Page 142 of Hidden

“It’s not the same as dealing with you…” How could he say such a thing? “She’s tiny, frail, and has been through so much—”

“That’s correct.” Mu nodded. “But she’s stronger than you credit her. We’ve survived without your meddling for years.”

I flinched. His statement almost sounded like an accusation. Especially since Bianca had said the same thing herself.

She didn’tneedus to survive. She’d already proven that.

“You’ve been up to something.” This might be my only chance to ask for a while. “Tell me what you’re hiding. Let me in, and I can help…”

Mu’s smile caused me to trail off.

There was something almost broken in that expression, but his eyes glittered with a hint of his ever-present mischievousness. “I don’t think so. I’ve gotten it under control.”

That tipped me off, and realization dawned. “Youchoseto be born as a female…”

“Well, wecanchoose aspects of our forms.” He raised his eyebrows.

“Butwhy?” At the curious tilt of his head, my words continued to stumble out. It was embarrassing, and heat raised to my face. “Not that I’m complaining, I ratherlikeyour current form. But I assumed it was a random accident. You’refae. You know how women are seen in your world. What possessed you to come back as one?”

“Prophecies are tricky things…” he mused, his attention drifting past me. “And sometimes change can be good for everyone involved.”

I frowned, my every sense on high alert. I loathed when he got into these moods. “What are you plotting?”

“You know who doesn’t like change?” Mu continued, ignoring my question. “Quite a few people actually. Dragons especially.”

“So why are you a woman? To fulfill the prophecy, or to annoy Jin?” I asked.

“No, I’ll leave that to Tu. He and Jin secretly enjoy their bickering.” Mu waved his hand in the air, unperturbed. Then his mood shifted, and his eyes flashed. “But be serious, who do you think my new form throws off the most?”

Suddenly, it made sense and my jaw locked. “Huo. What are you plotting?” I asked again, annoyance flaring through me. He’d come back as Bianca to annoyDamen?

“You’re going to need to let go of that resentment.” Mu frowned.

He was in no position to judge me. “Only when he stops acting like this,” I replied.

“Your hatred of him is affecting how you treat other onmyoji.” He pointed out, not incorrectly. “Which clouds your judgement in regards to myself.”

Finn’s smug expression flashed across my mind, and the urge to murder him swelled within me. “I don’t want to.”

He’d lied to Bianca. He hurt her—and I didn’t care about his reasons. He made hercry. There was no excuse. The only way he could be forgiven was after his skewered head stood on display. And then, only maybe.

Chapter Thirty-One

Bianca

Tower

I was slowly falling through a bottomless space. It seemed like forever and the weight of the air kept me in stasis. I was trapped inside of my own mind.

I felt nothing—no embarrassment or discomfort. Instead my body and thoughts were numb. I was aware of existence, but just. Nothing mattered.

My emotions were locked away in a safe place and nothing painful or sad could reach me here.

“Bianca.”

My eyes drifted open, and a spark of recognition broke through the static. Why was this voice familiar? A feeling swelled in my chest—curiosity. But at the same time, I almost was afraid to learn more.

“What are you still doing here?” A warmth surrounded me, and the voice echoed through the space—formless and disjoined.