“Just say it,” Yiran burst out. “Tell her or I will.”
“Tell me what?”
Zizi stood up, the words rushing out of his mouth. “I’m not sure if I can reverse the spell. The impossible happened, and it seems like the transfer became permanent, or at least that’s what it looks like for now.”
Rui slumped against the chair, not quite understanding the words she just heard.Permanent?How could that be? But she couldn’t deny it. Her spiritual energy felt different, lacking in some way. She’d ignored the hollow feeling since she’d woken in Zizi’s bed, hoping it was nothing, hoping it was a figment of her imagination.
But it wasn’t.
She choked back a sudden sob. How could she live without magic? It gave her a sense of purpose and duty, knowing she could have her revenge, knowing she could do more with her life. She’d lost something four years ago and found something else. Magic had filled the void left by her mother.She was suddenly frightened, not because she felt empty, but because she wondered if the emptiness had been there all along, and magic had been a flimsy bandage she’d wrapped over a wound that was still festering.
“I can’t do anything now,” Zizi said, “but it doesn’t mean I can’t fix this eventually. It’s just too dangerous to attempt anything until you heal completely. Even if I had a way to reverse the spell, doing it now could kill you.” He glanced at Yiran. “He looks fine, but his core can’t handle this much spiritual energy for long. It could burn out at some point.”
Rui didn’t think she could feel any worse. “Are you... are you saying that I can’t get my magic back unless my core recovers fully, but if we don’t get my magic out of Yiran as soon as possible, he mightdie?”
Yiran was lying on the floor now, shielding his face as if he were hiding from the world.
“Did you know this already?” she asked him.
Yiran drew a shaky breath. “Yes.”
Four years.
Death had come calling on her doorstep again, right on schedule. This time,shewas its instrument. She had cast the spell, flicked the switch on Yiran’s life. And she might lose her magic forever.
Rui shivered. It felt like the cold would never leave her. No one said a word. The seconds stretched, silent and unbearable. She lifted her hand, cautious, not quite sure of what she wanted to do. Lightly, she tugged at the red string around Zizi’s wrist, feeling the tension in the frayed thread. She slipped her hand into his, the back of hers nestling against his palm.
His pale blue eyes were questioning. She’d never reached out to him like this before.
Help me, she thought. She felt his fingers curling over hers, warming her chilled skin.
“There’s another problem,” Zizi said, somewhat reluctantly. “Mochi has a strong spiritual presence now, which means he’ll be more vulnerable to Revenant attacks. He must learn how to manage it.”
Zizi was right. Yiran had to train, he had to cultivate his spirit core,learn how to use magic. It was his best chance at survival. But he couldn’t go to the Academy, not while she was there.
“He could come here,” she said to Zizi. “You could teach him the basics to stabilize his core.”
Zizi dropped her hand. “I can’t get tangled up in Song family business. Think about it, he’s from an Exorcist family—they’ll want him at Xingshan.”
She knew he was right, but she couldn’t help feeling betrayed.How about me?she wanted to ask. She had lost her means for vengeance; she had lost her purpose. Couldn’t Zizi help her out with this one small thing? She glared at him, but deep down, she knew she was being selfish. She was asking him to risk himself for her.
“Don’t you think I should be the one deciding this?” Yiran groaned from the floor. “Stop talking about me as if I’m not here.”
Before anyone could reply, there was a loud knock on the front door.
The three of them jumped.
Yiran’s eyes flicked between Zizi and Rui. “Should we get that?”
Zizi shook his head. “Probably someone selling something. They always leave sooner or later.”
“Open up!” The visitor was banging on the door now.
Yiran stood up. “That sounds like—”
“Open up!” repeated the voice from outside. “This is an official visit from the Exorcist Guild. Unlock your door.”
Zizi straightened his pajama top, a grim look on his face. “Seems like we have an unwelcome guest.”
