“Lord Hwanin.” I hesitate. “W-we come to plead for your help.”
“You do not know what you ask, child.” He holds my gaze with an intensity that dries out my mouth. “Absorbing my life force might kill you.”
Ethan tenses at my side.I’m so sorry.I can’t bear to look at him, because my next words will hurt him even more.
“But it’s the only way,” I plead.
“You ... knew?” Ethan drops his hand from my waist, then steps back from me.
“Ethan—”
“Don’t.” He cuts me off, a muscle working in his jaw.
“If I don’t try, it means certain death. Forallof us,” I explain anyway. “This is our only chance at a different outcome.”
I can’t tell him that it means certain death for me either way.Not yet.At least, if this works, Ethan will live. My friends will live. The Realm of Four Kingdoms will survive.
My life for the life of everyone.
It really is more than fair, but he won’t see it that way. I know because I wouldn’t trade him for all the worlds.
“I will not lose you.” His voice breaks, and a fissure runs down my heart. “I can’t. I won’t—”
I crush my lips against his, holding his face between my hands. For a heartbeat, he stands as still as stone before he kisses me back with desperation ... and devastation. He understands. He knows I have to try.
My kind, noble Ethan.
“You won’t lose me,” I whisper against his lips. “You will never lose me because I am your heart. As long as it beats, I will be with you.”
After another hard kiss, he raises his head. “Better yet. Just fucking live, Sunny. Promise me you’ll live.”
“I promise.”
I’m not full of shit. I know I can absorb Hwanin’s life force without dying—I can absorb thegiof all four gods and live.You know how I know?Because fate is a sick motherfucker. I’ll survive so I can die at the hands of my fated love.
My blood thunders in my ears, and light tremors skate down my limbs. I am terrified of the gods, but I’m getting tired of all their hemming and hawing. And honestly? I have zero fucks to give at this point.
I address the god of Heavens. “I know exactly what I’m asking for. Will you share yourgiwith me if I’m willing to risk dying for it, Lord Hwanin? Or is yourconcernjust an excuse to hoard your mighty powers?”
“I will share mygiwith you,” the silver-haired god answers.
“You ...” I did not expect that.
“Hwanin,” Yeomla interjects, alarm skittering across his face. “Are you certain?”
“Of course he is not certain,” Yongwang hisses. The god of Water narrows his eyes into angry slits, his dragon looking out from within. “Hwanin, you will do no such thing.”
“The atrocity we have committed ...” The god of Heavens slowly shakes his head. “We must right our wrongs. We must try.”
What atrocity? What wrongs? What the hell are they talking about?
“We did what had to be done to protect the—” Yongwang blusters.
“We werenottrying to protect anyone but ourselves,” Hwanin roars, and lightning flickers in the gray sky. He breathes through his nose and continues in a subdued voice, “In the end, even a god is but one soul. The same as every being we must protect.”
“Then let us wait until we find Dangun,” the god of Water says in a placating tone, trying a different tactic. “We all four must do this in order for it to work.”
“We do not need to find my grandson.” Hwanin raises his chin. “I already know where the god of Mountains dwells.”
