Page 267 of The Wishing Game

Ze releases a heavy sigh as he opens his palm and absorbs her energy.

The veins on her forehead are about to burst as she strains herself to send blast after blast. Ze indulges her, looking bored all the while. When he finally has let her play enough, he lifts her in the air with the snap of a finger, his eyes narrowed as he takes in her struggling features.

"You have chosen the hard way. So be it," he declares before his eyes flash a deep purple, his irises swirling with specks of silver.

A sharp, horrifying cry escapes her, her features contorting in pain as Ze tries to assault her mind to get the information out of her. Despite the fact that she wasn't the nicest to me, I cannot bear to watch her in such agonizing pain that mounts by the second.

Ze does not mind it, the corners of his mouth curling up in a twisted smile. He enjoys this. I've known for a while how bloodthirsty he is, but I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing him derive such pleasure from harming others. Especially since it's so at odds with the ZeIknow.

How can two diametrically opposed people reside in the same body? Azerius, the God Killer and Ze, the thoughtful friend.

"Agh," the priestess cries out, and rivulets of blood flow out of her eyes, dripping down her cheeks as blood vessels burst from the effort it takes to block Ze's attacks.

The entire scene is horrifying and far too violent for my feeble human sensibilities.

"Wait," I call out, unable to watch this any longer.

Ze reacts to my voice, half turning to regard me from the corner of his eye.

"What if we got the location out of her without her breaking her vow?" I suggest.

His brows draw together.

"Continue." He nods at me.

"If she visits the hiding place of the vial, and we follow behind, wouldn't that work as keeping her vow? She's not directly revealing the location to us. She's not speaking of it."

"That would be a good idea if she were amenable to it," Ze notes as he returns his attention to the priestess. "It is how Helen and Elias worked around their own vow."

"But it could work, no? She does not have to die."

"You would have her live after she behaved so appallingly to you?" His eyes flash.

"She was only doing her job, Ze." I sigh. "Yeah, she's not the most likable person I've ever met, but she was only trying to do her duty. I think we should give her a fair chance."

"You have too soft a heart, human."

"And you have no heart, Ze." I shake my head at him. "The least you could do is let me balance you out with my soft heart," I fire at him, fighting a smile. "It would certainly make you more...nice," I add, knowing those magic words would get a reaction out of him.

"Nice?" He repeats the word with slow, deliberate strokes of his tongue. His eyes sparkle, the murderous aura surrounding him all but gone.

"Yes, that would make youverynice. You want to be nice, don't you?" I ask, fluttering my lashes.

He fully turns toward me, letting the priestess drop to the floor with a thud.

"If you say that would make me nice..." he starts, a little unsure but eager nonetheless.

"It would." I nod as I walk to the priestess, dropping to my haunches to be on eye level with her. She strikes a pitiful picture. If a few moments ago I'd been terrified of her, now I only feel bad for how the fates have turned. Her paint is smeared over her face, mixed with the blood she spilled. Her features are tighter, more strained, as if she's aged a hundred years in the span of a second.

"You have one chance to avoid a painful death, and trust me, if you refuse this, there will be nothing I can do to help you anymore," I whisper. "You know him. You've heard of him. You are well aware he is more than capable of delivering his threats."

She seethes quietly as she glares at me.

"Whatareyou?" She hisses between her teeth. "You are no more human than I am."

"But the truth is that I am." I sigh. "Whether you believe it or not."

"You do not know what an Elegian Sphere is, do you? It is made out of pure chaos and while it can react to spiritual power, itcannotbe destroyed. Chaos is a primordial force that simply...is," she says as she sputters more blood. "These writings..." she says, suddenly grabbing my torn dress and pulling me closer. She splays her bloody hand over my skin, tracing the marks. Ze immediately flashes himself next to me, ready to act. I put a hand up to stop him, curious about what she has to say.

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