Chapter 9

Skylar’s face instantly turned ashen, and she nervously glanced at Master Crowley.

Master Crowley immediately sneered:

“For others, perhaps it would be difficult, but for a witch like you, knowing someone’s birthday is child’s play, isn’t it?”

Skylar quickly nodded in agreement:

“Exactly, exactly! That must be it!”

Julian’s eyes widened with rage, and he roared at me:

“What else do you have to say? After five years of marriage, I’m only now seeing your true colors!”

I met Julian’s gaze without fear.

“Julian, you don’t believe me, but you’d rather believe the lies of two conniving snakes?”

Julian clutched the yarn doll, his eyes bloodshot, and roared:

“The evidence is right here! What more do you have to deny?!”

I remained utterly undaunted, stating clearly and logically:

“If you wish to defame me, nothing I say will matter! Julian, I risked my life to save you, binding our fates together. To be with you, I even gave up my witch status, disappointed my Grandma Willow who raised me, and left the village I grew up in…”

“Five years, a full five years of marriage, and now, it means less than the word of two schemers?”

Julian was momentarily speechless by my words, his heart filled with conflict and struggle: “Elara, I…”

Master Crowley, seeing Julian waver, suddenly pointed at me and bellowed:

“Pah! Caught red-handed, and still you refuse to confess, you won’t give up until you see your own coffin! Fine, today I’ll make sure you understand your defeat! If you won’t admit it, do you dare reveal what you’re holding, and let everyone see?”

I tightly hugged the cage, speaking with disdain:

“Who do you think you are, to demand to see my familiar?”

“If you have nothing to hide, why are you afraid to show it to everyone? Do you dare deny that what you hold is a dark creature like a raven? If my guess is correct, that thing must be emanating a dark, sinister aura!”

I coldly confronted Master Crowley:

“Witches often keep ravens as familiars! What ‘dark aura’ or ‘evil presence’? It’s utterly baseless!”

Julian slowly advanced on me, his eyes bloodshot as he reached for the cage in my hands, saying through gritted teeth:

“Give me the cage!”

“Julian, this cage is linked to both our lives. How can I give it to an outsider to see?”

“I won’t say it a second time. Give it to me!”

“If you don’t want to die, I advise you not to try anything with it!”

“Give it to me!”

My voice was firm, each word pronounced distinctly:

“Im-pos-si-ble!”

Julian gritted his teeth, saying:

“In that case, don’t blame me for using force!”

Julian clapped his hands, and four servants immediately rushed up.

I looked at the servants, my brows tightly furrowed.

Julian directed the servants:

“Seize the object from my wife’s hands!”

The servants immediately advanced, attempting to wrest the cage from my grasp.

I struggled desperately, clutching the life-bound creature, my eyes wide with disbelief, backing away and shouting:

“Julian, you…”

Julian’s face was grim, and he loudly declared:

“Elara, if you truly have a clear conscience, what is there to hide from us?”

Julian waved his hand, and the servants scrambled to snatch the creature from my hands.

I fought with all my might, but I was outnumbered. Two servants held my arms tightly, and another seized the cage from me.

“Give it back to me…”

The servant ignored me, directly handing the cage to Julian.

Julian took the cage, looked down at the raven inside, and his eyes instantly widened in shock.

Inside the cage, the entirely black raven was glowing with golden light.