“Yes, everything is fine and dandy.” Ten picked up an empty glass and hurled it onto the floor. It shattered, spraying pieces everywhere. “Is it not obvious? Everything isnotfine! My kingdom is falling apart, disintegrating before my very eyes. Here I am, trying to fix the problem my damned brother caused, while my useless siblings sit around doing shit. They think the Nothing will not touch them, but they are wrong.”
He flung himself onto his throne. “I proposed your theory to theCouncil of Kings. Half of them were willing to deliberate on it while the other half refused to even consider the possibility of Four being in the human realm. We are at an impasse.”
Nikai’s heart sank. “So nothing will be done?”
“On the contrary, there is so much that can be done. The only question is how far one is willing to go.”
“I don’t understand, Your Majesty.”
Ten stared into space, thoughtful, twirling a finger. He got up and moved toward the mirror. Close. Closer. The red splash on his fingernail went round and round, then pointed straight at Nikai.
Something sinister peeked out from Ten’s gold-speckled eyes.
Nikai took a step back. Even though they were separated by the mirror and a labyrinth of Courts and kingdoms between them, he did not feel safe from Ten’s reach.
“The Second King thinks that if Four got rid of his power to escape and reside in the human realm, then our search comprises two paths: finding the vessel that holds his power and finding the human who houses his soul.” Ten shrugged. “Either way, it requires us to operate in the human realm unrestricted by anything.”
Unrestricted by anything?Nikai’s uneasiness grew. “But the rules—” One look at Ten’s expression, and Nikai shut his mouth.
“I have decided that this ismyinvestigation now,” Ten declared. “I will no longer be hamstrung by rules and tenets, not while my kingdom and my very existence are in danger. I will be working outside the lines, andyouwill be helping me. No one needs to know any of this. Understood?”
Nikai had reservations about the Tenth King’s methods, but if it meant getting Four back, surely it was worth it? He nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Ten ran his tongue over his sharp teeth. “Excellent. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a date with a mortal.”
The screen flickered, transforming back into a mirror, and Nikai was left staring at himself, a haunted-looking young man with fear swirling in his eyes.
18
Rui
Xingshan Academy was nestled on an island near the southern tip of the mainland. An old mountain range, weathered with time, rose in the distance behind the campus, and the remnants of an old village lay at the base of it. Detached from the city and connected only by a bridge and shuttle train, the Academy felt like another world.
Rui liked it that way.
She’d left the Simulator facility and shut herself in her room. The image of Yiran on the verge of burning out, looking like he was dying, rattled her mind. Soon her own room grew too claustrophobic, and she decided to go to her favorite spot by the water to clear her mind.
The boardwalk stretched far across the edge of the campus where a small park was. Rui sagged onto the wooden bench and shivered in the light breeze. Even though she wore a thick puffer coat and an extra sweater over her athletic gear, her hands still had a bluish hue. Was it a sign that her recovery was going badly?
So far, no one at the Academy suspected the extent of her injuries. It seemed like the blow to her spirit core hadn’t taken away her martial arts skills; she didn’t have problems sparring with Yiran earlier. But the real problem plaguing her was unfixed. It was wretched toappeartotally fine when, inside, she’d been broken apart and left to rust. She dug her hands into her coat pockets, sighing to the sea, her thoughts once again going to Yiran.
At first, she’d been surprised to discover that the Academy had bent the rules for him—the one-on-one lectures and tutorials, the observations of the senior class. But in hindsight, it should’ve been expected. Rui had long understood that privilege and power went hand in hand. She might be the prodigy, but Yiran had thepedigree. She had beaten him fairand square during the sparring session, but somehow it felt like she was the one who’d lost. No matter what, the Song name carried weight.
She was miffed at her classmates too. It wasn’t that they didn’t like her or respect her abilities; it was that they’d accepted Yiran as one of their own too quickly, as if it was his rightful place to be at the Academy. Would they do the same if they knew how he had gotten his magic?
She pulled out a small vial. The tonic inside was colorless and warm on her tongue. Zizi had given it to her to help with her healing. It did restore her strength, but the medicine couldn’t hide the fact that she couldn’t conduct her spiritual energy with her weapons.
Her pocket buzzed.
“Speak of the devil,” she murmured. It was a text from Zizi.
Been hearing some chatter about missing mages. Disappearances in my circles.
Rui texted back quickly.What do you mean?
Unsure. I’m asking around. Anyway, are you feeling better? I’ll fix it—promise!
“I’m holding you to it,” she said to her phone.
