******This is the most I can do today guys...with this...I am not sure if I can write anything for tomorrow. Please be patient with me.

Chapter 16

The Heart of the Princess

Minho leaped carrying Sulli on his back. He pushed himself no matter how painful each movement was. He has to catch up with the group. He has to bring Sulli to Master Cha!

Minho tried his wings earlier…but they won’t come out with his back wounded like this. Minho is frustrated, why is his body not following what his mind wants it to do?

“Sulli.” Called out Minho

“Mmmm..”

“We’re going to reach them soon.” Said Minho

“Mmmm…”

Minho tried to speed up. He felt like some of his wounds are starting to open again. But it doesn’t matter. He needs to reach Master Cha soon.

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Chanyeol saw the water container on his sackbag…

Tsk! He still has both his and Sulli’s water container. Doesn’t she get thirsty?

“Hey Sulli! Are you thirsty?” asked Chanyeol

Nobody answered.

TOP can already guess what’s going to happen soon.

“Sulli?” Chanyeol looked back. Where is Sulli? Chanyeol stopped walking.

“Master…Sulli is not with us.” Said Chanyeol

Master Cha stopped and looked back.

Chanyeol is right…Sulli is gone.

“Chanyeol, We’re going back.” Said Master Cha “The rest of you should take a rest for now.”

Kris nodded. No one should get left behind.  “Should we all search for her?” asked Kris

Chanyeol an Master Cha stopped. “Sulli is part of this group. We need to find her.” Said Kris

Master Cha nodded. “Thank you.” Said Master Cha

And then they heard a gush of wind from not that far.

“That’s Minho.” Said TOP “I am guessing he found Sulli.”

Master Cha and the others ran towards where the sound came from.

Minho gently put the unconscious Sulli on the ground.

“Sulli…” Minho touched Sulli’s cheek patting it a little to wake Sulli up. “We’re almost there.”

Minho felt Sulli’s cheek colder than earlier….she also looks so pale…as if blood was drained from her body.

Minho felt something wrong in his guts…

No…something within Minho doesn’t allow the human girl to end here.

For the first time in Minho’s life…he’s feeling something close to …fear…

“Sulli!” shouted Chanyeol

Minho stood up letting Chanyeol and Master Cha look at Sulli. Minho took several steps away. But not too far…he needs to know if the human is still alive.

“Master…Sulli is cold as ice.” Said Chanyeol

“Get out of the way.” Master Cha moved to Sulli and the rest took a step back.

Master Cha touched Sulli’s pulse.

“I should be the one doing that, Master.” Said Yoona

“No…this is not for a healer, Yoona. This is beyond you.” Said Master Cha

Yoona is taken aback. Sunny can’t stop a smile from her lips. TOP’s eyes narrowed, a smirk forming his lips.

“Leave us.” Said Master Cha “Now.”

It was a command. Everyone started to move away. Except for Minho.

“I said leave us.” Said Master Cha

“I can’t.” said Minho “She…the stone in her chest…was shining earlier.”

“You saw it?” asked Master Cha

“And not just that.” Said Minho “Something else…But the important thing is to have her wake up. Is there something I can do?”

“No…for now nothing…we need to find the next bloodline soon.” Said Master Cha. “Minho…I don’t know how to explain this for now…”

Minho took a step away. “I’ll leave her to you then.”

Minho disappeared.

Master Cha wiped Sulli’s hair from her face.

“We’re running out of time.” Said Master Cha

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The Circle made camp in the forest for the night.

Minho went to the pond. As soon as he reached the pond, his knees gave way.

He pushed his body too much earlier.  Minho’s back is aching as bad as the day the sorcerer fire hit him.

Yoona saw Minho and went to him.

“Hey…you all right?” asked Yoona

Minho stood up pretending to be fine. But as soon as His knees straighten up, pain shot up his back making him fall on his knees again.

“Hey!” Yoona tried to catch Minho.

“This is bad. I thought the wounds have already healed…but it seems that’s not the case yet. Let me get my box.” Yoona took a step back.

“Don’t. No need for that. I’ll be fine soon.” Said Minho

Yoona sat next to Minho frustrated.

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Sulli woke up. She’s lying on a mat. A blanket over her…It’s already dark. She looked around. There were opened candles around her… on the ground is the mark of the current bloodline…

Master Cha…he did the ritual again.

Sulli tried to stand up. She doesn’t feel that pain on her chest anymore.

Sulli walked on…where are the others? Where is the Circle?

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“You think you’re invincible because you are stronger than the others…but you still get hurt. So you need to accept weakness too.” Said Yoona

Minho did not answer.

Sulli saw Minho and Yoona together by the pond.

Somehow…it’s no longer irritation she’s feeling…but more of sadness…loneliness….

Yoona touched Minho’s arm.

“Why do you always exert yourself too much when it comes to that girl?” asked Yoona “I think only the blind will not see.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Said Minho

“You pay her too much attention…you know…Sulli?” Said Yoona

Sulli stopped walking. She can hear everything from where she is.

Sulli held her hand near her chest. Her heart is beating really fast…it feels like it’s going to fall off anytime.

Minho did not answer.

“Why would someone like her matter when I have been telling you openly how I feel?” asked Yoona “What is there to like in that boyish girl?”

“What do you need a boyish girl when you have a real woman in front of you?” asked Yoona

Yoona leaned in to Minho…and before Minho knew it, Yoona’s lips met his.

Sulli dropped her hands…

Her heart gripping in pain…like it’s being squeezed dry…

Sulli felt the pain up to …her eyes are hurt from resisting the flow of her tears.

But the tears still flowed down out of her control.

Sulli felt her feet glued to the ground…she can’t move…the pain is just…unbearable…

Sulli looked at Minho as Yoona slowly pulled away from him.

“I’m so…stupid…” whispered Sulli.

Minho’s eyes widen.

“Why?” asked Yoona blushing

But Minho is not looking at her. Minho’s eyes is in the darkness behind her. Yoona looked back and can’t see anything.

“What?” asked Yoona

“So you can hear me?” whispered Sulli “That’s great. Because I want you to hear this.”

Sulli took a deep breath. Her hands o