I am Death.
Chapter Fifty-Four
Ethan
The brilliant flare of white light explodes in the skies, and I throw my arms up to shield my eyes.
I don’t know how long it takes before the light fades enough for me to squint my eyes open, but I sprint toward it the instant I can.
“Sunny!” I shout as I run out of the city gates.
It took all of them—every single one of my friends—to hold me back when the Amheuk hurt Sunny ... again and again. I roared at them to let me go until my voice turned hoarse, but I couldn’t break free without hurting them.
With my sanity back, I am grateful to them for saving me from a futile death. I would’ve only gotten in her way.
Now, I have to go to her. Even if it’s not ... her anymore.
I push myself until I become a blur. My heart pounds—more from fear than exertion—because I don’t see her anywhere. The Cheon’gwang shines brightly enough to chase away even the hint of a shadow.
But I can’t see Sunny.
I know she became the light to defeat the darkness, but she is still her. She has to be. Because she’s mine.
“Sunny!”
As I keep running, the white light fades away, and it’s night again in the Kingdom of Sky. I whip my head left and right, screaming her name until the tang of blood coats my throat.
Then in the shadowy darkness, I finally find her. Her small body, glowing with white light, lies limply on the ground.
“Sunny.” I fall to my knees next to her. “I’m here. I’m here, baby.”
I gather her into my arms and rock her back and forth. I hear the keening wail of mourners rising from the field—but there is only me. My grief tears through my throat, threatening to unravel my mind.
“Fuck.” I shake her. “Come back to me, Sunny. Gods damn it, you stubborn fool. Open your eyes.Come back to me.”
Her eyelids flicker, and I stop breathing. Then miraculously, she blinks open her eyes. “Ethan?”
“Yes.” I laugh, blinking my eyes to clear them. “Yes, Sunny. It’s me.”
She raises a trembling hand and cups my face. Her palm scalds my cheek. I flinch and nearly draw away from her, but there is no way I will ever avoid her touch—not even if I burn to cinders.
“What happened?” She lifts her head to look around, and I help her sit up. “Is it ... over?”
“You don’t remember?” I keep an arm around her shoulders to steady her, but I tuck her hair behind her ear with my free hand. “You did it, baby. You stopped the Amheuk. The darkness ... it’s gone.”
I laugh again. She did it. She fucking did it.
Sunny blinks at me, a frown tugging at her brows. I smooth out the two grooves with the pad of my thumb. Then her eyes widen, and she scrambles away from me. I am too shocked and confused to stop her.
“Sunny?” My blood pounds in my ears, and a premonition sends a shiver down my spine. “What’s wrong?”
“You have to get everyone out of here.” She crawls back even farther from me.
“Sunny, stop.” I gingerly raise my hands in the air. She stops moving, but her eyes flit left and right as though looking for escape. “Out of where?”
“They have to leave the Realm of Four Kingdoms,” she whispers. “They have to go to the Mortal Realm.Everyone.”
“Everyone?” I scowl, ready to argue I am not goinganywherewithout her.
