Thunderous thwacks ring through the night as the tentacles whip violently against the dome. Thin fractures zigzag down the sides, and an icy drop of water hits my forehead. I hold the unconscious queen in my arms, not knowing what to do.
“Let me take the queen.” GangSanggungstumbles in her rush to reach us and implores, “Please. Help my nephew.”
“Get her through to the Kingdom of Sky,” I shout to be heard, handing her the queen. “You have to gonow.”
Without waiting for her answer, I take off toward the portal, pumping my arms and legs to their limit. I’m halfway there when I slip and stumble in the torrential rain that hits the palace.No.It’s not rain. It’s the water from outside. The dome ... is giving out.
I run faster.Shit, shit, shit.
My knees nearly buckle in relief when I see that the dome connected to the portal is still holding strong—as is the tunnel. And Haesan is unharmed, feeding the might of the waves into the water in a steady stream. The suhoshins calm the people the best they can and hurry them through the portal, urgency creeping into their stoic demeanor.
Carrying the Queen of Water on his back, a royal guard rushes to join the end of the line with GangSanggungnext to him. But the good people of the Kingdom of Water stand aside, opening a path down the middle, and urge the guard to save their queen first. After a brief hesitation, the royal guard and GangSanggungshare a nod of agreement and run through the tunnel of water and disappear through the portal.
I whip my head toward Haesan.I can’t believe I got distracted.But he’s still undisturbed.
Battering the dome in a frenzy, the Amheuk gives Haesan no notice. It’s like an animal controlled by its basest needs to conquer, destroy, and consume. Fortunately, that means my friend is safe for the moment.
Unfortunately, while the ancient force of darkness could have ended this battle in one fell swoop by killing thein’eoand closing the portal, its Hulk-smash method is also getting the job done, albeit a smidgen slower.
I touch the vial around my neck and take in the chaos around me. We tried our best, but we won’t be able to save everyone. The dome will collapse soon.Too soon.There’s nothing more I can do for the Kingdom of Water.
I hesitate for a split second, then make a run for the queen’s inner chambers. I need to get to the mirror of water. I don’t have much time.
Please answer, Ethan. Please be my fated love.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ethan
I stand back-to-back with Jihun at the gates of the capital, fighting the seraphim who make it over the wall. The forces of the Mountains and Underworld are pressing in, and the enemy troops are growing more and more reckless in their desperation.
Jihun grunts, jerking against me.
“Are you hurt?” I yell over my shoulder. “Answer me.”
I hear his long sword slashing through the air, and a soldier groans before thumping to the ground. Jihun finally answers, “Just a scratch.”
Gods damn it.He is hurt.
I cut across the chest of a seonnam with my golden axe, then cleave my silver axe into the stomach of another. I kick both of them away as they drop.
Blood. So much blood.
I spin out from behind Jihun and take on the soldiers coming at him. I don’t let myself feel anything as I methodically chop them down. They are shinbiins. They are seraphim. Their silvergialso flows through me, entwined with the greengiof Mountains. But I can’t let them hurt Jihun. I have to protect my brother.
My cheeks are wet. I swipe the back of my hand across my face. I expect to see blood, but my hand comes away clear.Tears.They’re my tears.
With a wild roar, I ram my shoulder into an oncoming seonnam’s unguarded midriff, knocking him to the ground. I whip around when I hear a choked gurgle at my back and come face-to-face with an enemy soldier, his sword raised high above his head. But instead of striking me down, his stunned eyes meet mine, then drop to the blade protruding from his solar plexus. He looks back up before his eyes roll back, and he crumples to the ground.
Jihun scowls at me as he pulls his long sword out of the soldier. “I told you it was just a scratch.”
“Fuck you,” I snap. Someone cut into his side, through his armor, deeply enough that the whites of his ribs peek through the gash. “Get your stubborn ass behind me. Give yourself time to heal.”
“I just savedyourass,” he growls.
Our argument falls to the wayside as we fight off another swarm of seraphim. More and more enemy soldiers are breaching the wall. Our troops at the top must be running out of steam. And no wonder. The sun is setting on the second day of battle, and we have fought without rest the entire time. This has to end.
Panicked screams roar from beyond the wall. Jihun and I catch each other’s eyes and hurriedly fight past the remaining foe and race up the steps. I reach the top first and nearly collide into Captain Seo.
