Ethan is tense and alert beside me, as though he can sense something too. Or he might be a tad bit concerned that I’m driving through a thick forest with my eyes closed. He doesn’t know that I can perceive more topography with my spirit eyes than my physical eyes could ever see. When I maneuver the car toward the edge of the cliff, I feel his alarmed glance on me.
“Don’t worry. I see it.” I slow to a stop, shift into park, then turn off the engine. I brace myself before I open my eyes and face him.
“Your eyes are on fire,” he breathes. I’m impressed by how he barely flinches.
“I know.” My voice cracks, ruining my chill vibe.
I step out into the night, and Ethan comes to stand next to me. A knot loosens in my stomach at his quiet acceptance. To him, I’m Sunny Cho—his friend—even when my eyes are on fire.
Power is stirring within me, and I can’t completely contain it. It’s been over a century since I’ve actively used magic, and the small taste makes me hungry for more. But I don’t give in to it.
“I have to go down the cliff,” I say.
Ethan’s eyebrows climb up to his forehead. He steps forward and peers down the cliff. “How far does it go?”
“Pretty far.” I gulp.
He rakes his fingers through his hair. “And how do you plan on climbing down?”
“Very carefully.” I’m not being flippant. I truly intend to go down very carefully.
He pivots and walks a few steps away before stomping back to me. “Can I go down instead?”
“Nope.” I shake my head, as a squishy feeling fills my chest at his offer. Even if he was a being of the Shingae and could communicate with the Seonangshin, I would still go down myself. I couldn’t stand by and watch him risk his life. It’s easier to risk my own.
“Is it absolutely necessary for you to make the climb?” he says through clenched teeth.
“Yup.” I nod.
“Fuck,” he shouts, kicking the ground.
“I agree with that sentiment.” I nod some more.
“Sunny, this isn’t funny.” His exasperated smile tells me he’s resigned to my plan. He’s stronger than I am.
“I know, but this is the only way I can get some answers.” And I need answers to keep us alive.
“I won’t be able to do a single thing to help you from up here.” His voice is pained.
“Don’t watch, and don’t wait.” I’m asking him to be completely helpless. It’s a lot. “Go sit in the car, and get some rest. Whatever I find out down there, we’ll have a long journey ahead of us.”
“Sure. Some shut-eye sounds great.” Sarcasm drips from his words.
I let it go. Like I said, it’s a big ask. “I need to borrow your backpack.”
“Be my guest.” He crosses his arms over his chest and stands rooted to the spot as if to say,I’m not lifting a finger to help you plunge to your death.
I scoff before I trudge over to the car. I understand where he’s coming from, but that doesn’t make him any less immature. But I kind of like seeing this side of him. It makes him seem more human.
I dump out everything he has in his backpack and place the bottle of Johnnie Walker inside. I adjust the straps so the bag fits closely to my body. I tighten my sword belt and check my hwando. I would never lift a weapon against the Seonangshin, but the weight of my sword against my thigh calms me. With my preparations complete, I walk back to the cliff and begin my descent without glancing at Ethan. Because, come on. What the hell am I supposed to say?I’ll see you soon if I don’t die?
My physical eyes are useless in the dense, foggy night, so I close them again. My hands and feet find impossible holds as I climb down inch by painful inch. My foot slips, and I slide down the cliff, clawing at the rocky wall. I dig my hand into a thin crevice to stop my downward trajectory. My injured shoulder screams with pain as it bears the brunt of my body weight, and the closed wound rips open again. My other hand finds purchase on a minute protrusion, and I maneuver my feet onto whatever bumps and dips won’t collapse beneath me.
I take a few seconds to catch my breath. The blood from my shoulder wound soaks through the front of my shirt, and my raw fingers make my grip tenuous. Still, I lower myself toward the outcropping below with the guidance of my spirit eyes, because the longer this descent takes, the less likely I am to make it down safely.
My shirt clings to my torso like a second skin from the blood and sweat, but I’m making progress. The hum of magic now brushes against my skin—the power almost palpable. I’m close. My sigh of relief turns into a scream when my foothold suddenly crumbles beneath me, and I’m free-falling. My eyes shoot open in panic, and I spin in the air to face downward. But I can’t even see the ground rushing up to meet me with the thick fog cloaking the night.
I feel heat spreading in the center of my chest, as though an orb of fire is glowing inside me. It compels me to change my form—to allow the fire to consume me.No.I can’t give in to it. If I do, everyone in the vicinity might die. Ethan might die.No.I won’t allow it.
