“Yes, Your Majesty.” Our soldiers execute sharp bows, then roughly bind the enemies, all the while sneaking glances at me. But this time, they don’t look at me with nervous awe but with genuine respect.
I guess I earned some street cred with them. I nod at them and walk back toward my tent with Jihun at my side.
“That wasn’t much of a fight, was it?” He meets my gaze, a corner of his lips curling.
“Not even a proper warm-up.” I grin back. “Now, about that drink.”
“Say no more.” My royal adviser inclines his head in a wry bow. “You have more than earned a stiff drink, Your Majesty.”
“And we have reason to celebrate.” I’m practically skipping.
“Yes, we do,” Jihun says with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on him.
I want to punch it off his unreasonably handsome face. But only for a split second.Sunny is mine.I’m not being a possessive asshole. It’s the simple truth. She belongs to me. And I belong to her.
I glance at Jihun from beneath my lashes, my chest clenching with regret. I don’t want his heart broken, but it is unavoidable. I just hope it mends quickly and without scarring. He is my brother. I cannot do this without him.
The archers from the Kingdom of Sky speak to Jihun because he’s a fellow seonnam, and also because they are none too happy with General Bak. They feel that they’re nothing more than cannon fodder to the general. He doesn’t value them or their lives. Not in the least.
If the general doesn’t value his own men, then the lives of my people will mean nothing to him. My grandfather must be stopped, and fast.
Moving in the dead of night is risky, but we have no other option. If the enemy battalion suspects we captured their archers alive, they willrealize their location might be compromised. We have to get to their camp before they can relocate.
This time, Jihun and I head our battalion on foot, rather than riding in the back. With the element of surprise on our side, I might be able to subdue their entire battalion in a silent heartbeat and avoid spilling blood—both ours and theirs.
The seraphim soldiers are not to blame for this war. They’re just following orders. All the blame lies at General Bak’s feet. The pain of his betrayal stabs at me, but I push it aside. I can’t let my emotions distract me. The lives of my people depend on it.
Jihun raises his fist, and I jerk to a stop. At first, I don’t see it. But I scan the woods surrounding us and the clearing ahead.There.The enemy’s bivouac stands at the edge of the forest, with its soldiers sleeping in clusters.
I step forward, but Jihun stops me with a hand on my arm. “It is impossible to see how far their bivouac spreads out.”
“I’ll extend my magic as far as I can.” I jut my jaw.
“That is exactly what I donotwant you to do.” My royal adviser levels me with a glower. “We need to fight awar. You can’t expend all yourgion a single battle.”
“What’s the alternative?” I cross my arms over my chest armor. “Battle to the death?”
“I’m glad you asked,” he says in a wry whisper. “We can infiltrate their camp, find their commanding officer, and extract their surrender.”
“And how will you find this commanding officer?” I peer anxiously at the enemy camp. We don’t have time to bicker.
“The same way they found you.” Jihun arches an eyebrow. “Look for the tent. I can bind a dozen people at once, so I should be able to handle the guards without a ruckus. Then you can go and have a nice visit with the officer.”
“Huh.” I nod. “That might actually w—”
I draw in a strangled breath, and my gaze slowly drops to the arrow sticking out of my chest. It somehow got past my armor. But more shockingly, it got past my invincibility.
My knee buckles, but Jihun catches me before I fall, spinning around to put himself in the line of danger.Gods damn it.He needs to stop using his body as my shield.
“Your Majesty,” he rasps, half carrying me behind a tree. “Lean on me.”
“How ...?” Only weapons made with Dangun’s tombstone—a sacred artifact in the Kingdom of Mountains—can pierce me. “How did General Bak get his hands on ...?”
“Don’t speak.” Jihun grips my shoulder. “You won’t be able to heal until this comes out. Ready?”
I grunt when he rips the arrow out without waiting for my response, and I press my palm against the gush of hot blood. “Fucking hell.”
“I need to inspect your wound.” Jihun lowers me to the ground. “I couldn’t push the arrow through without risking your internal organs, but pulling it out might have torn more tissues.”
