Page 31 of King Foretold (Realm of Four Kingdoms #2)

“Can you repeat that?” I croak. “I wasn’t listening.”

The old instinct to run rams against my skull, trying to break free.

I shove my hand through my hair, digging my fingers into my scalp.

I can’t run. I have to stop Daeseong. I have to fight .

But I’m not ready. The rune on my back burns, feeding on my fear and panic, and I’m tempted to give in to the bloodlust just to stop being afraid.

“Where is the dark mudang?” Ethan places a heavy hand on my bouncing knee. He thinks I’m strong enough to handle this. He doesn’t want me to be kept in the dark about Daeseong. I appreciate the gesture of respect, but he cannot be more wrong.

I am not strong enough. For any of this.

“Los Angeles.” Hailey waves a weary hand at her haute couture attire. “We infiltrated a fundraising gala held by the Jaenanpa, ostensibly to raise money for the preservation of Korean American cultural heritage.”

The blood drains from my face, down my arms, to the tips of my cold fingers until I feel sapped of life. The dark mudang alone is terrifying. But Daeseong allied with the Jaenanpa is so much worse. I’m hardly breathing. My heart rate slows to a bare minimum, like my body is pretending to be dead.

“What were they actually doing?” Captain Seo asks.

“Promising rich, bored humans a taste of real magic.” Jaeseok grunts in disgust, then pulls out a cell phone from his pocket. “Daeseong headlined the dinner show, and I taped his finale.”

The Jaenanpa is made up of corrupt, bloodthirsty shamans.

They torture and kill beings of the Shingae to usurp their magic.

The upper echelon of the faction brainwashes their minions into a frothing frenzy by convincing them they’re fighting for equality between the human world and the Shingae.

There is nothing more dangerous than a mob of psychopaths who believe their atrocities are justified.

“We don’t get cell service in this realm, but hopefully, magic and technology will play nice enough for me to show you this video.

” Everyone gathers around the table as Jaeseok coaxes his cell phone to play back the video.

“The humans wanted a taste of true desolation, so Daeseong drenched the ballroom in darkness for them. If I could just get this damn thing to work ...”

The dokkaebi succeeds after five tries, and even then, the footage freezes every other second and the audio is half static. It’s a small miracle that the cell phone is working at all in a realm with this much magic.

I glance at Draco, who sits alone at the edge of the raised floor.

They don’t talk about it much, but they’ve said enough for us to know that the Jaenanpa killed their father.

The magic thieves kill their prey in the most gruesome, horrific ways possible.

They believe suffering makes the magic stronger.

If Draco witnessed even a glimpse of what they did to their father . ..

I flinch when the humans in the recording gasp in horrified delight, and a tremor starts deep in my chest. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to get my mind and body under control.

Draco must want vengeance. I don’t blame them, but I can’t let them get blood on their hands. I can’t ... My teeth clack together as the shivering spreads to my limbs. I think I’m going into shock.

The dark shamans are as evil as they come, but they’re still human. The kid doesn’t understand that taking even a single life will alter them forever—and not for the better. Draco ... The edges of my vision go black, but I fight to stay alert.

“They make me sick to my stomach,” Jaeseok growls, putting away his phone.

“Why did Daeseong join forces with the Jaenanpa?” Draco snarls, their gorgeous young face set in stone. “He doesn’t need their help.”

“Maybe he does.” Jihun’s voice sounds far away, even though he’s sitting right next to me. “He might need their help to continue his mission for the Amheuk because he hasn’t fully recovered from his standoff with Sunny. She nearly destroyed him at Heaven Lake.”

“Do we know his next move?” Ethan asks, then glances over at me. His eyes widen in alarm, and he gives my thigh a reassuring squeeze. Or is he seeking reassurance? Either way, I barely feel his touch.

“Not yet,” Hailey says, “but we’re watching him closely.”

“We’ll keep everyone updated,” Jaeseok adds.

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” With an arm around my waist, Ethan tugs me to a stand with him. My legs are practically useless, and I sag against him.

“What’s wrong with her?” Jihun leaps to his feet. “Sunny—”

“My lord.” Jihun’s man of business bows from his waist, standing at the bottom of the steps to the main hall. “General Bak will arrive at his estate shortly.”

“Shit.” Ethan shifts me in his arms and ducks his head to meet my eyes. “Sunny, I can’t tell you everything will be okay, but we’ll face whatever lies ahead together . You will not be alone. I swear to you.”

