Nothing existed but those words.

Heechul stood and edged around his desk, stopping in front of Seolhyun. The pained look had returned, but this time it was also mixed with sympathy.

The clicking of the wall clock and the gentle hum of the aquarium filled the room. No one spoke, no one pulled their eyes from Seolhyun.

She had no idea how long she stood there staring at her uncle while she tried to piece together what he’d said. Nothing made sense to her at first. Hope and disbelief crashed together, then a horrifying realization as she understood the sympathetic look that had crossed his face.

“No…” Seolhyun pushed away from the chair, trying to put distance between Heechul’s words and her. “You’re lying. I saw her. The Demon drained her, and I touched her. She was… so cold.”

“Seolhyun, I’m sorry but–”

“No! It’s impossible. She was dead!”

Hyejeong was at Seolhyun’s side, placing a hand on her back. “Seolhyun…”

“There was another Demon. You know that.” Heechul’s voice carried over the sound of rushing blood that filled her ears.

Seolhyun’s heart stuttered and missed a beat. “She… she was still alive? Oh, oh… my gods. I left her.” She wanted to puke all over Heechul’s polished shoes. “I left her! I could’ve helped her! I could’ve done something!”

Hyejeong reached for her, but Seolhyun backed away. “There was nothing you could do.”

“The other Demon did it?” She glared at Heechul, demanding an answer.

He nodded. “We assume so.”

“No. It’s impossible. You– you’re all wrong.”

“Seolhyun, you know how it could have been done.”

Heechul was right. The energy the Demon passed on was tainted. Her mom would’ve been addicted from the first moment on. It was a cruel way to turn a Genuine, robbing them of all free will.

Seolhyun wanted to scream and cry, but she told herself she could handle this. The burning in her eyes told her everything. “She’s… now… a Demon?”

Something similar to pain flickered across Heechul’s otherwise stoic face. “Yes.”

She felt trapped in that room with virtual strangers. Her eyes skittered across their faces. Jonghyun seemed bored with this, surprising considering his earlier outpouring of affection and support. Hyejeong looked like she was having a hard time keeping her expression blank. And Jimin… well, she was watching Seolhyun expectedly. Waiting for her to break down into hysterics, she assumed.

Swallowing against the thick lump in , she tried to slow the wild beating in her chest. “How do you know this?”

“She’s my sister. I would know if she were dead.”

Dead was better than the alternative. There was no coming back once a Genuine turned into a Demon. No amount of power or begging, not even the Gods could fix it.

Heechul sighed. “She was spotted in Namgu. Right before we found you.”

Seolhyun could tell this hurt him, possibly as much as it hurt her. Helena had been his sister after all. He wasn’t as emotionless as he made himself out to be.

Then the Elpis spoke. “You said her mother was seen in Namgu. Was not Seolhyun in Namgu when you found her?” Her voice was oddly accented, almost musical in quality.

Seolhyun slowly turned to her.

“Yes.” Hyejeong’s dark brows furrowed.

Jimin appeared to consider that. “Does it not strike anyone as odd? Could it be her mother remembered her? Was actually following her?”

A strange look crossed Heechul’s face. “We’re aware of the possibility.”

It didn’t make sense. When Genuines were turned to Demons, they didn’t care about things from their previous lives. Or, at least, that was what they believed. They were killed on sight. No questions asked.

“You believe her mother is aware of her. Possibly even looking for her?” Jimin asked.

“There’s a chance, but we cannot be sure. It could have been a coincidence that she was in Namgu.” Heechul’s words rang false.

“A coincidence that she was in Namgu in addition to the two other Demons following her?” Hyejeong asked. Heechul’s scowl deepened, but Hyejeong continued, “There’s a chance she’s looking for Seolhyun.”

The room tilted, and Seolhyun squeezed her eyes shut. Looking for me? Not as her mother, but as a Demon. For what?

Jonghyun smiled tightly. “It is all the more reason to remove her from the Ephensy, Shin. Under my care, Seolhyun Kim will be protected by Council Guards and the Elpis. If Helena is hunting her then she will be safest with me.”

When Seolhyun opened her eyes, she realized she was standing in the middle of the room. Each breath she took hurt. She lifted her chin and looked Heechul straight in the eye. “Do you know where she is now?”

Heechul raised his eyebrows as he turned to Jonghyun, who took a moment before he responded. “I have a dozen of my best Linuses hunting for her.”

“And you… all of you think that my mother… is… a Demon, will get in the way of me being a Linus?”

There was a pause. “Not all of us agree, but yes.”

“I can’t be the first person to face that!”

If her mom did see her again, she wouldn’t smile or hug her. She wouldn’t brush her hair back like she used to. There would be no tears of happiness. She might not even know Seolhyun’s name.

