One’s eyes are wild with confusion. “This cannot be. Why did you not tell us?”
“And what would you have done if you knew?”
One hangs their head.
“Tell me why it appeared the day I laid eyes on her,” Four says quietly, desperately.
“Immortals are not meant to have love threads. I cannot explain it.”
“Then do not pretend that you understand how I feel. And do not tell me what I shared with her was a lie.” Four clenches his hands, trembling with fury. With guilt. With despair. “I told her in all the worlds and alllifetimes,our souls would be bound together. I said I would protect her. I promised—and I failed.”
Turning away, he walks to the edge of the roof, a lone shadow against the bright city lights, with solitude as his only companion.
Seven frowned at the shackles around the young man’s bony ankles and wrists. “He’s wasting away. One says his memories have returned, but why isn’t he waking up?” she asked the frail-looking young lady beside her. “Does he still hate us?”
Though there was no wind in the cavern, Five’s wispy, mink-brown hair fluttered around her like a halo. “He doesn’t hate us,” she soothed.
“But that’s why he ran away,” Seven whined.
“Perhaps our brother needs more time to heal. It is said that heartache is the worst pain a mortal can experience.”
Seven huffed. “But he isn’t mortal, and he doesn’t have a heart. It doesn’t matter that he lives in a vessel. It doesn’t change what he is.”
Her stubbornness turned into distress as she pawed at her dress. Once a lovely lilac, the fabric had faded to a full gray. She held up a hand. Signs of decay trailed from her fingernails to her wrist.
“My defenses are weakening. My kingdom is no longer safe from theNothing.” Her lower lip trembled. “I’m afraid, Five. What becomes of a King when they lose their Court?”
A quiet strength shimmered in Five’s sapphire eyes, and she pulled her distressed sister into a hug. “The Lady says the mortal girl can wake him. But we must wait until she seeks the Lady’s help of her own free will and volunteers her sacrifice. Do not speak of this to the others. The Elder Gods do not know.”
“I’m good with secrets,” Seven whispered back. Her gaze returned to the young man in the obsidian cage.
Wake up, Four. Do not abandon us again.
20
Yiran
The dummy sword shimmered enticingly, but without an ounce of magic in his body, Yiran couldn’t use it. Simulated or not, it was suicidal to fight a Hybrid in these conditions.
It was suicidal from the moment you agreed to meet Yuki the first time.Yiran had gone down this path with eyes wide open, hadn’t he? He’d brought his current fate down upon himself, and he was the only one who could clean up this mess.
The only one who could save himself.
Try it. You might surprise yourself.
This sparring match had to be a test for NoahandYiran. But why would the Hybrid leader care about a normie’s fighting skills?
“Take your sword,” Noah grunted. He was already gripping his, legs shoulder width apart, feet planted firmly on the sand.
Yiran stayed where he was.
“Oi! Hurry up!”
“We aren’t here to watch you make eyes at each other. We want a fight to the death. Give us a good one.”
“Get him, Noah!”
Loud hoots followed.
