Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 120336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 602(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 602(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
A surge of hope hit me.
Yes!
My lips parted.
Leo twisted his face into this cruel expression, and then, so fast I barely saw it, he grabbed a branch and swung it at Lei.
It slammed into Lei’s side.
“Shit!” I gasped.
Lei twisted dangerously to the side as the impact knocked him back.
I shook in fear. “No. Please no.”
Lei struggled to recover. Blood bloomed against his side, dripping onto the bark below.
My eyes watered. “I-is he okay?”
Chen nervously nodded. “Yes. He’s been hit harder, but. . .”
“What?”
“He should get out of that tree right now.”
“Why?”
Leo moved toward him fast with something in his other hand.
I leaned forward. “What’s that?”
Chen trembled against me. “Get out of there, Lei!”
Leo was on Lei’s branch fast and jabbed Lei in the arm with whatever he had.
“No.” I shook my head. “What the fuck is that? What did he do?”
Movement sounded behind me like someone had been slapped.
“That’s how it’s going to be?” Aunt Min screamed.
Confused, Lei looked down at his arm and kept blinking his eyes. Then he pulled something out and slung it away.
The thing fell to the ground.
What the hell was that?
“No. No.” I struggled against their arms. “Let me go. Right. Fucking. Now.”
“Moni, stop!” Chen tightened his grip on my arm as I lurched forward.
“What was that?!” I twisted and turned trying to loosen their hold. “What did Leo do? We have to stop him!”
Duck’s arm was like a damn iron shackle. “Stay here. You’ll only make it worse.”
“Make it worse? Fuck you.” My jaw clenched as I turned back to the tree. “I could help.”
Lei staggered on the branch, his sword slipping slightly in his grip. His chest heaved as he tried to steady himself, but I could see it—the way his body began to falter. The way his movements slowed.
He dropped to his knees.
No, baby. No. . .
My pulse roared in my ears.
“Leo cheated!” I screamed, struggling harder against Duck and Chen’s hold. “He fucking cheated!”
“Moni, stop it.” Duck’s voice cracked with frustration. “You can’t help him right now! None of us can.”
“Yes. We can. We can all go out there.”
“It’s not the way of the East.” Chen scowled. “And if you go out there, you’ll distract him. You’ll get him killed.”
His words stabbed into me like daggers but I couldn’t stop my body from twisting against their hold. “How can you say that? He’s going to die if we don’t do something!”
Duck shook his head. “I’ve seen Lei survive worse than this.”
Lei began doing something odd, pressing his fingertips on his neck and the side of his head.
Chen whispered, “He’s fighting the poison.”
“Poison!” I widened my eyes. “That’s what Leo did?”
Black liquid spilled from Lei’s mouth, dripping onto the bark below. The sight of it made my stomach churn and tears blurred my vision.
“N-no,” I whispered.
My heart felt like it was being torn apart as I watched him.
Lei was on that tree, fighting with every ounce of strength he had left, his body trembling under the weight of poison and exhaustion.
All I could do for now was sit in the stands, paralyzed.
I have to do something.
Suddenly, I felt someone watching me.
The sensation was like a cold hand, tracing a line up the back of my neck making my hair stand on end.
I turned to the right.
Instead of looking at the scene, Einstein had his gaze on me.
Tears spilled from my eyes.
Einstein mouthed something, I couldn’t make out what he was saying. Then, he made a motion with his hand, two fingers pointing at me, then toward Lei.
What?
Next, Einstein gestured to Duck and Chen then he pointed to Banks, Marcelo, Gunner, and him.
I blinked.
Is he asking if I need help?
I wasn’t sure but bobbed my head anyway.
Yes. Help me.
Einstein leaned Marcelo’s way and whispered something.
Next to them both, Dima caught Einstein and Marcelo talking and pulled out his phone.
It was all quick, but I knew that their presence here hadn’t just been for emotional support. At least, I hoped they had some other extra back up plans because Leo had cheated with the poison, so I was ignoring Lei’s wanting me to stay in my seat.
Fuck the East and their bullshit traditions. They’re all just scared of Leo.
More black liquid spilled from Lei’s mouth again and splattered on the branches below him.
No, baby.
I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming.
“That’s good, Lei.” Chen’s nodded. “Keep it up.”
My throat tightened, and tears blurred my vision.
He was fighting so hard, too hard, and yet Leo stood above him watching with that twisted grin.
I am going to kill you. Even if Lei does it. I will revive you and do it again.
In front of me, Banks leaned in close to Jo whispering something too low for me to hear.
Whatever he said, my sister didn’t hesitate to act.
Seconds later, Jo stood abruptly and slipped down the aisle heading toward my ladies-in-waiting.