I try to nod, but I’m trembling too hard. I hold his gaze, wanting him to know I believe him.

“You must hurry, Your Highness.” Jihun gently extracts me from Ethan’s arms.

“Take care of her, Captain,” Ethan says flatly, dropping his hands from my body. Then with a tender smile, he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll see you soon, Sunny.”

I make a soft, whimpering noise when he walks off into the night. With Ethan gone, my fear threatens to drown me. At least the word of power stopped burning across my back. Or maybe I just can’t feel it anymore because my body is shutting down.

“She’s in shock.” Minju lightly presses her fingers against the base of my throat. “I can barely feel her pulse.”

“Her hands feel like ice.” Hailey clasps both my hands in hers.

“We need to get her to her room.” Captain Seo’s concerned expression hardens when Jihun picks me up in his arms. “You, Captain Song, have much to do. Minju, Hailey, and I can take care of Sunny. Remember your duty to the prince comes first.”

“And the prince bid me to take care of her,” he responds in an implacable voice, then turns to Jaeseok. “Lieutenant Cha, I need you to work with Draco on the protective armor for the prince. I trust you don’t need a reminder of the urgency.”

“No, Captain. We’re on it,” Jaeseok says with rare solemnity, then drapes an arm across Draco’s shoulders. “Come on, kid.”

“Wait.” The teenager shrugs off the dokkaebi’s arm and peers closely at my face. “Sunny? You’re going to be okay, right?”

I don’t know how I manage to speak through my chattering teeth, but I whisper, “Yes.”

“G ... good. That’s good.” Draco’s voice breaks. “You better not be lying.”

“Take care, Sunny.” Jaeseok lightly ruffles the top of my head and leads the kid away from the Sunset Pavilion.

“Minju, please examine the hunter’s body again.” Jihun shifts me in his arms, drawing me closer. I shiver and burrow into him. “I know you’re thorough, but there might be clues to the spy’s identity you missed the first time around. It might be something unexpected.”

“Of course, Captain.” Minju lays a cool hand on my forehead. “It’s okay to be scared, but you’re the strongest person I know, Sunny.”

“Lieutenant Gim.” Jihun moves toward the sliding doors to the inner hallway. “I need you to—”

“I got it, Captain,” Hailey assures him. “Go. She needs to lie down and get warm.”

“You’ll pull through this, Cadet Cho.” Captain Seo’s no-nonsense voice fades as Jihun carries me back to my room with long, urgent strides.

Miok is there, waiting to open the door for us. She turns down the covers, and he lowers me onto my bedding.

“We need to raise her legs,” he says in a lost voice I’ve never heard him use before.

“She will be all right.” Miok places a rolled-up blanket under my legs before tucking the duvet tightly around me. “So will you. Courage, my lord.”

“She’s our only hope against Daeseong, and she’s ... afraid.” He takes a shuddering breath. Oh Jihun. “It’s too great a burden for one person to bear, Bomo.”

Miok was Jihun’s nursemaid? No wonder he trusts her. She helped raise him.

“But you cannot bear it for her.” Miok’s voice is warm and steady. “You have your own burden.”

Burden? He does have a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.

“The prince, Sunny ... and everyone on the queen’s list,” he says haltingly. “Why does it have to be us?”

“We will know in time, my lord.” Miok kneels near my head and pours something into a small teacup. “This is honey tea. It will help warm her up.”

“Here, let me.” Jihun raises me partway up, with my head cradled against his chest, and takes the tea from Miok. “Drink, Sunny.”

I sip obediently, and the warm liquid chases away a bit of the cold. I take another sip. The honey tastes fragrant, like chrysanthemums. Suddenly desperate for air, I suck in a heaving breath and immediately start coughing up my lungs.

“Easy there,” Jihun croons, rubbing my back and holding me tighter against him.

“I will leave you then,” Miok says quietly and gets to her feet. “Please let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Bomo,” he murmurs.

“Of course, my lord.” She slips out of the room, closing the door behind her.

“C . . . cold,” I stutter. “So . . . cold.”

“I know. It’s the shock.” Jihun lowers me onto the sleeping mat again and wraps the comforter around me. “You’ll warm up soon.”

But I’m shaking so hard that my limbs convulse wildly.

With a muttered curse, he stretches out on top of the bedding and hauls me flush against him, clamping his arm and leg over me.

