"Then stop pretending this is an easy decision."
Vanish looked between them. "I might be able to take both of you if you remain close, but I cannot guarantee where we will land."
Lu Zhen immediately refused. "We are not risking an unstable jump."
Leng Pan looked at Vanish. "Take Lu Zhen first."
Her husband frowned. "You just objected to separating."
"I did, but one of us has to go first. Your wounds will slow you down if he cannot return, while I can use water to travel faster."
Lu Zhen stepped closer and lowered his voice. "I dislike how reasonable that sounds."
"You dislike any plan that places me outside your reach."
"That is because you have a habit of confronting dangerous things before I arrive."
Leng Pan adjusted his collar and smiled. "Then give me a reason to wait for you."
He bent down and kissed her. The kiss was brief but deep enough to make Vanish turn toward the approaching zombies and pretend he had seen something interesting.
