the life of the child if you do that, or is there a place you can place your womb and the child will come out by itself upon expiration of nine months?” Dawn yelled. “I will go if any of us must go. You are my younger sister and I am supposed to protect you” Scarlet screamed. “Now you have the Chamlee and he is not in support. I have no one to weep for me once I am gone. I guess father already forgot all about me the next day after I was gone, and what does mother care? She is more concerned with being the noble lady of the beta. Our brothers must have breathed a sigh of relief, agreeing that now there is no weak female to taint their image” Dawn said. Dawn rushed over to Eval and held on to her. “Please don’t let it be midnight, see it is already past eleven, in less than half an hour it will be midnight. Go on with the sacrifice, use me instead, you don’t need anyone’s permission to do that” dawn cried. Scarlet went over to Dawn and dragged her away from Eval. “Don’t listen to her, Eval, she is only but a child. The preparations are already in place, let us go and continue with it before it gets to midnight” “I am sorry but I cannot use you, my queen” Eval announced. “What do you mean, Eval? I give you the order right this minute. You can take away the baby in my womb first and his blood will not be on your hands. I can sacrifice myself without recourse to the Chamlee” Scarlet was desperate as she tried to explain. “It is not that, my queen... it...” Eval was trying to explain when Dawn interjected. “You see, I know it will not be possible. Take me, Eval, do the sacrifice immediately” Dawn demanded. “Not even you, Dawn. I can't use you” Eval announced. Dawn stood still. She was stunned and could not say anything for a few seconds. It was after she regained herself that she stuttered. “What do... you mean... Eval?” “By family, I mean that of the Chamlee. And it is only the child inside her that is family” Eval explained. “I am not family” Scarlet mumbled. “Not even you, my Chamlar” Eval replied. “I am sorry but there is nothing else that I can do. My job here is done. And as already agreed, I cannot demand any hidden charge against Pixolands. I have faithfully kept my own part of the agreement and now I hope I am allowed to leave here with my life. I did not try to mislead you and go on with a fruitless sacrifice for my own selfish gain. I was open and true with you all along, please let me leave now” Eval begged.“Go” Scarlet murmured. Eval turned around and left into the night. But where can she go at this time of the night? She is a witch after all and must have her ways. “Oh no... what can we do now?” Dawn cried. “A better witch will come, tomorrow. My Chamlee will be alright” Scarlet replied. “A witch again...” we all exclaimed. “Yes,” Scarlet smiled. "I already sent for another and she will be here by tomorrow. Hopefully, she will desire no blood sacrifice” she replied. “Ahhhh...” someone screamed. As soon as she stopped speaking, we heard an agonizing scream from the Chamlee’s room and we all rushed over to the room. “Oh no...” Scarlet murmured. Getting to the room, we met a gory sight. The Chamlee, he was looking frail, pale old, and emaciated. His eyes were completely white and rolled out. He does not look like the same person that we had seen just a few minutes ago. What happened to him? Scarlet rushed over to him and bent over. “He has gotten even first than when that witch first arrived. Get the witch back here” Scarlet screamed. Her order was not meant for us, she just mind-linked Rich and now, he must be on the lookout for the witch with other guards. They must surely return with her any moment from now. “Kendra, go bring my stone amulet right now. I must keep him alive till morning” Scarlet ordered and Kendra rushed out. Rich soon rushed into the room. “My Chamlar, what is the matter, you asked to bring the witch, but...?” he stopped as soon as his gaze fell on the Chamlee. “The Chamlee...” he rushed to the bed. “...what happened?” “Where is the witch, Rich?” Scarlet asked. “She already left... a couple of hours ago. Sometime after nine, I think” Rich replied. “She left when... when she screamed during the preparations for the ritual... I mean at the point she went to the mirror” I murmured. I knew something felt odd. I knew everything was not right. Scarlet smirked and sighed. “She knew at that moment that it was useless. She would have gone through with it, but she fear for her life... smart woman” “She... she tried to...” Rich gasped. “I will try to get Chamlee to be stable, hopefully, the other witch will be here by morning,” Scarlet said. “We need no more witches...” Rich fumed. “I say what happens” Scarlet retorted with an air of finality.