“Is but onepossiblefuture.” Ethan cuts her off sharply. “A future I have no intention of realizing.”
My breath leaves me in a whoosh, and I squeeze his hand. Neither of us has forgotten that dark prophecy, but we are determined to love each other in spite of it.
“Sunny and Ethan share a love destined by the heavens.” The Queen of Water presses her hand against her chest. “The fates cannot be so cruel ...”
“Yes, and prophecies are notoriously obscure,” the King of Underworld adds. “We might be completely misinterpreting it.”
“And the present is more important than an uncertain future,” Jihun says with absolute conviction. “Sunny and Ethan fought so hard to be together. Theydeservethis.”
Like mine, Ethan’s eyes shine with unshed tears. We both owe Jihun so much.Well, I have no choice now.I have to kick the Amheuk’s ass into oblivion so our friend can have a chance to find his happily ever after. Becausehedeserves it.
“Very well then,” the Queen of Sky sighs.
“If I may add ...” Ever proper, Captain Seo waits for the four monarchs to nod before she continues, “Their union is also best for the people. Everyone is afraid, but we have to lift their spirits and give them a reason to fight. They have to believe that we can win.”
“Yes, Sunny and the Yeoiju can be that reason.” Minju nods, starting to pace in a tight back-and-forth. “Especially since she is our best chance of defeating the Amheuk.”
“Is that a fact?” I croak.
“A theory,” the historian murmurs earnestly. “Based on my research, I found one possible way of destroying the Amheuk, and it involves you and the Yeoiju.”
“Lucky me,” I mutter weakly. Ethan squeezes my hand, and I put on a brave smile. “So ... what? I have to put on a little light show for the people of the Realm of Four Kingdoms?”
“That’s entirely up to you and your muse,” Captain Seo says dryly.
“Sunny and Ethan need to speak to the people as soon as possible,” Jihun says with a decisive nod. “But first, they must wed.”
My heart does an awkward somersault and lodges itself in my throat.I’m getting married?
“We should elope to Vegas,” I mutter to hide my nerves.
“When this is all over, we’ll have the tackiest Vegas wedding you can think of.” Ethan lifts my hand and places a lingering kiss on my knuckles. “But for now, we’ll stick to something simple. Something we can do right now.”
“Rightnownow?” I blink, my pulse fluttering.
“Nownow.” He gives me a crooked smile and boops my nose. I tamp down on the instinct to bite his finger off. I love him to death, but come on. The nose boop?
Then why are you grinning like a dingus?
I ignore the voice of my conscience and ask with faux chill, “So what do we do? Wait, itissomething we can do in front of our friends, right?”
Not that I would mind something that requires privacy. I blush, revealing my naughty thoughts.
“I’m afraid so.” Ethan’s smile turns devilish. “But I can try to arrange something private for later.”
Yes, the world is about to end. But I’m also about to be Ethan’s bride, and I can’t help but feel incandescently happy. Literally.
My Yeoiju hums and glows in my chest, and my joy fills the entire audience hall with beautiful white light.
I wish this moment could last forever.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Sunny
“Wait right here.” Ethan kisses my forehead—and I melt just a tiny bit—then he walks to the back of the audience hall, motioning for Jihun to follow him.
“I will see if they need my assistance,” Taeyoung murmurs with a secret smile at Bora.
