Chapter 67
Jao flung aside the door curtain and stormed into the stone house, his teeth clenched so hard his jaw trembled.
“Dora! Why did you eat the Devour-Flesh Fruit? Why did you harm our eagle chick p>
Dora started violently when she saw him. She took two steps back, her eyes darting away.
“I… I p>
For once, she could not find an excuse clever enough to cover her crime.
Toward Jao, she still carried a trace of guilt. Aside from Ilai, he had always treated her the best. He trusted her most. Of all her mates, he had been the one she favored most deeply.
“It was to stop the shaman from treating Nina,” the male who had accused her earlier sneered.
Jao’s fists tightened until the veins stood out on his forehead.
“You were willing to hurt our child… For something like that p>
His gaze swept over Dora’s ruined, blistered face, now grotesquely swollen and torn.
“Heh. Looks like you’ve reaped what you sowed p>
“I ate it myself,” Dora said bitterly. “But I thought the shaman could cure me. I never meant for the eagle chick to turn out like this p>
“Didn’t mean to?” Jao let out a cold laugh. “For the sake of your petty jealousy, there’s nothing you wouldn’t do p>
His eyes shifted to the tiny eagle chick trembling in another male’s arms.
“You knew he became like this because of you. And yet you refused to acknowledge him. You even tried to throw him away p>
“More than that,” the accusing male added sharply. “Right after he hatched, she tried to kill him. If we hadn’t stopped her, you wouldn’t even have seen him alive p>
Jao’s voice dropped, cold as ice. “Is that true p>
Dora’s lips trembled. She didn’t dare answer.
Jao looked at the other males. They nodded slightly.
That was enough.
Rage shattered his restraint. He strode forward and seized Dora by the throat.
“How could you be so cruel? That is our child! The child I’ve waited for all these years p>
Dora’s neck burned with pain. Her breathing became ragged as she clawed at his hands.
“Let—let go of me p>
The other males rushed forward and wrenched Jao’s hands away, pulling him back before he could crush her windpipe.
Dora immediately hid behind them.
“You can’t kill her,” one male urged. “She is bound to us by contract. If she dies, we will suffer backlash. And she has been our mate for many years p>
Jao’s eyes were blazing.
“Our mate? We treat her as our mate—has she ever treated us as her mates p>
For years, he had devoted himself to her wholeheartedly. He had even risked angering the Beast God for her sake.
And she?
She could not even tolerate their only child.
The other males fell silent, troubled. Had she ever truly regarded them as husbands?
Sensing the shifting mood, Dora hurriedly changed tactics.
“Jao, I was wrong about the eagle chick. Since you’re back, we can raise him if you want. In the future… I can give you another healthy child p>
“Another?” one male said quietly. “Dora, you can’t. The shaman said you’ve damaged your body. It will be very difficult for you to conceive again p>
Dora’s face went pale.
“That’s not true! I’m fine p>
“It’s true,” another male said. “The shaman told us the day you gave birth. We just didn’t tell you p>
Fear flickered across Dora’s face.
“Jao, don’t listen to them. I can still bear children. I can p>
But Jao’s gaze remained cold and distant.
Seeing no softening in him, Dora tried one last appeal.
“We’ve been together for so many years. Can you really forget everything we had? I promise—I won’t abandon the eagle chick again. Don’t be angry anymore p>
One of the males stepped forward hesitantly.
“Jao… perhaps we can let this pass. As long as Dora doesn’t hurt the chick again p>
Jao’s mind churned in turmoil. He did not respond.
Suddenly, the male holding the chick exclaimed in shock.
“Look! The spots—they’re fading p>
He lifted the eagle chick for everyone to see.
“It’s true!” another gasped. “They’re disappearing p>
The purple-red blotches were visibly receding from the chick’s skin.
Jao hurriedly took the child into his arms. His hands trembled as he stared.
The poison marks were truly fading.
Was this the Beast God’s mercy?
“I know!” the male who had found the chick said quickly. “When I found him, Nina fed him something. She said it was medicine to detoxify his body p>
“Are you sure?” the others asked doubtfully.
“The shaman said the poison couldn’t be cured. Who else but Nina? And she recognized the poisoning at a glance. No one else even knew he was poisoned p>
The reasoning made sense.
The others nodded slowly.
Dora’s eyes suddenly lit up.
If Nina could detoxify the eagle chick, perhaps she could cure Dora’s lingering aftereffects as well.
“Since she cured the poison,” one male ventured, “could she also restore the chick’s body? Without wings and claws, an eagle can’t survive p>
Hope flickered again in Jao’s heart.
“You’re right. Maybe Nina can save him p>
Without another word, he rushed outside. Wings burst from his back as he transformed and took to the sky, flying toward Nina’s stone house.
The other males exchanged glances and followed. Dora trailed behind them.
Jao landed before Nina’s house and hurried forward when he saw her.
“Nina,” he said urgently, “please—please save my eagle chick p>
Nina frowned slightly. “Wasn’t the poison cured p>
“It was. The poison is gone. But… his body—his wings and claws. An eagle without them cannot live. Please help him recover p>
He fell to his knees.
“I know Dora offended you. I know we wronged you in the past. I sincerely apologize. But the eagle chick is innocent. If you’re willing to save him, I’ll pay any price. Even if you demand my life p>
Nina stepped back, startled.
“Please stand up. I’m afraid I can’t help with that. I have no way to restore his body p>
The fragile hope in Jao’s eyes shattered.
But he refused to give up.
“If my sincerity isn’t enough,” he said hoarsely, “then I’ll end my life here before you. As long as you agree to save him p>
He truly saw her as his final lifeline.
He knew she had already shown great kindness by detoxifying the chick. Yet he couldn’t bear the thought of his child living a life of despair and suffering.
“I really can’t,” Nina said helplessly.
At that moment, Dora’s other mates arrived and heard her refusal. One by one, they bowed their heads.
“Nina, we know we treated you badly before. We apologize. We are willing to compensate you p>
“Yes. If you wish to punish us, we will accept it. Please don’t blame the eagle chick p>
Nina sighed.
“I’m not blaming him. I truly have no way to restore what was lost p>
Just as her words fell, Dora suddenly rushed forward.