The Return Undeserved

The hidden corridor wound on and on, each step carrying Jin Mu deeper into the bones of the Tribunal complex.

His breathing was ragged, the bruises from the Warden's grip blooming purple beneath his collarbone.

But the Primordial Thread was quiet again—spent for now.

He had no illusions he'd be able to use it again without consequence.

His entire body felt hollowed out, as if something essential had burned away.

He stumbled around a corner—and nearly collided with a pair of red-robed guards, sprinting toward the Archive.

They were so startled to see him that for an instant, neither moved.

Jin Mu struck first.

He rammed an elbow into the nearer one's throat, spinning him sideways, and seized the other by the face.

With a snarl, he slammed the man's head against the stone.

Bone cracked.

The guard sagged to the floor.

The first guard was already regaining his footing, clutching at his throat and wheezing.

Jin drove a knee into his gut, then wrenched the shortblade from the fallen man's belt.

"Stay down," he rasped.

He didn't wait to see if the guard obeyed.

He ran.

Minutes later, he burst into a different wing—one he recognized from the Tribunal's public records.

The detention cells.

He skidded to a halt as the corridor branched, then forced himself to steady his breathing.

Think.

Su Lin would be in a secure cell—she was a threat to the Concord's records.

Shen Yan would be elsewhere, probably in a holding pen.

If they moved her after the lock broke…

A tremor passed through the stone underfoot.

Distant shouting.

They knew he was loose.

He picked the left corridor and sprinted.

The first cell was empty.

The second held a dying smuggler, who flinched from him in terror.

The third—

He froze.

Su Lin was chained to the wall, her face turned away.

Her white hair hung in a curtain, filthy with dried blood.

"Su."

She didn't stir.

Jin crossed the cell in two strides and knelt.

Carefully, he touched her shoulder.

Her head turned fractionally, and he saw her swollen eye open just a slit.

"Jin…" she whispered.

Relief nearly broke him in half.

"Hold still."

He closed his eyes, reaching for the Thread—but nothing stirred.

Fine. He didn't need it.

He set the stolen shortblade between his teeth and pried her wrist shackles open with the tip.

Metal groaned and splintered under the strain.

The manacle cracked, falling away.

Su slumped forward, barely conscious.

Jin caught her against his chest.

"I have you," he murmured.

Her hand closed weakly in his shirt.

He carried her from the cell, limping under her weight.

Halfway down the hall, another door slammed open—

—and Shen Yan emerged, shirt torn, face streaked with blood.

Their eyes met.

"Jin?" Shen rasped.

"Come on," Jin said. "We're leaving."

Shen staggered forward, half-collapsing against Su's other side to help bear her weight.

They moved together, three broken figures in a place that had never meant for them to leave alive.

They reached the outer corridor before the first alarms started.

Runes flared to life along the archways—scarlet, angry light.

Jin glanced back once.

A squad of crimson-robed enforcers poured into view, weapons gleaming.

He set Su down carefully and turned to Shen Yan.

"You take her," he said.

Shen's eyes widened.

"What? No—"

"Listen to me," Jin snapped. "You take her and you get out. I'll draw them off."

"No!" Su croaked. Her hand fumbled for his.

"You have to," Jin said, voice softer.

He leaned close, pressing their foreheads together.

"Live," he whispered. "Both of you."

Then he turned and walked toward the advancing soldiers.

They didn't wait for him to speak.

The nearest lunged, spear arcing in a silver blur.

Jin sidestepped, catching the haft and twisting.

The soldier crashed into his companion.

Another came from behind—he ducked under the blade, but a boot caught him in the ribs and sent him sprawling.

His vision pulsed black around the edges.

He rolled, narrowly evading a thrust aimed for his spine.

Hands seized his arms, wrenched them behind him.

Metal bit into his wrists as manacles locked shut.

He fought like a trapped animal, lashing out with a wild kick that shattered a guard's knee.

But there were too many.

A blow cracked across the back of his skull.

He went down on his side, tasting copper.

Rough hands dragged him upright.

More gauntlets clamped over his shoulders and throat, pinning him as if he were nothing but a feral beast.

Through the blur, he saw Shen Yan and Su Lin vanish into the darkness—Shen half-carrying her as she clung to his neck.

Jin's chest lifted with something like relief.

Then the Warden stepped into view, flanked by silent red-robed figures.

His thin mouth curled in disgust.

"I did warn you," he murmured.

Jin tried to lift his head, to spit some final defiance in his face.

But the world tilted—

—and went black.

When he woke, he was back in the Archive.

Shackled to a cold iron chair.

Alone.

The silence pressed against his temples.

He closed his eyes.

Even here, he thought, even now—

I would do it again.