Bloodline ✦ Nomin

48

"So...what's the plan?" Yeeun asks as all the angels and Xiao stand in various spots around her room.

"You're our plan, apparently," Donghyuck answers first in a very sarcastic, bitter manner.

"What Hyuck means to say is that our plan was to get your help and plan things out further before we leave," Mark shoots his soulmate a pointed look for his comment.

"So this all rides on me, then?" Yeeun says with a deep sigh, "You guys are putting a lot of faith in me."

"Well, you're our only hope of getting out alive, so yeah, I think that constitutes us having to put a lot of faith in you," Donghyuck replies in an almost cynical manner.

"Donghyuck!" Mark hisses. His voice drops to a whisper, but he was still relatively audible to Jaemin. "I know you hate the idea of helping Jeno, but you could at least cooperate with us. Yeeun hasn't done anything. Be nice."

Donghyuck huffs and crosses his arms. A bitter pout forms on his lips as Mark places his hand on his shoulder and begins rubbing it.

"I wish I knew what to tell you guys, but we don't know where Jeno is or how he's being guarded or how Yuta plans to come at us once we get there. There's way too many unknown variables to be able to make a solid plan and determine what spells I can use to defend us," Yeeun calculates. She lets out an exasperated sigh and scratches at her scalp as she seemingly grapples for some sort of viable idea.

"Then maybe that's all we can do," Chenle remarks defeatedly, "Maybe we'll just have to go and hope we can make it out alive."

Chenle has a point, but it doesn't stop everyone in the room from appearing displeased with the idea of going in unprepared.

"What if..." Yeeun trails off as she bites her lower lip and furrows her brows together. She thinks hard, and everyone waits patiently as she considers her idea. "What if we used the same spell we intended to use on Jeno but for Yuta? If you guys manage to distract him and stop him from using his powers long enough for me to recite the spell, then we could take away his main line of defense."

"But what would we do with his powers? Where would they go?" Jaemin asks.

"We give them to Xiao," Yeeun replies as if the answer was obvious.

But Jaemin's stomach sinks.

"What about Jeno?" he follows up, noticing the deep frown that forms on Jisung's face at his question.

"What about him?" Yeeun confusedly requests for him to elaborate.

"What about the plan to transfer his powers to Xiao?"

Yeeun's expression falls at the realization of what he was asking.

"I um...I don't know. I think that'll have to be something I talk with Jeno about later. But if there's no need to do it, then he's at liberty to decline to go through with taking away his own powers." Yeeun can't seem to get herself to look at Jaemin. Her eyes keep flickering to every other soul taking up occupancy in the room, but not him.

"Oh..." Jaemin murmurs, not even attempting to hide the dissatisfaction he has about the idea of letting Jeno continue on with his devil half convincing him to do terrible things. If Jeno stayed evil, then there was no chance of them ever getting back together. Not while he was still a threat to Jaemin's safety.

"Well, if we take Yuta's power from him, then that would essentially render him killable...right?" Mark tries to bring the discussion back on track.

"Theoretically, yeah, but I think our main focus should stay on taking them away and bringing Jeno home. We could maybe capture Yuta and deal with him later if need be, but Jeno is our priority," Yeeun answers, "I think we can restrain Yuta, and once I take his powers away and give them to Xiao, Xiao and I can take care of putting Yuta somewhere more secure while the rest of you try and get Jeno out of there."