The forest swallowed Hana whole as she sprinted through the darkness, each step carrying her farther from Woojin and deeper into enemy territory. Branches whipped her face. Leaves tore at her clothes. But she didn't slow. Couldn't slow.
If she hesitated even once, they would catch him.
She forced her breathing steady, letting old training guide her feet. Her steps became ghostlike—silent, precise, shifting direction every few strides to throw off their trackers.
A distant whistle cut through the forest.
So.
They found the trail.
Good.
Hana vaulted over a fallen log, landed in a crouch, and pressed her palm into the dirt. A faint vibration traveled up her arm.
Three pursuers.
Then five.
Then more.
Her jaw tightened.
The Shadow Brand wasn't sending novices. These were elites—the hunters who only moved when the Leader gave personal orders.
Father.
He knew she was alive again.
Hana's lungs tightened. She pushed the thought down.
Later.
She rose and dashed forward—
A dagger flew past her cheek.
She spun, blade raised—
But no one was there.
Her brows furrowed. A dagger that precise wasn't meant to kill.
It was a warning.
Hana exhaled, low and controlled. "Come out," she said into the trees. "You're too skilled to hide."
A voice answered from above.
"Still arrogant."
A figure dropped from the branches like a falling star. Landing lightly, he straightened with a familiar grace.
Rhee.
Her old mentor.
Her breath stalled.
He looked almost the same—long dark hair tied back, silver marking on his wrist indicating his rank, and eyes sharp enough to cut stone.
"Hana," he said softly. "You've caused quite a mess."
She took a cautious step back. "Rhee… don't do this."
"You ran."
His tone was calm, almost gentle.
"You were ordered to die. You disobeyed."
The words hit harder than a blade.
"I was ordered to die because I wouldn't kill innocent people," she said.
He tilted his head. "Innocent? Everyone is guilty of something."
"That's the lie Father fed us."
Rhee sighed, almost disappointed. "You talk like Woojin now."
Hana froze. "You've seen him?"
"Long enough to know he's a danger to you."
Her grip tightened. "If you touched him—"
Rhee raised a hand. "Relax. I follow Father's orders, not Jisoo's impulses."
Hana's stomach twisted. "What are Father's orders?"
Rhee stepped closer, close enough that she could see the faint scar on his cheek—the one she gave him years ago during training.
"Bring you home," he said. "Alive. Preferably obedient."
"I'm not obedient," she whispered.
"I know." He studied her like one might study a caged beast. "But Father believes you can still be corrected."
"I won't go back."
"I know that too."
For a moment, their gazes locked—two ghosts of the same past.
Then Rhee moved.
---
THE BATTLE OF TWO SHADOWS
Hana barely raised her blade in time. Rhee's strike came so fast her eyes couldn't follow. Their swords clashed in a shower of sparks.
Rhee smiled faintly. "You improved."
"I learned to survive."
She ducked, rolled, and struck upward. Rhee dodged easily.
"You're hesitating," he murmured. "You don't want to kill me."
"You trained me," she snapped. "You protected me more than Father ever did."
"That was duty, Hana. Nothing more."
But his eyes flickered, betraying something unspoken.
She pressed harder. Rhee moved with frustrating ease, blocking every attack with minimal effort.
"You won't win," he said. "Not against me."
"I don't need to win." She twisted her wrist, feinting left—then swept her leg low.
For the first time, Rhee stumbled.
"So you have learned new tricks," he muttered.
"From people who see me as human."
Rhee's expression hardened. "Humanity makes you weak."
"No," Hana said, breathless. "Humanity made me stronger."
They clashed again. Her blade nicked his shoulder. His cut her arm. Blood sprayed across the dried leaves.
Rhee's voice lowered. "You think emotion will save you? It won't."
"It already did."
"Then why are you running alone?" he countered. "Why didn't Woojin stay?"
Hana hesitated.
Just a second.
And Rhee seized it.
He slammed the blunt end of his hilt into her ribs. Pain exploded through her side. She staggered back, gasping.
"Emotion," he said coldly, "creates openings."
Hana wiped blood from her lip. "Maybe."
She flicked a dagger from her boot and hurled it at his face.
Rhee tilted his head. The blade grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
His eyes widened—just a little.
"You would've never done that before," he said quietly.
"I'm not who I was before."
Rhee exhaled slowly. "Then Father is right. You're broken."
Hana stepped back, panting hard. "No, Rhee. I'm finally free."
Rhee's jaw tightened. "Then I have no choice."
He rose, shadows coiling at his feet.
He was about to finish this.
---
THE UNTHINKABLE CHOICE
Branches snapped behind them.
Jisoo emerged with a dozen assassins.
Wonderful.
Rhee looked over his shoulder. "You brought an army."
"You were taking too long," Jisoo said curtly.
"We agreed I would handle her."
"We agreed nothing."
Jisoo's gaze turned to Hana. "Where is the scholar?"
Hana kept her face stone-still.
Rhee stepped slightly in front of Jisoo. "She won't say."
"She doesn't have to." Jisoo smirked. "I tracked his blood."
Hana's heart stopped. "What?"
"You think I didn't cut him when I kicked him earlier?" Jisoo asked. "That was intentional."
Panic surged through her.
Rhee frowned. "Jisoo—no. Father said the scholar is irrelevant."
"Father lies."
Jisoo's grin was cruel. "Nightfall begins soon. And when it does, every person connected to Hana dies."
Hana's breath froze.
Woojin.
Rhee gave Jisoo a sharp look. "We take her alive. That's the mission."
Jisoo shrugged. "Then you distract her. I'll go collect the scholar."
"NO!" Hana lunged forward—
But Rhee grabbed her arm, pinning her in place.
Hana struggled violently. "Let him go! Don't touch him!"
Jisoo stepped back into the shadows, smirking. "Try to stop me."
Hana thrashed harder. "Rhee—LET ME GO!"
Rhee held her tighter. "Hana… don't."
"HE'LL DIE!"
"I know."
She froze.
"You… know?"
Rhee looked away. "Jisoo disobeys Father every chance he gets. If he hunts your scholar, he will kill him."
"Then LET ME GO!"
"I can't," Rhee said quietly. "You're my mission."
Hana stared at him—betrayal burning through her from every direction.
Her brother.
Her father.
Her mentor.
Her past.
All of them were tearing Woojin apart.
Something inside her shattered.
Slowly—too slowly—she stopped struggling.
Rhee mistook it for surrender.
He relaxed his grip.
That was his mistake.
Hana spun, kicked off the ground, and flipped over his shoulder—using his own weight to break free.
Rhee cursed. "HANA!"
She didn't look back.
She sprinted into the trees with everything she had, lungs burning, vision blurring, heart ripping itself apart.
Only one thought fueled her steps.
Find Woojin before they do.