My Muse || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

⭐ My Muse || Chapter 123

Eight days. 

We still haven't deciphered the rest of the riddle yet, and we're really going onto a limb and stretching what the first part could mean. But that's not important now. Tomorrow, Norman will send two hunters to find and kill Mujika and Sonju. "We can't let that happen!" Gilda cried, visibly upset. Don nodded, frowning as well. "They saved us, they're like our family." Ray nodded his head. "That's why Norman wants them dead. y/n and I would accompany the hunters, but we have work to do, and this stupid riddle isn't going to solve itself." "Then- Then how about we go?" The green haired girl's voice trembled, a little shocked by the words coming out of her own mouth. Her fear quickly turned into determination, clenching her fists and gazing at me fiercely. "Yeah! Don and I will look for Mujika and Sonju while you two stay here!" They've... They've grown so much... Gilda isn't the shy, scared girl from a year ago. Neither is Don the loud, immature younger brother. They were both brave, strong, and giving their all to help our family. I glanced at Ray, who was smiling softly. "Okay." We said, giving them both tight hugs. "Be careful, and don't do anything to get yourselves killed." Don laughed, patting my back. "And this is coming from you two self sacrificial liars?" 

Seven days. 

"Bye, you two." I squeezed Gilda's hand tightly. The two mercenaries accompanying them were Hayato and Ayshe, the girl we met once before when sneaking out. I didn't understand her motives or her alliance. Just that she hated William Minerva. Hayato was a little too energetic for it to be the early morning, and the four walked off, Don giving me one last thumbs up. Our time was running out. We had to figure this soon, or all these poor demons would be killed. Norman glared at me from his office window. He grinned when our eyes met, making my heart start to race. Not with love, though. With anger. That he would want to kill a whole race of creatures. But I couldn't hate him for it. He just wanted to protect us in his own stupid way. 

"What if we just had to complete like, some stupid big coloring page? Not- Not just big. Stupid big." I saw where Emma was coming from, but not really at the same time. "Where though?" I muttered, tapping the corner of the rolled map. "A black coloring page... How would that even work?" Zack chuckled from my left. Yuugo shrugged, kicking his feet onto the table. "You're teaching the kids bad manners!" Ray hissed, pushing his legs off. The two started to argue, making everyone laugh. "You're acting like y/n." The older man muttered, mocking Ray's tone. "You mean polite, kind, and considerate of the little ones? Thank you, gramps!" I sighed, examining the topography a little closer. Not that it would help me or anything. "Ouch-!" I bit my cheek, noticing the small papercut on my pointer finger. A drop of blood fell onto Gillian's coloring page from yesterday. 

Okay. This might have been a stretch. No, it was definitely a stretch. But something in my head clicked. "The mural!" I shouted, pointing at the temple's location on the map. "We have to redraw the mural! Remember? The black tower! It wasn't just some weird black screen, it was a night sky! The painting was faded!" Everyone's jaw dropped. "Holy shit." Nigel muttered, stumbling to his feet. "Le- Let's go! We have to go!" Emma scrambled up, running to her room. We have no time to spare! We have to go now! Ray and I shoved our things into our backpacks, the weight of the necklace on my chest suddenly becoming unbearable. The Promise will be reforged soon. And with it, the price I have to pay. I glanced at the black haired boy by my side, as he pulled on a blue scarf. I'm ready. I'm ready to lose you, Ray. But it's because I love you, so don't get mad at me, okay?