Rheon
Ashes for her
The scent of blood was still on the wind.
Not hers. Not anymore. But the bastard's who dared touch what was mine.
Taeyang tracked ahead, silent and brutal as ever, his great blade strapped across his back like a promise.
Jisoo walked beside me, his steps slower, more measured — like he thought he could still talk me down.
He couldn't.
None of them could.
“I’m only going to ask once,” Jisoo said as we reached the mouth of the crumbling crypt where the scent thickened like rot. “What are you going to do when you find him?”
I didn’t answer.
Taeyang glanced back.
“Rheon—”
“I will burn him.”
The words fell like iron.
They both stilled. Jisoo sighed, muttering,
“Of course you will.”
My boots slammed against the stone as I descended the stairs two at a time. Shadows curled tighter around my ankles the deeper we went, responding to the chaos pulsing just beneath my skin. My mark was quiet now, soothed only by the knowledge that she was safe.
But that safety had cost her blood. Pain. Fear, and I would not forgive that. Not even if the bastard fell to his knees and begged the gods.
The crypt opened into a hollow cavern lit with blue flame and old bones. The demon waited there, feeding off scraps of fear still left behind by dying curses. He didn’t even sense me until I stepped from the dark.
“Prince—” he gasped, lowering to his knees with a grin. “I didn’t know—”
I was on him before he could finish.
Flames erupted from my hands, shadows curling into blades at my back. His scream echoed once, sharp and shrill — and then it was swallowed by the roaring fire that exploded from my palms.
Taeyang was shouting something behind me. Jisoo, too. But I didn’t hear them.
I saw only her.
Seori’s face twisted in pain. Her hand clutching her ribs. The blood on her uniform.
Mine.
She was mine.
And this filth had dared to lay a hand on her.
“You touched her,” I snarled, slamming him against the stone pillar. “You made her bleed.”
He choked, ash beginning to curl from his skin. I drew the shadow-blade from my back, angling the edge against his throat.
“I should carve her name into your skull and let you suffer.”
“Rheon!” Jisoo’s hand grabbed my shoulder. “He’s done. He’s nothing.”
“He’s not dead.”
Taeyang stepped forward.
“This won’t bring her peace.”
“It’s not for her.” I shoved the demon to the ground, pinning him with my boot as flame licked up my arms.
“This is for me.”
I raised my hand. Fire bloomed. The demon screamed, and then, there was silence. Charred bone and ash.
Jisoo exhaled, slow and tense.
“You really would burn the world for her.”
I didn’t look away from the smoldering remains.
“I already have.”