“I know,” she says sweetly, and her arm falls limply to the ground. “You made me so happy ...”
“That’s all I ever wanted. To love you and make you happy.” Jaeseok takes a deep breath, and steely determination cements over his sorrow. Then he places a featherlight kiss on her forehead. “Don’t be scared, my love. I’ll see you soon.”
With a serene smile, she closes her eyes.
“M-Minju?” My teeth chatter. “O-open your eyes. I can’t lose you too.”
“Don’t hold her back, Sunny. Let her go on to her next life in peace.” Jaeseok hands me her body with precious care. “Here. Keep her company while her soul leaves her body. She’ll feel safe with you.”
I numbly take my beautiful friend from him and cradle her head against my chest. Then ugly animal sobs erupt from me. Her body is still warm.Why her?She was the smartest, sweetest person I ever knew.Oh gods.Her parents are waiting for her in the Mortal Realm.
“Why?” I ask in a plaintive whisper.
“Everything will be okay.” Thedokkaebiruffles my hair. “You will set all things right. Minju believed that, so it has to be true.”
“Jaeseok.” I raise my grief-filled eyes to peer at his face.
He taps my nose and gets to his feet.
Something isn’t right.
“Wh-where are you going?” I follow his gaze and see the Amheuk’s arm rise slowly to the sky. Ethan is out of harm’s way, but our battered friends stand in the shadow of darkness as the dark hand clenches into a violent fist.
“Run,” Jihun shouts. “Everybody, run!”
They might not make it. I have to buy them time—a few seconds is all they need—but my grief has me in chains. My ears ring, and I can’t stop shaking.
“Goodbye, Little Sister.” Before I can respond, Jaeseok saunters toward the shadowy fist, swirling his spear lazily above his head. Then he takes off in a dead sprint and leaps into the air, his entire body bursting into scorchingdokkaebifire. “Get away from my friends, motherfucker.”
As the dark fist falls toward our friends, Jaeseok slams into it in a blaze of red flames. The Amheuk falters while Jaeseok’s fire burns against it.
Then . . . he’s gone.
“Noooo,” Hailey screams.
Jihun drags her away as they all run out from under the murderous shadow. She flails her limbs, screeching bloodcurdling screams. But the monarchs and the Sentinels, or what remains of them, stumble away seconds before the fist falls onto the ground where they stood.
“It’s okay, Minju.” I carefully lay her on the ground. “Jaeseok will find you soon.”
Ethan reaches me at the same time as our friends and falls to his knees next to me. He squeezes my hand, and I bite down on my lips.
I would’ve lost him too. I would’ve lost everyone.
An ominous rumble shakes the ground beneath us, and my Yeoiju emits a sharp chime. Yelping in pain, I press my palms against my ears, even though the sound came from within me.
“What is happening?” Bora widens her stance when the ground shakes beneath us.
The sky is literally falling around us. The hand of the Amheuk tears at the barrier to the Kingdom of Sky, and its other hand pushes through. More cracks split open in the sky, zigzagging down to the field of clouds.
I rise to my feet as my power flares with horrifying violence.
I will not allow Minju and Jaeseok’s sacrifices to be in vain.
“Do not follow me,” I order the others in a voice I hardly recognize. “The Amheuk ismine.”
“Wait,” someone rasps behind me.
My feet falter at the desperation in the single word, and I turn to face Hwanin. He steps out from under Gyun’s arm, which was around his shoulders, and stumbles toward me.
