Page 79 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

Elder Pulma's eyebrows creased. “At times, there will be moments for mercy. Other times, one must be willing to sacrifice what one wants most for the good of the tribe. Before you is a choice. The nymph is the only magical creature who is not our enemy. They are conduits of Source. But in order for the Rite to conclude, a life must be given. Something must die. Either thatwhich you cherish most, or this innocent creature. One will go free, and one will die."

A blade tore through the chest of the second nymph. My cry caught in my throat as she gurgled a gasp of pain. She toppled forward. I caught her.

Her gasping breaths tore through me. She looked up, her eyes rimmed with moisture and her cries of pain resonating with something deep within me. In her, I saw myself. Fighting, ever fighting. Ever breaking. Ever failing.

I pushed her thick, ropy strands of hair away from her forehead.

Herneedeased to the gentle want to not be alone as she crossed. I gave her a gentle smile. "You will be safe, little one. Go ahead, Source is waiting," I whispered.

A keening cry tore from the male nymph, who fruitlessly fought his bonds, the chains clacking as he struggled. His pain-filled cry filled the air, a raw, aching sound that tore between the bonds of soul and heart and left one broken within.

Her gasps lessened, and with a final sigh, the life left her eyes.

"Grandchild, are you certain you have the strength to be matriarch? These hard decisions must be made for the good of the tribe. I will not sacrifice one of my own, even for the life of an innocent creature. I can endure the hard decisions. I fear you cannot," Grandmother said, her voice musing.

Grumbles followed. I glanced around, seeing many nod at her words. They agreed. With death. No matter what the elder had said about the nymph’s innocence... This was a magical creature, so in their eyes, she deserved death.

"Hard decisions must be made as a leader, but innocent lives are never to be chosen in cold blood," I said.

I glanced over at Ran. Shen was beside her, both of them watching me with a knowing gaze. To move forward, I had tochoose. I had to kill that which I loved most or this innocent nymph before me.

And I knew what I loved most.

I bowed my head. I stood and walked to the nymph. He had fallen to his knees, and his eyes were devoid of emotion when he stared up at me.

"Make... quick," came his raspy voice.

My soul trembled. I brought up my blade. His eyes closed and his head bowed. But I stepped behind him, breaking the chains binding him.

"I will not kill an innocent," I hissed at Elder Pulma, my eyes narrowed into slits.

"Something must die," he whispered, his eyes sad but knowing.

"Kill me, Alia," said a voice behind me. I turned to find Shen staring at me, his dark eyes rimmed with gold. His lips twitched in a sad smile. "It would be a fitting end."

I shook my head, denial setting in. I couldn't kill an innocent. Neither could I kill those I love.

What I love most.

Wait. The wording was off. I glanced over at Elder Pulma. His words originally said were what onewantsmost and then it was what onecherishedmost.

The words spiraled in my head. I glanced over at my family. Something had to die.

"I give up,” I said. I fell to my knees, the sand crunching beneath me. This was right. It burned as if I were stripping my heart from my bones, but it felt right. Now to see if I could leave my tribe better even if I could not lead. "I surrender my right to lead. I choose First Brandt to lead in my stead." He would do well. And he could defeat my grandma.

In those words, my dreams shriveled and died. What I had sacrificed, bled, and nearly died for over and over was gone.Dead. My hopes for the future, my love for my people. In those words, I had killed it.

What I wanted most was dead.

A tear tickled its way down my nose to fall to the sand beneath my knees to create a tiny gray bead in the otherwise white sand.

Slow clapping made my head jerk up. Elder Pulma looked at me with something of a mixture of respect and a bit of sorrow in his eyes.

"Well done, Alia. You have passed the second and final trial. A true leader will sacrifice what they love most for the good of their people, and you have shown not only quick thinking in the face of danger, but wisdom in laying down what you desire for the betterment of those around you."

Silence descended on the people.

Until Grandma stepped forward, her face an icy sheet of calm.

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