If the dokkaebi took my elemental magic, my gifted mark would disappear. And that means no matter how many times I got biochipped, my ability to wield fire would be gone for good.

But then Sora’s words from before the initiation come back to me again. What we’re looking for is your commitment and loyalty.

My success in the trial wasn’t about my ability to wield fire. It was about the way I approached the task.

Something clicks into place inside me.

My new magic might be a part of me that I’d like to nurture and grow. But I would still be me without it. I thought I needed magic to be someone. But now I know that’s not true. It’s my actions, regardless of the magic, that really count. And right now, everything is riding on them.

“Fine,” I say, holding my ground and standing tall. I’m eager for this to be over. “You can have my magic.”

The dokkaebi’s eyebrows make choppy waves on his face. He was obviously looking for more of a fight, and it’s satisfying to know I’ve surprised him.

The goblin pauses, but only for a split second. His mouth opens again, spreading a horrible stench. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Miss Oh. The negotiation isn’t over quite yet.”

I suck in a breath. How could it not be over? There’s nothing more he could possibly take from me!

“In addition to your magic, I require something else. Something you cherish above all else. The thing you cannot live without.” His black eyes harden like coals, and I know that whatever comes next will be devastating. I can feel it in my bones.

“I demand the Horangi’s and Gom’s memories of you. You will be erased from the minds of your two clans and your two families. All of them. That is the final payment I require for delivering to you the Godrealm’s last fallen star.”

I fall to my knees. No, no, no! He has found the one way to destroy me from the inside out. My biggest vulnerability: the fear of being forgotten. The fear of being unloved by those I love most.

I pull out the vial from under my shirt and see that only a quarter of Hattie’s heart is red now. It’s me or Hattie. That’s what this has come down to.

And it’s funny, really. You’d think this would be the hardest decision in the entire three realms to make. It should be an impossible choice, like the one my eomma was faced with, having to choose between Hattie and me.