But Yiran caught his faint, proud smile as he floored the accelerator.
51
Rui
The flickering station lights cast an eerie greenish tint on the unconscious humans, the Hybrids, the death god who stood in his flowing robes—and the figure kneeling in the middle of the train tracks.
Sweat broke over Zizi’s brow as he worked. He spoke, so softly Rui couldn’t make out the words, his fingers moving quickly over a rectangular piece of yellow parchment. Faint red lines began to form on it. The characters of a spell. With a trembling hand, he held the crumbled remains of Ten’s branch over the talisman.
A coppery-gold trail of dust rose from those remains, floating in the air, swirling for a moment, then swooping toward the parchment, disappearing into it.
Energy crackled around them.
Darkness surrounded Zizi. Unseen, but felt. He raised a hand, and Rui saw that the black veins had climbed all the way up his arms to his collarbone and the base of his throat. Seconds later, he gasped in pain.
The talisman fluttered to the ground.
Zizi tipped over, bracing himself with a hand. He glared sideways at Ten.
“Take it.”
One of the Hybrids picked the talisman up instead. “How do we know if it works? How do we know if it can create more of us?”
Rui shuddered. This was the culmination of the Guild’s fears: a world overrun by monsters.
“We need to test the spell,” said the Hybrid. “You’re the mage—cast it.”
Zizi didn’t move.
The Hybrid nudged one of the unconscious bodies with his foot. “We brought guinea pigs. Come on, show us that it works.”
Zizi stared. “Fuck you.”
“That’s it, we’re taking him with us,” the Hybrid said to Ten.
“That is not part of the agreement, I am afraid,” Ten said coldly. “You will have to take my word for it. The spell works.”
The Hybrid’s eyes darted to Green Jacket for confirmation. She gave him a curt nod.
“Are we done?” Zizi said, looking murderously at Ten.
“Not quite. We are waiting for someone else to arrive.” Ten turned to the Hybrids. “Shoo. Our deal is complete. Take your spell and leave.”
Rui caught him exchanging a secretive look with Green Jacket. Green Jacket cocked her head, and the other Hybrids took her lead, walking away into the dark tunnel, dragging the unconscious bodies with them.
Rui felt the slightest touch of relief. At least Zizi would not be forced to do anything more. But who was thesomeone elseTen was waiting for? She felt his spiritual pressure lifting from her. Ignoring her injuries, she scrambled down to the tracks to Zizi.
But as she hobbled past the Tenth King, she heard him say, “I am truly sorry that this will hurt.”
A violet spinal blade shot out from the tunnel.
Something warm and wet splattered on Rui’s cheek.
She saw Zizi’s hand go to his neck. Saw the shock on his face, the red rivulets dripping—down his fingers, his collarbones—the fast-spreading stain on his clothes.
Zizi staggered, one hand reaching out to her, the other hand still at his throat, covered in his own blood.
His eyes rolled back.
