Hera's divine authority extended only to marriage. She had no authority to interfere with Qili's plans for revenge.
She had already dissolved the marriage bond Elia had submitted. The rest was not hers to handle.
Li Jia asked her to take Qili back to her sister. Hera could never say no to her, so she agreed and held out her arms. Li Jia understood what she meant.
She asked Hera to shrink Qili and put her in her pocket. Hera did as asked, and Li Jia wrapped her arms around her boss's shoulders, becoming her accessory once again.
Li Jia pressed so tightly against her that Hera could see her fair, tender neck just by turning her head, along with the freshly pulsing blood vessels beneath it.
She smells so good. It makes me want to kiss her.
Hera actually did just that. The hot, tingling kiss made Li Jia's heart skip again and again.
What has gotten into her?
Li Jia could not quite figure it out, but she refused to let someone take liberties with her for no reason. What was this if not being a creep?
Besides her salted-fish side, Li Jia had another side to her. She absolutely would not allow anyone to bully her without cause.
This was the line she had drawn for herself after surviving alone for so many years.
If someone bullied her without rhyme or reason, she would find a chance to give it back to them twice as hard.
Revenge was a dish best served cold.
When she worked summer jobs, there were always old hands who used the excuse of letting her learn more to undermine this "little flower" fresh out of school and make her do their work.
Li Jia was no innocent little flower new to society. She had always been able to bide her time, slipping away whenever an opening presented itself, and never let them take the slightest advantage of her.
When the job ended, she even remembered to slip a handful of laxatives into each of their water cups-not enough to kill them, but enough to make them shit their pants.
Li Jia gritted her teeth and pressed her lips against the woman's. Her kiss was clumsy, and when she pulled away, she viciously bit her lip. Looking smug in her petty triumph, she muttered, "Your Majesty, only now are we even."
"You..." Hera had meant to scold her for being so rough, but the words reached her lips and would not come out.
She had initiated it. What right did she have to lecture Li Jia? If they really got into it, she had been the rude one first.
Fortunately, Qili was hiding in her pocket and had not seen the strange change between them. Otherwise, they really would have had no way to explain themselves.
Hera took Qili back to the little fishing village where Elia lived. She used her divine power to heal Qili's wounds, and apart from being unable to speak, Qili was no different from usual.
After setting her down, Hera took Li Jia back to fishing boat No. 32.
The little thing was sleepy and had fallen asleep hanging from her. After laying her on the bed, Hera did not get into bed with her, but stood by the window instead.
Tonight was a full moon.
Let the one who tied the knot untie it. Let things take their course.
Qili stood outside the fishing village for a long time. She did not know how to face her sister. More than scolding or punishment, she feared her sister ignoring her.
At last.
Footsteps came from inside the little wooden cabin. Qili looked up and saw Elia open the door and walk toward her. Her black robe was soaked with seawater, clinging wetly to her body. Her beige-gray hair flowed like stars in the moonlight, and her pupils bore a rare violet-flower pattern.
"Do you regret it?" Elia crouched down, her fingertips brushing the scabbed wound on Qili's throat. "You gave him everything, but he only saw you as a stepping stone to power."
Qili shrank back. The faint, flickering aura of magic around Elia frightened her.
There was no disgust in Elia's eyes, only pity and affection.
"Sister... I..."
Qili merely opened her mouth. Tears spilled helplessly down her cheeks and onto Elia's fingertips.
"Let me help you," Elia said softly.
A ball of pale purple light welled up in her palm and enveloped Qili. "I won't let you turn into foam."
"Whoever hurt you should pay it back."
To her amazement, Qili discovered that the wound in her throat was healing, and new vocal cords were being implanted within it. The tears she had stopped began flowing helplessly again.
Her sister had chosen to become a witch for her. She had gone to the Deep-Sea Wave Capital to reconstruct her vocal cords. The pale purple ball of light slowly merged with her, and she could speak again.
The first thing Qili asked was, "Why?"
"Because I'm your sister."
At those few words, Qili's tears fell without warning, one drop, then two, spreading into ripples in Elia's palm.
Memories surged like the tide. Their parents had died early. Before her mother died, she had summoned Qili to the shore and told her that this child, only a few years older than herself, was her sister, Elia.
Qili had happily greeted her. "Hello, Sister. I'm Qili."
The girl had been a little shy, finally stammering, "Elia."
Every morning, Elia would bring her fresh flower dew. Knowing how fond she was of treats, she rose early to gather it for her. There were always a few drops of honey in the flower dew, just the way Qili liked it.
Every rainy season, Elia would carry an umbrella to the seaside and call Qili's name to play with her, and Qili would come at her call. She was a mermaid with a sister. Every mermaid in the Deep-Sea Wave Capital knew that Qili had a sister.
Even when she fell in love with Dorian and received no support or understanding from anyone, curling up on a reef and crying until she could barely breathe, Elia had not reproached her. She had merely sat beside her on the reef, gathering her hands into her palms and stroking them over and over.
The warmth of her palms seared Qili's uneasy heart until the night receded. The next day, Elia handed her a witch's potion that could give her legs and said, "If it's the wrong path, I'll walk it all over again with you."
Countless sleepless nights lay hidden in those words.
"Qili, you can't marry a man you don't know."
Elia looked into her eyes and forced a smile onto her weary face, speaking lightly.
Moonlight passed through the shadows of the trees, rippling over their embracing figures. The tears at this moment came from the shock of finally understanding this silent protection, a torrent of heartache intertwined with gratitude.
Qili had regained her voice and now possessed a mermaid's power as well. She would take back what was hers.
Debts were forged in blood, vengeance carved with a blade.
In this life, she would water the hatred born of her past bloody tears with her enemy's blood.
Now, compared with her lost vocal cords, discovering that Elia had been forced to choose to become a witch because of her filled her with a hatred that could only be repaid by tearing bones apart and devouring flesh.
"Take me with you."
Elia understood Qili's thoughts. Apart from their parents, they were each other's closest relation in the world, each a part of the other.
"Of course."
Qili smiled. She would no longer push away the person who loved her most in this world, the person who loved her down to her very bones and blood.
She felt the same.
Morning light pierced the thin mist. They stood side by side on the shore, facing the entire Kalte Imperial Capital.
Qili plunged into the deep sea. The ocean was her home, and her legs turned back into a beautiful orange tail.