Chapter Twenty-Seven Sunny #2
“And the bigger the better so we can get as many across at once,” the queen murmurs, twin lines of worry between her brows. “I could lend you my strength . . .”
“No, Your Majesty. You are going to need every drop of your gi to grant our people safe passage to the portal,” Haesan says. My lips part, ready to protest, but he lays a gentle hand over my mouth. “I can do this, Stormy. I am stronger than you think.”
“When all hell breaks loose and the Kingdom of Water falls to the Amheuk,” I say, pulling his hand off my mouth, “I need you to hightail it out of here. Get yourself through the portal. Go to the Kingdom of Sky. Promise me you won’t die.”
Haesan gives me a guileless smile, his cerulean gi pulsing around him. He is strong. If anyone can do this, he can. When he reaches out and ruffles my hair, I let him. I must be getting soft in my old age.
“I miss cadet training.” I plant my palms on my thighs, bent into an inverted L, and pant like a dehydrated puppy. I’ll rest for just one minute, soaking in the warmth of the late-afternoon sun.
I glance at the long line of people waiting to cross through the portal, then look beyond the crowd to the shimmering tunnel of water connected to the dome.
Haesan floats just outside, with his eyes burning blue, and he circles his hands in front of him like he’s levitating a bowling ball.
He must be freezing and exhausted. He’s been at it for hours.
I’m so fucking proud of him.
But the indolent tentacles of darkness stir restlessly over the dome, signaling the setting of the sun.
Soon, it will be night, and Haesan will be vulnerable.
With one last glance at my friend and an apprehensive squint at the serpentine arms beyond the dome, I sprint toward the Queen of Water at the opposite end of the palace courtyard.
She stands with her palms outstretched, as her magic extends the dome to the last village. She sways lightly, but she widens her stance with grim determination.
“This way.” I help the villagers coming through and point them toward the line to the portal. “Hurry.”
Sweat drips down the queen’s bloodless face as she takes labored breaths through her blue-tinged lips. She won’t last much longer.
“Come on, people.” I glance at the darkening sky. The sun is setting much too quickly. The vise around my heart tightens with each passing second. I practically push the villagers toward the portal. “Let’s go.”
“I . . . can’t . . .” the queen whispers.
I reach her side before her knees buckle.
“Whoa.” I wrap an arm around her waist and lean into her side to carry some of her weight. “You’re almost there.”
But her eyes roll back, and she collapses against me in a dead faint.
With an earsplitting crash, the dome extending to the village snaps back to the Dragon Palace. And the villagers . . . The dark tentacles snatch the shinbiins left flailing in the water, one by one, until no trace remains of them.
The Amheuk is awake . . . and hungry.
“Haesan.” I crane my neck, trying to see if the dome extending to the portal is holding, but the orderly line of shinbiins has become a swarm of panicked people, blocking my line of sight.
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.” Gang Sanggung stumbles 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 go now.”
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 Gang Sanggung next 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 Gang Sanggung share 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 the in’eo and 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.