“Sakura,” I said, breathing heavily, pacing myself as we ran. “I’m confused—what’s the Veil?”

  “Damn it, Antwon, that’s a lot to expin.” She slowed her pace so I could keep up.

  “Antwon,” Christine said, also breathing steadily. “The Crimson Veil is like the Iron Fan Court... Our cns are sister cns.”

  “So the veil isn’t a veil—it’s a cn—Ryo’s cn? Why does that prick get a cn?”

  “Yes,” they said simultaneously.

  “So, why are we in danger—if the cns are sisters? I’ll die if I keep running.”

  “You beat him up… I pulled his hair… I told him—I’d mark his face.”

  Sakura’s pace slowed to a halt.

  “Thank god… I can’t breathe. Sa..kura.”

  “Sakura,” Christine said. “Why did you stop?”

  She turned—her face was pale. “Please tell me,” Sakura’s voice trembled. “That you didn’t threaten… to brand a sprout’s face?”

  Christine winced at threatening Ryo, or the word sprout, or both.

  Christine looked away. “I didn’t think he would retaliate—it was only a threat.”

  Sakura grabbed her hair, pulling frantically. “Oh, shit. There is going to be a csh—there has to be now.”

  I looked at Christine, beckoning for crity.

  “It’s a cn war… the streets run red… families lock their sons and daughters away.”

  Something is off. The bell sounded, signifying the day’s end, but the halls were empty.

  “Hey, guys. Didn’t the bell ring?”

  We looked around the deserted halls.

  I walked to a door and pressed my ear against it. I could hear students whispering—whimpering—and praying.

  “Why are they hiding?”

  Sakura closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose.

  I turned to Christine, who was doing the same thing.

  I closed my eyes and—carbon monoxide filled my lungs, pushing out the air, “cough.”.

  “They’re here—shit,” Sakura’s said. Every word felt like it could fall out of the air.

  We walked to the door; no need to rush death.

  We pushed through familiar double doors.

  ***

  There were—so many of them—waiting for—us.

  A woman stepped forward. She wore bck pants with one pant leg removed, showcasing a massive red ribbon tattoo wrapped around her leg. She also wore a low-cut tank top.

  “Jade,” Sakura said, bearing fangs without fshing teeth.

  Her fiery red hair was darker than Miss. Nakamura’s. She wore it in a ponytail that was spiked.

  “Who are you?” she asked without looking at Sakura. “If you’re cn, show me your marking. Otherwise, beat it—I want her,” she said, pointing a sheathed katana at Christine.

  Instinctively, maybe stupidly, I stepped in front of Christine, blocking the bde’s path.

  “Antwon, what are you doing?”

  “Well, shit,” Jade said. “You must be Antwon—the gaijin who painted my son's face blue. I also… have a date with you.”

  Christine pulled me back, and Sakura shielded both of us.

  Smoke choked the air as embers flickered onto the ground.

  “As for you,” she said, slinging the sheathed sword over her shoulder. “Who the fuck are you?”

  Sakura breathed deeply. “My name is Sakura Carter—I serve Christina Tsukikage—I serve the Iron Fan Court. But I have no mark—”

  “Where is Ryo?!” Christine's voice roared out.

  Jade studied Christine. Her eyes narrowed.

  “Why would I bring my son to an execution, Christine?”

  Cristina’s grip on my hand tightened

  “Don’t insult me, Jade. The life of a male sprout is nothing compared to that of a heiress.”

  Jade looked down without responding. Something in her knew she was right.

  “But Christine, we’ve already lit the funeral pyres.”

  I looked around—there must have been fifteen pyres, bleeding the oxygen. How many bodies are they expecting?

  “Christine, I am honoring your name—that’s why I haven't rushed the school—that’s why I allowed you to exit on your own.

  Jade brought the sword to her side.

  “That’s why I’m giving you one more chance—make up with Ryo—So we can be family again.”

  Christine squeezed my hand—it hurt—I wanted her to let go. I wanted her to save herself.

  The door creaked open behind us. I froze.

  Was it Kamizawa? No—Hina? She said she would kill me.

  Fiery red hair brushed past Christine: Miss. Nakamura? What was she doing out here?

  She walked past Christine, centered herself in front of her, and bowed. Her knees knocked together, and her bow was off. But she didn’t make eye contact.

  “Please go back inside,” Miss. Nakamura’s words seeped through shattering teeth.

  “No,” Christina said. “This is happening because—”

  “Please, Ms. Tsukikage. If anything happens to you, your mother won’t—I have to reason with Ms. Aizawa.”

  “Miss. Nakamura, you can’t go over there.

  The warm air stung my skin.

  Bravely or foolishly, she walked straight toward Jade, and her cn allowed it.

  Panic filled my chest as my hand started to give under Christine’s pressure.

  She bowed again—this time to Jade.

  “Ms. Aizawa, my name is Tiffany Nakamura, Ma’am. We spoke over the phone—”

  Smack.

  A closed-fisted backhand from Jade, no warnings, and Nakamura was down, shaking.

  “You’re the one who couldn’t do her job! Watch them; Make sure no harm comes to them, and nothing between them.”

  Ruthlessly, Jade started stomping on her head. Moments ter, her cnmates joined in.

  My legs felt like wet spaghetti as I moved to stop them, but Christine squeezed harder.

  When I looked at her, her eyes commanded me to obey.

  “Sakura!” I pleaded.

  But she refused to meet me.

  No! She didn’t do anything—she’s just a teacher—a nobody— did she know that she was going to die, too?

  “Stop!” I screamed—the blood in my veins boiling.

  My request was heard behind tear-red eyes as jade and her troop turned their attention toward me.

  “You’re going to kill her… if you don’t stop.”

  Jade smirked.

  “That’s the point, kid. You see, Christine, consider this a gift to your family.”

  “What about,” her hand shook, “Antwon. Will you spare him?”

  Her arms spread like the wings of a fallen angel, beckoning Christine’s acceptance.

  This shouldn’t move me—It’s nothing I haven’t done—so why was I numb?

  I boyishly tugged at Christine’s sleeve.

  “Christine, just go with her so that you can live.”

  Jade took a few steps closer and raised one hand high in a closed fist.

  She stared at me with red eyes.

  “I’ll tell you what, Christine, I promise he won’t die.” Her smile grew, revealing jagged teeth.

  “What does that mean, Jade?” Sakura said, trembling.

  “That’s not enough for me,” Christina decred. But her grip was too tight.

  “Christine, you’re hurting me,” I whispered with shaky breath, but she didn’t hear.

  “He’ll live as property of the Veil—I’ll even raise him myself.”