Mrs. Stykes crumbled, as if all the energy in her body was sucked away by an invisible ghost. Her eyes burned with pain and humiliation.

Sienna could not even react just yet, because she couldn’t believe the words she was hearing. They stung worse than the bite of a bee. They would probably haunt Mrs. Stykes forever, because she knew they would haunt her. If this was how beast men treated their partners who lost tails or any parts of their bodies, then she was glad not to be one.

News of the case she was overseeing seemed to travel fast on the compound, people hurried over to watch from a distance and see how she would judge.

"This is a tough one." Lord Marius muttered slowly.

"If she sends for the pan, I will carry out the beating myself." Grandpa Corven declared.

Mija, was somewhere in a tree, livestreaming the whole thing. Even those who were watching were outraged. It wasn’t the first time something like this was happening in the beast world. But, it was the first time it was happening before the whole world--or, Mija’s audience from different parts of the beast world.

Sienna narrowed her eyes, pondering on what to do. She narrowed her eyes at Mr. Stykes. She had seen arrogance before--in royals, beast lords, noble beast men, even her own son. But this man’s arrogance was cruelty. It was poison. Mrs. Stykes deserved better than to stay with a man like him.

"How can you repay me like this?" Mrs. Stykes whispered.

Sienna rose slowly. Her gaze was steady, unyielding. "Alright, since you have come to me, then I will make the decision for you both. Since your tails was broken because of him, let us balance the scales. I will cut his tail too."

Chaos erupted behind Sienna, and on the BeastNet.

"Hold him down and bring me a knife." Sienna ordered the guards.

In Cykress, Elias choked on his teas. He was not following on Mija’s livestream but directly tapped into the security cameras of the compound.

In the royal palace, the king and his relatives, who were meeting for one of their family gatherings were so stunned that they pushed paused their hunger for the meat on their plates.

"Did she just...." Evira started.

Someone cut her off. "Yes she did. And she looks very serious about it."

"Oh Sienna, you crazy human." The queen laughed.

Back on the compound, Mr. Stykes face was pale, drained of color. His own tail was twitching nervously behind him like a guilty serpent.

"Sienna!" Grandma Byra cried, half in horror, half in admiration. "You cannot--"

But Sienna’s hand was already outstretched, waiting for the blade. Eli peeked from behind Mrs. Miller’s legs. "Grandma, is mama really going to cut his tail?"

Ali was the one that responded with confident knowledge of someone that understood Sienna like a subject she had studied intensely. "Yes she is. She is going to slice him like a carrot!"

"I said hold him down." Sienna barked.

Alex and Liman jumped forward, each grabbing an arm and forcing Mr. Stykes to bend. Mrs. Stykes howled, begged and cried, at the same time. He could have hidden his tail, but he was too scared to retreat it.

Mija rushed over with a large bone chopping knife that Sienna used sometimes. "Here. here."

Before she could reach Sienna, Lady Cadelaria grabbed Mija from behind and slapped the knife out of her hands. "Stupid snake, are you trying to condemn our tribe?"

Meanwhile, Mrs. Stykes stepped forward. Her voice was soft, but it carried the weight of resignation. "My Lady, you don’t need to do this for me. Your hands should be stained for an unworthy beast man like this, or a foolish beast woman who should have known better. I only ask that you sign a form giving permission for the court to grant a divorce and equal split of our assets."

Sienna paused, hand still hovering on the air. Her eyes fixed on Mrs. Stykes, just like everyone’s eyes were focused on Sienna. She lowered her hand slowly, her lips curling into a sardonic smile.

"Are you sure?" Sienna asked Mrs. Stykes. "The only justice I believe in is an eye for an eye. A tail for a tail. He called you a thing! He trampled on your dignity. For the rest of your life, this moment...this day, you will never forget it. It will haunt you when you sleep and follow you in your death. Are you sure that all you want is a simple divorce?"

Mrs. Stykes did not respond immediately. She wiped tears from her cheeks with the back of her right hand. "I have children with him. They already have one parent that will be considered deformed from now on. They don’t need to have another one who is the same. If they are ashamed of me for being like this, I should leave them a way out at least."

Sienna nodded. As a mother, she could understand that decision. But she couldn’t help thinking that Mrs. Stykes was wrong. A man like her husband would just re-marry. What was the guarantee that he would treat her children well?

But, that was not her business. All she had to do was sign a document which was step one in the divorce proceedings.

"Very well," she said. "But remember this moment. You came seeking justice, and I offered it in blood despite any consequences that could have befallen me. You chose the signature yourself. I hope you won’t regret it."

Mrs. Stykes bowed deeply, tears glistening in her eyes.

Mr. Stykes was released, and he sneered at his wife. But his tail twitched nervously, as though it feared Sienna’s shadow.

The document recommending a divorce was signed by Sienna and stamped by Lord Marius. She handed it to Mrs. Stykes with a flourish. "If you ever need a job, come to me."

The fox woman clutched the document to her chest, relief flooding her face. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

As Sienna turned to leave, she ordered Alex, "Break his tail. Even if he doesn’t lose it, he should at least feel her pain for a few years." She looked back at Mr. Stykes one last time, her voice carrying a sting. "Divorce may free you, but it will never erase the shame of your worthlessness. From now, on, I will see to it that you never hold an important job or position in this city or any other. A man who abandons the wife who saved him cannot be trusted not to abandon his tribe, his family, his employer and maybe even his king."