“Minju.” I rise to my feet and stumble to her side. “How did you get here? I thought the King of Underworld moved his kingdom to purgatory?”
“I did not have the privilege of asking the King of Underworld how he transported everyone to the Kingdom of Sky. Or how he’d moved the Kingdom of Underworld to purgatory in the first place.” A small frown mars her forehead as she puzzles out the mystery. Then she gives her head a sharp shake. “But never mind that for now. I must attend to our king.”
I wring my hands, standing behind the historian, as she examines Ethan. “Will ... will he be okay?”
Minju glances over her shoulder and smiles at me. “See for yourself.”
Worried out of my mind, it takes me a second to realize that she’s talking about my magicgigoggles. I shake my head and swallow the tears gathering in the back of my throat. Hisgiwas so weak when I found him unconscious.
Blowing out a long breath, I focus my gaze over Ethan. His life force glows an exquisite silver green and flows over his prone body, growing stronger with each heartbeat. I clap a hand over my mouth as my legs give out from under me.
“Ethan, can you hear me?” I crawl to his side. “Wake up. Please.”
“Sunny.” Jihun crouches next to me and squeezes my shoulder. “Give him time. Even without expending hisgion you, he has not rested in days. Let him sleep and recuperate.”
“And you should rest as well,” Minju says.
I think I nod, and Jihun helps me to my feet and leads me down the pagoda steps. I look over my shoulder at Ethan the entire time. In a sudden intake of breath, my gaze flies to Jihun’s profile. As usual, I can’t read his stoic expression.
I displayed my feelings for Ethan in plain sight just now. I had no room for anyone else in that moment.Even so, how could I be so callous?Jihun might’ve already known that my heart belongs to Ethan, but I haven’t told him that we decided to be together.
“Jihun, I—”
“Don’t make this any harder,” he interjects, looking straight ahead. “I know. I knew it the moment I returned to the cave with thepalanquins, the day we infiltrated the Shinsi Palace. Both of you were ... glowing.”
“I still should have told you,” I whisper. “I’m sorry, Jihun.”
“I asked you not to make this harder for me.” He sighs and turns to me with heartbreak and tenderness in his eyes. “You and Ethan deserve to be happy. As for me ... I’ll survive.”
“You’ll do better than survive. You will thrive.” I glance back toward the pagoda, where Captain Seo stands guard over Ethan. “Because you’ll find someone who loves you with her whole heart.”
“Don’t,” he rasps. “I don’t want nor need your pity. And I sure as hell don’t need you to play matchmaker. Like I said before, I will do with my heart as I see fit.”
“But—”
“Go to the Sunset Pavilion. Miok will take care of you.” He stops at the edge of the woods, a muscle ticcing in his jaw. “Get some rest, and I’ll send word when His Majesty awakens.”
“Wh-where will Ethan be?” I can’t breathe at the thought of being separated from him.
“The Queen of Sky has asked him to stay at the Celestial Palace.” The lines bracketing his lips soften. “The King of Underworld and the Queen of Water are also there. They are preparing for our fight against the Amheuk. When he regains consciousness, Ethan must lead the four kingdoms.”
“Yes, of course,” I say numbly.
The Realm of Four Kingdoms needs the King Foretold. Ethan’s place is with them. I always knew that.
Then where’s my place?
“Sunny—” Jihun begins.
I cut him off. “I’ll see you later.”
I shift into mygumihoand streak through the woods. I’ve fought too hard and come too far to lose Ethan. But I don’t know how to hold on to him without holding him back, especially with my dark secrets hanging over me.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Ethan
My eyes shoot open, my heart pounding in my chest. “Sunny.”
