Yiran saw a kind of wretched yearning for impossible things, thingsbeyond Yuki’s reach now, a melancholic longing for lost hopes and wasted wishes.
Yuki’s hand fell from Yiran’s throat, hanging limply by his side. “What makes you think I’m not?”
It took a full second for everything to sink in.
Yiran breathed out. “You’re a Hybrid Revenant.”
Yuki smirked. “Took you long enough.”
Shaken, Yiran couldn’t make sense of anything.A Hybrid, he’s a Hybrid, his mind kept repeating. Rui and Zizi were right. Hybridsdidexist. Surely the Guild knew? Why had he never been told or warned about them?
“Don’t look so worried,” Yuki said. “The first kill is always the clumsiest, but I have better table manners now. Unlike some of the others, I don’t play with my food. Your death will be painless, like falling into a deep sleep.”
“Wait! Tell me more,” Yiran said, desperately grabbing onto anything he could think of to delay his imminent demise. “I want to know more, I want to know about you.”
“About me?” Yuki was surprised.
“Yes, you. There’re other Hybrids like you, right? You must have a hideout. Where is it? How many of you are there?”
“Fishing for information? It doesn’t matter how many of us there are—there’s no hope for you. I’m tired of being hunted; the only hope is in building a new world forus.”
“A new world for Hybrids? The Exorcists will stop you—” An iron grip choked off Yiran’s words.
“Then we’ll create a worldwithoutExorcists. I’ve had enough of your questions,” Yuki hissed. He leaned in, dipping his head, lips a breath away from Yiran’s, almost like he was about to kiss him. At the last moment, Yuki turned his head, and all of Yiran’s questions disappeared.
A quick shot of pain. Cold spreading through his body. The wet trickle of blood down his neck. He’d learned about thedrinkingin his lectures,but this felt nothing like what the professors had described. His body relaxed, a heady sensation spreading through his limbs, a kind of perverse euphoria. Was this it? Was this how he would depart this world?
It’s not a bad way to die, he thought vaguely.
Something flickered.
Through half-closed eyes, Yiran saw...fire?
34
Yiran
Yuki shrieked. Crimson fire was engulfing his shirt. He released Yiran and retreated with a cry.
The uneven tarmac cut into Yiran’s palms as he collapsed. His lungs filled with air, and the heady feeling dissipated. Through the fog, a thin figure emerged, his black coat rolling behind him like a storm. His eyes were dark and wild, his lips muttering a string of spells. He stopped a few feet away and turned to Yiran.
Zizi.
Yiran didn’t think his heart could pound harder or faster, but it did. Why was he suddenly more afraid of the mage than the Hybrid standing right next to him?
“Stay out of my way,” Zizi commanded, as if Yiran were an ant to be crushed under his unforgiving boot.
The flames around Yuki had died down. He was largely unharmed and very pissed off. “Who are you?”
Zizi grinned. “Your worst nightmare.”
“Another Exorcist?” Yuki snarled.
“Please, don’t insult me.” Zizi wriggled his fingers and several talismans appeared above his hands.
“You’re the mage,” Yuki said. “Seems like you’re going to be more trouble than I thought.”
Teeth bared, Yuki tilted his head to the night sky. There was a sound of bone breaking, bone growing, bone forcing itself out in ways it should not.
