I held up a hand.
“Listen.”
The wind carried broken echoes. Sharp. Angry. Familiar.
“Yousold her out, Jisoo!” Taeyang’s voice thundered up from the ravine. “You let themtake her!You knew it was an ambush!”
“I didn’t have a choice!” Jisoo snapped back, strained. “They were going tokill Minji!Ihadto make the deal!”
My blood turned to ash.
Yuna sucked in a breath. Minji’s hand flew to her lips.
“You let Seori walk into a curse forher?” Taeyang shouted, disbelief and fury tangled in his voice.
“I didn’twantto!” Jisoo's voice cracked. “You think this didn’t tear me apart? I tried to warn her, I—”
“You held me back, Jisoo,” Taeyang said, quiet now. Devastating. “I could’ve saved her. But you stopped me.”
I didn’t wait. I moved.
Shadows exploded outward as I dropped from the ledge, landing with a force that cracked the stone beneath my boots. My power flared — every whisper of restraint gone.
Both of them turned — startled, then silent.
“You,” I growled, pointing straight at Jisoo, “tell me that isn’t what I just heard.”
Jisoo opened his mouth. No words came.
“You let my mate be taken,” I said, voice shaking with rage. “Youchoseto save Minji by sacrificing Seori.”
“I couldn’t do it!” Jisoo shouted, finally. “I can't lose what I’ve finally found. It wasn’t supposed to happen like that—”
“Don’t speak her name.” My eyes burned. “You gave her to the Demon King.”
“Rheon—”
“No!” I stepped closer. “I trusted you. You weremy brother.And youstood bywhile she was dragged into hell.”
“I did it for Minji!” he shouted, pain twisting through him. “For the only person who ever saw me after I fell!”
A moment passed. Yuna’s eyes shimmered with fury. Minji looked broken.
But I…
I just looked at Jisoo. And said
“You better pray the King hasn’t touched her. Because if he has, I’ll burn this realm again. Andyouwill be the first to fall.”
Jisoo didn’t answer. Couldn’t.
The silence was enough. I turned to the others.
“We find her. Now. Before that bastard completes the curse.”
Then, quietly, to myself:
“I’ll tear the realm apart if I have to. She’s mine.”
