Rowan → Ethan Nakamura ✔

Lies

"The sky?" Rowan stared. "How did I get there? What was I doing?"

"Carrying out a Hunter's duties," Huang Long replied. "You were to exterminate the Mogwai nuisance up above."

"How are there demons in Heaven?"

Huang Long sniffed disdainfully. "Mogwai jump at the opportunity to cause chaos, so they volunteered to be the Monkey King's personal army. The mongrel got too big for his boots, and his old ambitions of being the Emperor returned."

"Who's the Monkey King?" Nico asked.

"He's mentioned in 'The Journey to the West'," Billie answered.

"He's also extremely dangerous," Rowan clarified. "The temperament of a monkey and a fighter capable of beating the best warrior gods. Mischief and martial arts are not a good mix."

"Hold on," Ethan said. He took a step forward, and Rowan recognized his rising anger. She grabbed his hand, attempting to rein him in, but Ethan was just as impetuous as he was when they were children. "The Monkey King – one of the most powerful beings in the world – dethroned the King of Gods, and you sent Rowan to deal with him?"

"Fail to deal with him," Huang Long corrected. Rowan flushed red under his judgement. "You lost the battle before you even made it to the steps of the Heavenly Palace."

Ethan squeezed Rowan's hand. He hissed, "Of course she did; she's mortal!"

"Excuses," Huang Long waved a dismissive hand. "While I will admit that it was a mistake to send you alone," He addressed Rowan before turning to Ethan. "There is no reason for her to shirk her duties. She is a Hunter, after all."

"Of Mogwai that are haunting people's houses and maybe stealing cows once in a while. Not an army of them commanded by a god!"

"When we found her," Nico said, slow, quiet fury of his own building within him. "Rowan was almost gone. Now you're sending her back? Do you want her dead?"

"Do you all speak on her behalf?" Huang Long asked coldly.

"No, but – "

"Then your opinion is irrelevant, for I hear no complaints from her."

Heads turned to stare at Rowan, waiting for her response. She could hear the words in Ethan's pleading gaze, his eyes wide: Save yourself, Ro. Hunter be damned; this is a god, not a Mogwai.

As much as her pride told her to stand up to the Dragon King, there was a longer, smarter game to be played. So she relented.

"I ranked first in the Hunter Trials." She said firmly. "It is an honor to fight on behalf of the Jade Emperor."

Ethan and Nico stared at her, bewildered, their disappointment so strong that Rowan considered taking back what she said, flipping the gods the bird, and walking out of the Undersea Palace with her friends, alive and well and healthy.

Huang Long smiled, victorious. "Your loyalty will be rewarded, child. Indeed, it already has – when you were defeated and fell into the sea, I brought you to Long Island, where you would be able to find capable help."

"So this was never our fight," Nico glared at Huang Long, the air around him turning cold. "You dragged us into your war."

Huang Long raised an eyebrow. "If the Monkey King continues to enjoy the benefits of being the Emperor while neglecting its duties, yin and yang will be thrown off balance. Once this becomes irreparable, the dividers between the plains of existence will cease to exist, and that will affect everyone. This is your war. This is everyone's war."