Ten pulled out a dried branch from his robes. He closed his fist, and the branch crumbled to dust. He went to Zizi. “Give me your hand.”
Rui shook her head, but Zizi stuck his hand out and Ten poured the crushed remains into his palm.
“Perhaps you have tried to create the spell again and failed,” Ten said. “But you will not fail this time. The artifact you hold,” he paused, nodding at the dust in Zizi’s palm, “it may not have the power it used to, but it will be enough.”
Zizi stared at the brown mound.
“You feel its power, do you not?”
Zizi nodded, looking both intrigued and repelled by what was in his hand.
“This time”—Ten tossed his ponytail—“make sure the spell can be cast an infinite number of times.”
Zizi’s jaw dropped in shock. He hesitated, fighting with himself.
“Don’t do it,” Rui pleaded. “You know what the Hybrids will do with that spell.”
“Oh, but youloveher, don’t you?” Ten crooned. “And love is what makes you weak and pathetic, and a fool.”
He glanced in Rui’s direction, and she felt the weight of the god’s power again. It snaked into her, squeezing from the inside, the pain radiating from her stomach and up her spine. She gasped, barely able to stop the scream rising in her throat.
“Stop hurting her!” Zizi shouted.
It was the first time Rui had seen him this afraid. And hewasafraid—of losing her.
“I am impatient by nature,” Ten said, “and we are running out of time. She feels a little fragile at the moment. I am afraid her spirit core is not doing so well. I suggest you act quickly before I slip and kill her by accident.”
Green Jacket threw a sheaf of yellow parchment at Zizi. “Hurry up. Any one of us would be happy to finish her off if we don’t get what we want.”
No.Rui shook her head at him. He couldn’t re-create that cursed spell just to save her. One life was not more worthy than the rest.She tried to speak, but the words jammed in her throat as Ten’s spiritual pressure crushed her.
Zizi cast her one last desperate look, and she heard his words from the night before echoing in her head.
I would give up this entire world for a single breath to leave your lips again.
And then she watched the boy she loved doom the world she had sworn to protect.
50
Yiran
The car sped down the highway back to the Guild headquarters with Ash at the wheel and the three cadets behind. Ada’s eye was swollen shut, and she rested her head on Yiran’s shoulder, exhausted from the fight. On his right, Teshin was polishing their blade with a stony expression.
Yiran’s insides hurt. Every breath took effort, and he wanted to lie down and sleep forever. He’d also wanted to ride with Eddy’s body in the other transport, but Ash had put his foot down firmly.
Yiran clenched his hands. “Why didn’t you bring a healer?” he demanded. He felt Ada tense beside him. “Last night, you said things might get dicey—why didn’t you plan for this?”
Ash replied tightly, “The area was already cleared. This was supposed to be a routine task.” Then, quietly, “I thought I’d made sure of it.”
Had they been assigned to this low-stakes mission because Ash wanted to keepYiransafe? The thought only made Yiran angrier. “Maybe this wouldn’t have happened if you told everyone on the team about the Hybrids.” When no one responded, he fumed, “Come on, aren’t either of you angry that you’ve been lied to?”
“I’ve always believed Rui,” Ada said. “But I didn’t expect Hybrids to be so powerful.”
“Exactly my point! If we knew—”
“Stop throwing a tantrum,” Ash said.
“I’m not throwing a tantrum.” Yiran punched the back of the seat in front of him.
