Page 121 of Immortal

“Dalian!” Aunt Shou cried, her body shaking. “This is forbidden; a heinous deed. What will the people think?”

He sneered as he glanced at me. “We will tell them the ‘truth,’ Mother. That they killed them.”

I was shaking my head as Zhangwei took my hand. “We must go. Now.”

Together.

A small part of me didn’t want to go yet, but he was right. We turned to race to the gateway—but then bolts of green light hurtled down, fencing us in. As we sprinted the other way, Dalian appeared, blocking our path, the copper in his eyes spread all the way through, his power rippling like a cloak of shadow.

We were out of time.

44

Dalian was studying Zhangwei, his skin alight with an eerie sheen. He seemed larger somehow, his veins more sharply defined, his nails pointed like spear tips. “I have been curious to test myself against the God of War’s might.”

“You did once,” Zhangwei reminded him coldly. “And you ended up here.”

“Was this why you reaped your loyal soldiers’ strength, killing them all?” My voice fractured; I was still shaken by Dalian’s horrific deed, worse than anything I could have imagined of him.

His eyes flashed like pools of molten copper. “You will open the gateway now, else I will wring every last drop of your cursed blood into it as a parting gift to your mother.”

I raised my head, glaring at him. “Do your worst. I’ll never open the gateway for you.”

Dalian’s hand shot up, the air quivering as a wave of light crashed over me—my shield shattering like glass. I scrambled to form another, but he raised his whip, writhing in his grip. As he flung it at me, Zhangwei moved between us, blocking the blow with his sword. The whip wrapped around the blade, but Zhangwei slashed it clean through, flinging the pieces aside. As light surged from Dalian’s hand, the whip re-formed, blazing as bright as new. Zhangwei attacked him again, his sword flying so quickly it was a blur—but Dalian evaded him swiftly; he was faster and stronger than before. His whip gleamed as it slammed down again, but Zhangwei dipped back—the lash curling harmlessly over his body. Dalian didn’t pause, lunging forward again, twisting at the last moment to avoid the tip of Zhangwei’s blade.

I glanced around, unable to find Lin and Mei—had they retreated to the barge? Aunt Shou was slumped on the ground, her face in her hands. It hurt to see her misery, but I dared not move, desperately seeking a way to aid Zhangwei. They fought with dizzying force, such brutal lack of restraint, my blood ran cold.

Zhangwei’s sword swept toward Dalian’s head—but the Wuxin spun out of reach, summoning waves of blinding light to engulf Zhangwei. As he struck at them, Dalian’s whip hurtled forth, coiling around Zhangwei like a snake. He struggled violently, the binds tightening with each movement, tearing his robe, his flesh, his blood spilling to the ground.

“You’re not as strong as before, God of War,” Dalian mocked him as he stalked forward. “You should have taken the entire Divine Pearl Lotus for yourself rather than sharing it with another.”

I didn’t let myself think as I rushed between them, raising my sword to hack at Zhangwei’s binds. As I struck at the whip, greenish light flashed across my arm, the pain tenfold worse than when Dalian had lashed me before. I cried out—unable to stop myself—my fingers stiff, but I wouldn’t stop sawing at the binds though they were as hard as stone.

“Go.” Zhangwei’s eyes slid to the gateway then back to me, his eyes ink dark. “I’ll follow.”

Liar.

“I’m not leaving you,” I said fiercely.

Dalian’s laugh was one of disbelief. “What is this? Does your betrothed know?” Lines creased his brow. “Were you even betrothed?”

“Only ever to me.” Zhangwei’s gaze was still fixed on me alone.

I blinked through the sudden brightness in my eyes—though I cursed him in the next moment for clouding my mind with his declaration. If we escaped, I wouldn’t let this pass. He had never formally asked me to marry him before, and this was not the time for a proposal—God of War or not.

Dalian’s eyes thinned to crescents. “How easily you’ve tamed the God of War. There is no greater chain than love.”

“You’re wrong, and I pity you for it,” I said scathingly. “Love is the greatest freedom in the world, but you have to be capable of yielding it, to grasp its true meaning.”

I aimed my sword at Dalian. He grinned, not bothering to raise his weapon—knowing I’d lose, that I was far from his match. As I lunged at him, I spun at the last moment to slam my sword against Zhangwei’s binds. My magic surged from me into my blade, coating the whip in a layer of frost. It held fast, but as I bore down harder, cracks formed along the whip. Zhangwei’s jaw clenched as he strained against his binds, his struggles tearing his wounds wider apart.

Dalian flew at me, his teeth bared, grasping my throat to lift me like I was a doll. As I kicked wildly, he knocked my sword from my hands. His nails gleamed, arched like talons, his grip tightening to puncture the skin of my neck. Choking now, I clawed at Dalian, reaching for my magic to fight back. But as his grip tightened, my composure broke, my power slipping away like I was snatching at water.

I kicked at Dalian, again and again, my legs colliding with his chest, his gut and thighs. If he hurt, he gave no sign of it, his hateful grin widening. Mustering my strength, I raked my nails across his face, digging as deep as I could. At last, he flinched, uttering a foul curse. I seized my power, summoning darts of ice that hurtled into him, scraping his cheeks and neck. With a hiss, Dalian flung me aside as though scalded—

Zhangwei broke free to catch me, then set me down. His wounds crisscrossed his arms, his robe shredded in parts, wet with blood. As he swung to Dalian, his eyes glinted dangerously, his guttural tone sending a chill down my spine. “I promised you death, but now you will suffer.”

I seized Zhangwei’s arm, glancing at the gateway. Who cared for vengeance or retribution; I just wanted us to escape. Yet Dalian’s power erupted in a violent onslaught, crashing against us, forcing Zhangwei and me to shield ourselves, trapping us in place.