Chapter Thirty-Five Sunny #2
“It should not have taken us this long to put aside the old grudges, which never belonged to us in the first place.” The Queen of Sky glances at Bora and Taeyoung. “The strife between our kingdoms should have ended with the passing of our predecessors.”
“The shinbiins live for more than a thousand years. We were lulled into thinking we had plenty of time to put things right.” Taeyoung sets his riotous curls bouncing with a shake of his head. “But better late than never, and no time like the present . . . and all that.”
“What he means to say is”—Bora directs a chiding look at Taeyoung, but the hearts in her eyes ruin the effect—“the Kingdom of Water and the Kingdom of Underworld will accept the hand that the fates have dealt us.” She bows formally to Ethan.
“For the sake of the Realm of Four Kingdoms, I swear allegiance to the King Foretold.”
Ethan sucks in a sharp breath and stiffens at my side.
“I swear allegiance to the King Foretold,” Taeyoung repeats, stamping his fist over his heart.
All eyes turn to the Queen of Sky, and she recites the prophecy of the King Foretold in a resonant voice.
Cruelty bends the heart of kindness,
Melds a union that should not be.
From the depth of twisted fate,
Born is hope to free the realm.
Beings of light shall not divide,
The will of good, the will of life.
Brave is the King who discerns,
Path of truth from path of shame.
“I swear allegiance to the King Foretold,” the Queen of Sky says and takes Ethan’s hand. “We will fight at your side to save the Realm of Four Kingdoms.”
When he doesn’t reply to her for three long seconds, I glance at Ethan.
He stands as still as a marble statue. He might have stopped breathing.
Shit. He is freaking the hell out. Who wouldn’t freak out, seeing your destiny unfold in front of you?
It is absolutely understandable, but I don’t know how to help him.
Jihun leans close to Ethan from his other side and whispers something I can’t make out. Ethan snaps out of his stupor with a long gasp, then gives his royal adviser a solemn nod. Then he takes a step closer to the monarchs.
“I swear to uphold the trust you have placed in me.” Ethan presses his fist against his heart. “I will protect and lead the Realm of Four Kingdoms as the fates have willed it.”
As the fates have willed it.
His words echo in my head, and my knees nearly buckle beneath me. How could I have forgotten? I avoided learning about the prophecy of the End of Days, but I have long guessed what it says. The fates have willed the King Foretold to kill me. And no amount of avoidance can change that fact.
What if that prophecy comes to pass as well?
But I refuse to withhold my love from Ethan because of a future that neither of us might live to see. Odds are much higher that I’ll die fighting the Amheuk before Ethan has to kill me. I suppose I should take comfort in that depressing reassurance.
“Shall I perform a song to celebrate this auspicious moment?” Jaeseok quips into the heavy silence. “I can do a K-pop medley.”
Minju claps a hand over her mouth to smother a snort, and the dokkaebi beams as though she just plucked a star from the heavens and handed it to him.
“Your Majesty?” Hailey says, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Yes,” the four majesties respond at once.
“Eeek.” Hailey turns into a tomato. “I-I meant Ethan.”
“We really have to dispose of the whole ‘Your Majesty’ thing.” One corner of Ethan’s mouth quirks up. “What is it, Hailey?”
“I just wanted to ask you to write it into law that Jaeseok can’t perform K-pop songs at random moments,” she mumbles.
When laughter fills the room, she turns even redder and elbows the dokkaebi at her side.
“Gods, I’m turning into you. I can’t believe I’m making ridiculous jokes at a time like this. ”
“Turning into me is a marvelous thing.” Jaeseok pats the top of Hailey’s head, and she slaps his hand away with an affectionate scowl.
“Besides, it’s called comic relief for a reason,” Captain Seo says with a soft chuckle. “We all needed a good laugh.”
“Well said,” Jihun murmurs, and the captain’s surprised gaze shoots toward him. “The darker the times, the more we should cherish every moment of joy and laughter.”
Ethan takes my hand and meets my eyes, and I know what he is asking. I nod, my bottom lip quivering.
Yes, and yes again. Yes always and forever.
“Which is why Sunny and I would like to be wed as soon as possible,” Ethan says with a smile that lights up his whole face—his whole body. Even the life force around him shimmers like glitter raining down on him.
I did that. I made him happy.
“But Hyeok, my dear child.” The Queen of Sky’s eyes tighten with worry. “The prophecy of the End of Days—”
My heart turns to stone and drops to my feet. To hear my fears spoken out loud makes it all the more real.
“Is but one possible future.” Ethan cuts her off sharply. “A future I have no intention of realizing.”
My breath leaves me in a whoosh, and I squeeze his hand. Neither of us has forgotten that dark prophecy, but we are determined to love each other in spite of it.
“Sunny and Ethan share a love destined by the heavens.” The Queen of Water presses her hand against her chest. “The fates cannot be so cruel . . .”
“Yes, and prophecies are notoriously obscure,” the King of Underworld adds. “We might be completely misinterpreting it.”
“And the present is more important than an uncertain future,” Jihun says with absolute conviction. “Sunny and Ethan fought so hard to be together. They deserve this.”
Like mine, Ethan’s eyes shine with unshed tears. We both owe Jihun so much. Well, I have no choice now. I have to kick the Amheuk’s ass into oblivion so our friend can have a chance to find his happily ever after. Because he deserves it.
“Very well then,” the Queen of Sky sighs.
“If I may add . . .” Ever proper, Captain Seo waits for the four monarchs to nod before she continues, “Their union is also best for the people. Everyone is afraid, but we have to lift their spirits and give them a reason to fight. They have to believe that we can win.”
“Yes, Sunny and the Yeoiju can be that reason.” Minju nods, starting to pace in a tight back-and-forth. “Especially since she is our best chance of defeating the Amheuk.”
“Is that a fact?” I croak.
“A theory,” the historian murmurs earnestly. “Based on my research, I found one possible way of destroying the Amheuk, and it involves you and the Yeoiju.”
“Lucky me,” I mutter weakly. Ethan squeezes my hand, and I put on a brave smile. “So . . . what? I have to put on a little light show for the people of the Realm of Four Kingdoms?”
“That’s entirely up to you and your muse,” Captain Seo says dryly.
“Sunny and Ethan need to speak to the people as soon as possible,” Jihun says with a decisive nod. “But first, they must wed.”
My heart does an awkward somersault and lodges itself in my throat. I’m getting married?
“We should elope to Vegas,” I mutter to hide my nerves.
“When this is all over, we’ll have the tackiest Vegas wedding you can think of.” Ethan lifts my hand and places a lingering kiss on my knuckles. “But for now, we’ll stick to something simple. Something we can do right now.”
“Right now now?” I blink, my pulse fluttering.
“Now now.” He gives me a crooked smile and boops my nose. I tamp down on the instinct to bite his finger off. I love him to death, but come on. The nose boop?
Then why are you grinning like a dingus?
I ignore the voice of my conscience and ask with faux chill, “So what do we do? Wait, it is something we can do in front of our friends, right?”
Not that I would mind something that requires privacy. I blush, revealing my naughty thoughts.
“I’m afraid so.” Ethan’s smile turns devilish. “But I can try to arrange something private for later.”
Yes, the world is about to end. But I’m also about to be Ethan’s bride, and I can’t help but feel incandescently happy. Literally.
My Yeoiju hums and glows in my chest, and my joy fills the entire audience hall with beautiful white light.
I wish this moment could last forever.