Yiran looked just as worried. “What’s going to happen to Zizi—and us?”
“Seems like your friend confessed to something,” Surin said. “I expect we’ll get more answers in a while.”
Rui shared a look with Yiran.Hewouldn’t reveal anything she didn’t want revealed. She knew that.
In the end, out of the three of them, the wild card was Zizi.
39
Rui
They were summoned to a large room shaped like a decagon. A flickering screen sat on each wall, projecting the shadowy image of a Council member. All ten were present. But apart from Song Wei, who was Head of the Council, the identities of the other nine were unknown to anyone.
Zizi was standing in the middle of the room. Someone had thrown an Exorcist’s overcoat over his bare shoulders. The coat fell delicately down to his shins, like an outer robe, pewter in color with silver and gold embroidery. The fluid fabric was finely spun to accommodate an Exorcist’s movements and imbued with protective magic that acted as a temporary shield or armor during combat. Rui was surprised that a mage from the underground magic community was allowed to wear the crest of the Guild, and she wondered how Zizi himself could bear to have the Guild’s mark on him.
As she and Yiran moved to stand beside him, she saw that Zizi’s bare upper torso and left shoulder were wrapped in bandages. His skin still had a sickly hue, and there was something different about him, a lack of the usual humor in his posture, a new stoicism in the slant of his brows. At once, she knew he’d gone ahead and done something big and irreversible.
And she had a feeling she wasn’t going to like it.
“Now that everyone is here, let us speak frankly.” The Councilwoman’s voice was proud to the point of arrogant, and her shadow seemed to loom larger than the rest. “None of you are to speak of this place, what has happened here, and any conversation you may have heard or taken part in. Neither will you share the details of last night’s incident with anyone outside this room, nor are you allowed to reveal the Hybrids’ existence. Since Lin Ru Yi and Song Yiran are cadets at Xingshan Academy, they are bound by their oaths.” She addressed them: “Break that oath, and I do notneed to explain how harsh the consequences will be for the two of you. As for the mage,Zizi. . .” She paused.
Zizi shoved his hands into his pockets, the jut of his chin stubborn.
Rui bit the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted blood.
The Councilwoman continued, “He has confessed to dabbling in unorthodox magic, and while what he did is not akin to sorcery, such dangerous behavior must still be punished. But he has also given us valuable information about the Hybrids and what they seek, and we acknowledge the talisman he created no longer exists. The Council is fair. Full punishment will be tabled for now. In return, we seek his cooperation. He will remain here in isolation and under guard. Indefinitely. This is for his own safety—”
“How is this fair? You can’t lock him up here,” Rui interrupted heatedly. The Zizi she knew wouldn’t have confessed. He wouldn’t have accepted the punishment without a fight. He would hate to be stuck here, his every movement watched, his freedom taken. It would be his personal hell.
“You have not been called upon to speak!” a thin voice reprimanded. The snakelike aura coming from this Council member was so strong, Rui could feel it through the screen. “You have no influence on our decision. Do not interfere.”
But Rui’s mouth was running before her brain could catch up. “You coerced him to make a confession, didn’t you? It doesn’t count! If you imprison him, I’ll tell everyone about the Hybrids.”
Did she just threaten the Guild Council? Was she botching her chances of being an Exorcist? She decided she didn’t care. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Surin shaking her head.
“Be careful what you say, Cadet Lin,” said the first Councilwoman. “Zizi offered us information voluntarily in return for amnesty for you and Cadet Song. Since neither of you knew what Zizi was doing on the side, the Council agreed, and we have come to terms. He has taken responsibility and avoided a harsher punishment. Unlessyouwould like to throw a wrench in our agreement?”
The threat was clear.
Zizi spoke calmly. “Cadet Lin is speaking out of turn. It doesn’t affect what I have agreed to.”
“Do you have anything else to add, Cadet Lin?” asked the Councilwoman.
Zizi was shielding her and Yiran, allowing them to exit the situation unscathed. She caught Yiran’s look of relief, felt it run through him. A sick feeling pooled in her stomach. If she overturned the agreement, she wouldn’t be the only one in trouble. She had to choose, and she owed it to Yiran after putting his life at risk. Reluctantly, she shook her head, hating herself.
Ash stepped up. “Council, if I could have a word?”
There were quick murmurs of permission.
“It seems to me we’re missing an opportunity here.” Ash had looked tired before, but now his eyes glittered in anticipation. “Zizi is someone of immense talent, with healing powers the Guild could use, should he be willing to help us. Perhaps we should be asking him to lend his services to atone for his mistakes.”
There was a sharp hiss.
It’d come from Zizi. His expression was murderous, but he said nothing.
“Excellent idea!” said the Councilman with the snakelike aura.
A few other shadows chimed in with their approval.
