Yiran
Night had fallen, and it was hard to see anything but the silhouettes of trees. From what Yiran could tell, he was on the outskirts of the city, somewhere rural. A city boy through and through, he didn’t know how to navigate without street signs or a map app. His best option would be to hitch a ride if he could find one. But would anyone pick up a teenager covered in blood on a deserted stretch of road? He patted his pockets, grimacing as pain flared in his broken finger joints. His phone was gone, but he found his glove and, by some miracle, his wallet. Cash could be convincing.
He had to find help. He had to tell Ash everything he’d seen and heard. He had to get home. But the thought ofhomebrought memories of the people who were part of it.
Think carefully about what your grandfather did. Was he really trying to draw magic from you?
What did Song Liming mean by that?
Focus on getting out of here. Everything else can come later.Ignoring the shooting pains in his ankle and shoulder, Yiran urged his weary legs forward.
Hunger gnawed at his belly, and his injuries felt worse by the minute. A chilly breeze rustled the leaves, and he shivered. He was losing hope when he heard the honk of a car. He stopped walking, listening intently. The rumbling in the distance sounded like wheels of heavy trucks on tarmac. Relieved, he limped toward the noise, suddenly noticing that he could see more clearly.
The clouds had parted, and the full moon was shining brightly.
Get to the road. Don’t think about it—
There was something hanging in the air in front of him.
A silvery wisp like the slime track left by a snail. Another one appeared. Then another, farther away in the trees to his right.
Fear ravaged his insides. His legs refused to move. Desperately, he pulled on his glove. It’d worked earlier in the Simulator. Would magic save him again?
The sound of many feet scuttling in the dark finally kicked him into flight mode. Headlights flashed through the trees as he ran, illuminating his surroundings.
He saw the first one. Grotesque mottled gray torso and skinny limbs. Drool dripping from its disfigured jaw. He tried to run. But his sprained ankle gave way, and he slipped on the frosted ground.
The Revenant snarled, its head twitching in his direction.
Yiran tried to channel, but sickness rose in his stomach. He’d survived his fight with Noah, he’d discovered who the leader of the Hybrids was and walked free, and now... this?Thiswas how he was going to die? A forgotten body in the middle of nowhere.
As he retched, his vision doubled. Guttural shrieks filled his ears. He couldn’t tell if he was surrounded by shadows or Revenants. Whatever they were, they were coming closer.
Then something else—a streak of white in the darkness. Flashes of violet dancing in the night like a light show as the savage cries subsided.
You’re delirious. You’re imagining things, Yiran thought as he crumpled to the ground.
Cold hands wrapped around his arms as someone said wryly, “Look who we have here. I guess even Prince Charming himself needs saving sometimes.”
32
Rui
The throne room was an enormous hall shaped like a pyramid. Black-and-white-marbled walls curved up at an angle, meeting at the peak. The alternating colors reminded Rui of a pack of playing cards, giving the illusion that an invisible pair of giant hands was shuffling the deck above her.
Shades of black and white and silver covered every inch of the place. Even the Reapers were dressed in pristine white suits. They milled around the armchairs arranged in two huge circles on either side of the central walkway. Some Reapers were seated, while others gathered in small groups of three or four, talking among themselves.
Lyn and Raymond didn’t sense her yangqi, but the Reapers might if she wasn’t careful. So far, no one was paying attention to the inconsequential attendant moving quietly down the hall. Keeping her head lowered, she walked on.
Shimmering silver swirls veined the dark floor, and at the very far end, a huge upright marble slab stood behind the opulent throne. The marble glowed, reminding Rui of a dark sky and twinkling stars. A figure stood on the elevated platform with his back to her, and a celestial wash of jewels adorned the long black cloak hanging grandly over his shoulders.
The Fourth King.
He was deep in conversation with a Reaper. Rui was too far away to tell if he was exhibiting any Zizi-like behavior. She had to get closer.
She could feel the Fourth King’s spiritual presence permeating the air, growing thicker as she approached the throne. Yet it didn’t feel the same as what Ten had unleashed on her before. Thispower felt a little more ancient, and a lot more fearsome. The Zizi she knew wasn’t capable of this.
Back then, Rui had been able to hold her own against Ten, but she was struggling against this mysterious Fourth King. Sweat beaded on herforehead, and her legs felt like jelly. The platter in her hands grew heavy, as did her shoulders. It felt like she was breathing in a muddy pool. She was several feet away from the elevated platform when the conversation between King and Reaper concluded.