She would try to kill her daughter.

And Seolhyun would try to kill her.

“Will you force her from the Ephensy, Minister Lee?” Jimin asked.

“We will not force her to leave.” Heechul interjected, his eyes on Seolhyun.

Jonghyun swung toward the Dean. “We agreed on this, Heechul.” His strained voice was low. “She needs to be placed under my care.”

“She can remain at the Ephensy.” Heechul kept his gaze steady. “Nothing will be jeopardized if she stays here. We can discuss more of this later, don’t you agree?”

Seolhyun’s eyes widened as she watched the Minister submit to Heechul. “Yes. We will discuss this in great detail.”

Heechul nodded before turning to his niece. “I’m sorry for what has happened. Helena didn’t deserve this. Neither do you.”

A sincere apology, but it meant nothing to Seolhyun. She was numb inside, and she wanted nothing more than to be away from all of them. She left the office with her head high, not seeing anyone. She even made it past the Guards, who’d probably heard everything.

“Seolhyun, hold up.”

Struggling to control the emotions building in her, she whirled around. Hyejeong had followed her out. Seolhyun warned her off with a shaky hand. “Don’t.”

Hyejeong flinched back. “Let me explain.”

Seolhyun forced her voice low. “You knew this entire time, didn’t you? You knew what’d really happened to my mother.”

A muscle in the jaw ticked. “Yes. I knew.”

Hurt exploded in Seolhyun’s chest. Part of her had hoped Hyejeong hadn’t known, that she hadn’t kept this from her.

She took a step forward. “We’ve spent every day together and never once did it cross your mind to tell me? Did you think I didn’t have a right to know the truth?”

“Of course I thought you had the right, but it wasn’t in your best interest. How can you focus on training… focus on preparing to kill Demons, when you know your mother is one of them?”

Seolhyun opened , but nothing came out. How could she focus now?

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but I don’t regret keeping it from you. We could’ve found her and disposed of the problem without you knowing any different. That was the plan.”

“That was the plan? To kill her before I found out she was alive?” Seolhyun’s voice grew louder with each word. “You preach to me about trusting you? How in the hell can I trust you now?”

Hyejeong took a step back, running a hand through her wavy hair. “How does knowing what your mother is make you feel? What does it make you think?”

Hot tears burned in the back of Seolhyun’s throat. She was going to break right there in front of her. “Please. Just leave me alone. Leave me alone.”

Hyejeong stood in the doorway. She didn’t say anything as she watched Seolhyun.

Without saying a word, Seolhyun crossed the distance between them. There was no thought behind this, just overwhelming anger and raw hurt. She tilted back her arm and punched Hyejeong right on the side of her jaw. Fierce pain exploded across her knuckles.

“Dammit!” She bent, bringing her hand back. She didn’t think it would hurt that much. Even worse was the fact she’d barely made an impact on Hyejeong.

Hyejeong turned back to her as if Seolhyun hadn’t just punched her in the face and frowned. “Did that make you feel better? Change anything for you?”

Seolhyun straightened. “No. I’d like to do it again.”

She threw her head back, ready to plant her foot somewhere when their eyes met. She did stop then, with Hyejeong’s face inches from hers. Her dark waves had fallen forward into her eyes. Hyejeong wasn’t moving, and Seolhyun couldn’t even if she’d wanted to. She saw the moment Hyejeong recognized the change in her. Something shifted in those eyes of hers and her lips parted.

“You wanna fight?” Breathing became difficult as they continued to stare at one another. “Then fight me.”

Seolhyun launched herself at Hyejeong.

She kissed her.

At first, it wasn’t much of a kiss. Her lips just brushed hers, and when Hyejeong didn’t move away, Seolhyun pushed harder. Hyejeong seemed too stunned to do much of anything for a few seconds.

But then she released Seolhyun’s wrists and her hands slid up her arms.

The kiss deepened, full of passion and anger. There was also frustration, so much frustration. Then Hyejeong pressed down, and Seolhyun wasn’t the one doing the kissing. Her lips moved against hers, fingers pressing into her skin.

After only a few seconds Hyejeong broke off the kiss and sprung away from her. Her heavy breathing filled the space between them. Eyes wide, they’d dilated until they were almost black.

Seolhyun sat up and scooted back. What she’d done made it through the thick haze clouding her thoughts. Not only had she punched a Genuine in the face, she’d also kissed her.

Oh… oh, man.

Her cheeks flushed. Her entire body flushed.

Hyejeong stood slowly. “It’s… all right.” Her voice rasped. “These things happen… when you’re feeling a lot of stress.”

“I… can’t believe I did that.”