Even through the thick blanket, the heat of his body seeps into mine, and the steady beat of his heart soothes my frayed nerves.

He holds me tight until the violent shivers ease into faint tremors, and my mind clears and quiets.

Daeseong is back. I breathe through my nose until my heart rate slows, becoming strong and steady.

The demented megalomaniac is back—and he’s booking party appearances.

Welcome to my tragicomedy life. Fittingly, I want to laugh and cry all at once.

Fuck this. My hands curl into fists as strength returns to my body.

There’s nothing I can do but destroy Daeseong, because the alternative isn’t an option.

I lick my dry lips and taste salt on my tongue—salt and something distinctly male.

As the shock finally recedes, I realize my face is buried against Jihun’s neck, with my mouth pressed against his throat.

I feel his Adam’s apple work as he swallows.

Somewhere between shaking like a leaf and settling into calmness, I must have plastered myself against him.

“I ... I’m okay now,” I squeak as I try to scramble away from him.

“Hush.” His growly voice skitters over my body. “Let me hold you while I have an excuse.”

“Jihun ...” I protest weakly, but I quiet in his arms.

“Just this once,” he whispers.

I nod against his neck, a single tear slipping out of the corner of my eye. I knew, didn’t I? Deep down, I must have known Jihun had feelings for me. But I refused to see that it was more than basic attraction and harmless flirtation for him. And I ... didn’t dissuade him. Not enough.

From the beginning, I wanted to lean on him.

His steadfast strength always made me feel grounded and secure, and I couldn’t bear to lose that.

I was so afraid of losing his friendship that I ignored his lingering touches and tender glances.

But friendship goes both ways. If I really am his friend, then I can’t let him throw his heart away on me.

With a long, shaky sigh, he presses his forehead against mine. “Sunny, I—”

“Don’t,” I say sharply and lean back to look into his eyes. “ Please don’t say anything you can’t unsay.”

“Why?” Pain bleeds into the single word. “I’ll take even a fraction of your heart, Sunny. All I want is a chance to keep you safe. A chance to make you happy.”

“Jihun, you deserve someone who can offer you their whole heart.” Tears stream down my cheeks. “I care about you too much to see you sell yourself short.”

“Love isn’t a transaction.” He chuckles softly. “I don’t care if I sell myself short. You can rip me off all you like.”

“B ... but you can’t keep me safe,” I blurt, pulling at straws.

Maybe I can dissuade him from giving me his heart by appealing to his sense of honor.

“Your loyalty lies with Ethan. He comes first for you. If both he and I were in danger, you would have to save your prince, not me. How can I be h ... happy, knowing I’ll always come second? ”

“Yes, I would save the prince.” He grasps my chin and lifts my eyes to meet his. “Then I would die with you.”

A small part of me wavers. I’m tired and scared, and he’s so strong and true.

And if I choose him, Ethan will never know that I love him .

.. I stop, appalled at myself. How can I even consider using Jihun to protect Ethan?

This is precisely why I can’t accept his generous heart.

I love Ethan with everything in me. I have nothing to offer Jihun when he deserves everything .

“Stop.” A broken sob escapes me, and my face crumples. “Don’t make me break your heart. Please.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” With a heart-wrenching smile, he wipes away my tears with the pad of his thumb. “I will do as I see fit with my heart.”

“You’re such an asshole.” I take a shuddering breath, my tears falling faster. “Contrary to what you think, you’re not always right. Just this once, can’t you choose to protect yourself ? Gods damn it, Jihun. Please. ”

He leans down to place a soft kiss on my cheek. “Good night, Sunny.”

“Do not good night me.” I raise my head to sob and blubber some sense into him, but he’s already gone. I flop back onto my bedding, throwing an arm over my red, puffy eyes. “Fucking Jihun.”

I ache and long for Ethan like I’m missing a vital organ. My heart breaks for Jihun, who remains loyal and generous, even when I don’t deserve it. I’m terrified I won’t be able to defeat Daeseong. And I’m afraid what that would mean for all of us. Yet ... I’ve never felt so whole in my life.

I must have a heretofore-unknown masochistic streak.

Or having people to miss, to hurt for, and to worry about makes my life mean more.

It makes me more alive. Rather than denying that I care deeply about these people—because I’m afraid to lose them—maybe I should make it my all-consuming purpose to keep them.