His world went white. He couldn’t see anything, couldn’t feel anything. The heat was unbearable.
Gunshots rang in the air. Shouting and the clang of metal.
Through half-closed eyes, Yiran saw two familiar figures sprinting toward him. Felix turned his spikes on Ash and Teshin, but he was swiftly overwhelmed.
Yiran released his shield and pressed his hands on Eddy’s stomach again. The red pool around him had grown.
“Eddy... Eddy? Hang on, we’re getting you help,” Ada whispered, kneeling beside them.
Eddy’s face was so pale, it was almost translucent. His eyes fluttered open and found Yiran’s.
“That was... a-amazing... Yiran. Must benice ... your gift of magic.”
He made a sound, like a soft sigh, and closed his eyes again.
49
Rui
Zizi.
Fear tightened its grip on Rui. What was he doing here? Did the Hybrids catch him on his way to his grandmother’s? His sweater was shredded, revealing cuts and bruises on his arms and torso. Dried blood stained the side of his face. He looked dazed, like he’d been drugged.
Blinking rapidly, he took in his surroundings. He saw her.
“Rui? Who did this to you?” Zizi demanded, glowering at her injuries. He was up on his feet at once, settling on Ten as the likely suspect. “Was ityou?”
Zizi ran a hand down the length of his arm. The black hilt of his spiritual weapon appeared.
Ten rolled his eyes.
Pain shot through Rui’s nerves. She cried out, staring at her hand in horror. Her index finger was bent wrong.
Zizi stopped in his tracks. He lowered his arm slowly, his spiritual weapon disappearing.
Ten quirked his head, observing the mage. “I see you are quick to pick up on things. All I need is a small favor. If you agree to do it, nothing else will happen to her.”
“Who are you and what do you want?” Zizi said.
“You will soon know who I am. But first, re-create the separation spell for them.” Ten pointed at the Hybrids, not bothering to hide his distaste for the creatures.
“No! Don’t you dare!” Rui shouted. “Don’t listen to Ten—”
Another finger twisted.
She clapped her uninjured hand over her mouth to stop her screams. Fury burned through her. One day, she would give this god a taste of hisown medicine. One day, she would bring him to his knees.
As if he heard her thoughts, Ten smiled at her. A suffocating weight pressed down, and she whimpered.
Zizi roared, “Stop!”
Ten’s spiritual pressure lightened, just a little. “Yes?”
“The spell was a one-off thing. I can’t do it again,” Zizi said, his eyes never leaving Rui. She wanted to reassure him, but she was in too much pain to speak.
“That is not what you told us, Your Majesty!” Green Jacket looked mutinous. “We know this is the mage who created a successful separation spell, but we failed to capture him the first time because ofher.” Green Jacket glared in Rui’s direction. “Youcame to us, Your Majesty.Youtold us you had leverage and a way to make this work. We made a deal, and now he’s saying he can’t do it?”
“Relax,” Ten said, looking almost bored by Green Jacket’s tirade. “I will hold up my end of our bargain. He can do it. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