“It’s just stress.” Hyejeong remained at a safe distance. “It’s okay.”

***

Outside in the thick humid night air, Seolhyun smacked her forehead and groaned. “Oh, my Gods.” Somewhere behind her a door opened, so she started down the pathway again. She really wasn’t paying attention to where she was going. Shock and embarrassment didn’t really describe what she was feeling.

She so needed a new trainer.

There was no way she could ever face Hyejeong again without biting her lips and–

Someone stepped in front of her. Seolhyun moved to the side to avoid whoever it was, but the person blocked her. Pissed she couldn’t sulk in privacy, she fired off without looking up. “Gods! Get the hell out of my–” The words died on her lips.

The Elpis stood in front of her.

“Well, good evening to you.” Jimin’s lips curled in a casual smile.

“Um… sorry, I didn’t see you.” Or feel her, which was weird considering both times she’d felt her before actually laying eyes on her.

“Obviously. You were staring at the ground as if it had done something terrible to you.”

“Yeah, I’m kinda having a bad day, you know that.” Seolhyun sidestepped her, but Jimin moved in front of her again. “Excuse me.” She used possibly her sweetest voice ever, because Jimin was, after all, the Elpis.

“Could I just have a few minutes of your time?”

Seolhyun looked around the empty courtyard, knowing she couldn’t refuse her. “Sure, but I need to get back to my dorm soon.”

“Then I will walk you there and we can talk.”

Seolhyun nodded, having no freaking clue what Jimin could possibly want to talk to her about.

“I’ve been looking for you.” Jimin fell into step beside her.

Seolhyun frowned.

“I want to know what you are.”

Seolhyun froze and she had to look at her. Jimin was pretty close, not touching. Frankly, she looked like she didn’t want to.

“I’m a Myx.”

Jimin arched a brow.

Seolhyun’s eyes narrowed on her.

“You know that is not what I’m asking. I want to know what you are.”

After punching a Linus, pissing off the Elpis probably wasn’t the next smartest thing to do, but Seolhyun’s mood was somewhere between crappy and really crappy. She folded her arms across her chest. “I’m a girl. You’re a girl. Does that clear things up for you?”

One corner of quirked. “Thank you for the gender lesson, but once again, not what I’m asking.” Jimin stepped forward, tilting her head to the side. “Just few weeks ago, Jonghyun requested my presence at Council. They found you around the same time. I find that strange.”

“Okay?”

“I don’t believe in coincidences. Jonghyun’s order has to do with you. So it begs a very important question.”

“Which is?”

“What is so important about a student whose mother is a Demon?” Jimin circled around her. Seolhyun twisted, following her movement. “Why would Jonghyun want me here now, but not before? You were right in Dean’s office. You would not be the first Myx or even Genuine to face down a loved one or a friend in battle. What makes you so special?”

Irritation twitched within Seolhyun. “I have no clue. Why don’t you go and ask him?”

“I doubt Jonghyun is being truthful.”

“Jonghyun doesn’t have to be truthful.”

“You would know. He is your stepfather.”

“Jonghyun is nothing to me. What you saw in the office was bizarre. He must’ve been high on power or Soju.”

Jimin bit back her laugh. “Then you would not be upset if I said he was an ?”

“Nope.” Lips curved into a half smile.

“I intend to figure out why I was pulled away from hunting to guard a girl.”

Seolhyun’s brows rose. “You’re not guarding me. You’re guarding Jonghyun.”

“Is that so? Why would Jonghyun need me as a Guard? He rarely leaves the Council and is always surrounded by several layers of protection. Tons of Guard could assist him. This is wasting my time.”

Jimin had a good point, but Seolhyun didn’t have any answers for her. She shrugged and started walking again, hoping Jimin wouldn’t follow, but she did.

“So I’ll ask you again. What are you?”

The first two times she’d asked the question, it had just annoyed her, but the third time poked around inside Seolhyun’s brain and pushed a memory loose. She thought of the night in the factory. What had the Demon said after they’d tagged her?

Seolhyun’s hand went to her neck, brushing over the smooth skin of the scar.

Jimin’s eyes narrowed on her. The sudden rush of air caused her head to jerk up. She moved fast, possibly faster than Hyejeong. “What is it?”

“You know, you aren’t the first person to ask me that. A Demon asked me… after he tagged me.”

Interest flickered over Jimin’s face. “Maybe I just need to bite you to find out.”

Seolhyun’s hand dropped to her side and she cut her a look. Jimin was joking, but it still weirded her out. “Good luck with that.”

Jimin smiled this time, flashing a row of perfect white teeth. Her smile was nothing like Hyejeong’s, but it was nice. “You don’t seem afraid of me.”

Seolhyun took