“So there is no way for me to get an introduction?” I ask weakly.
By some miracle, we have the Kingdom of Underworld on our side, but we need the Kingdom of Water as well. I was able to convince the King of Underworld that everything I said was true, because we had aliving, breathing lie detector in the room. I don’t know how I’m going to convince the Queen of Water. I was hoping the king could put in a good word for me.
“Not from me, I’m afraid.” The king cocks his head to the side. “Do you know anyone from the Kingdom of Water? Preferably a friend?”
“Yes,” I breathe. “I do have a friend from the Kingdom of Water.”
I don’t want to put that annoyingly kindheartedin’eoin danger, but Haesan might be my only hope of enlisting the Queen of Water to our side. Besides, everyone in the Realm of Four Kingdoms is already doomed. What’s a little more mortal danger?
Chapter Twenty
Ethan
“Is she okay?” I ask Jihun, who presses his fingertips against the Queen of Sky’s wrist.
“There’s a pulse.” His lips thin into a grim line. “A weak one.”
“What do you think she’s doing here?” I study her pale face.My aunt.
“After your mother died, General Bak forced his younger daughter to marry the King of Sky, who was nearly a thousand years old.” Jihun pats her cheek lightly, trying to make her stir. “The general wanted her to convince the king to wage war against the Kingdom of Mountains. But even after the king passed away, the war never came because the queen held her ground against her father.”
“How convenient for the general that she suddenly changed her mind.” My mouth twists with bitterness.
“Tooconvenient.” he says meaningfully.
“You mean General Bak poisoned his own daughter to usurp her army?” Nausea churns in my stomach.
“That seems to be the most likely explanation.” Jihun gently shakes the queen’s shoulder. “Your Majesty, can you hear me?”
“The general couldn’t leave her in the Kingdom of Sky, because he was afraid someone would find her and discover what he’d done.” It allmakes sense now. “So he brought her to the Kingdom of Mountains and hid her in the middle of a battlefield.”
“And he needed her close to keep poisoning her to prevent her from regaining consciousness. I don’t think he intended to kill her, but he might have poisoned her one too many times for her healing powers to save her.” Jihun meets my eyes. “She needs a physician. It might already be too late ...”
The Queen of Sky is the only blood relative I have that doesn’t want me dead. Unfortunately, she might pay for her nonmurderous nature with her own life.
I won’t let that happen.
“We need to get her out of here.” I glance toward the entrance. “How long can you keep the soldiers bound?”
“Not much longer.” His voice is strained but steely. “But you cannot take down the entire battalion.”
“You’re right. At least, not until we get her out of harm’s way,” I say grimly. “We’ll just have to see how long my shield lasts with hundreds of soldiers attacking us.”
“Well, actually”—Jihun’s lips curve in an unexpected smile—“you can test your endurance another time.”
“What?” I side-eye him. “You have a better idea?”
“I do, as a matter of fact.” He sounds positively smug. “We can simply walk out ... after you turn us invisible.”
“What have you been smoking?” I sputter.
“Earlier, when we were approaching the tent”—he holds my gaze—“you turned invisible.”
If he were anyone else, I wouldn’t have believed him. But this is Jihun. He is much too dignified to fuck around with me.
“Whoa,” I breathe. “Is that why you freaked out and palmed my face?”
“You can’t blame me. You suddenly ... disappeared.” He huffs a silent laugh. “I had to make sure you didn’t evaporate into thin air.”
