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She handed a white paper to Detective Hae. “You must burn it to purify so we can connect to the gods. Call upon your ancestors to give us strength in our purpose.”

“Hae Taewoo, don’t do this,” Yena pleaded. Miyoung had never heard her mother beg before. She gripped her mother’s hand. And, for the first time, Yena laced her fingers through Miyoung’s, holding tight.

“I have to,” Detective Hae said. “I am responsible for all the souls you’ve both taken in the past seventeen years. I must atone for my weakness. I never should have let you live.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out another bead. This one had a softer luster than Miyoung’s, as if it had lost its shine over time.

“At first, I regretted losing you,” Detective Hae whispered reverently, staring at the stone. “I tried to order you to return to me a thousand times. You never came. You were too far for me to reach you.”

“I’m here now. So let our daughter go.”

Detective Hae shook his head as his eyes traveled over Mi-young as well. “You both hold evil inside. I have to save you from it.”

“By killing us?”

“In death you will find absolution.”

“Taewoo, please, if you ever loved me—”

“I love you still!” Detective Hae shouted.

“It’s time.” Shaman Kim held out her hand and accepted Yena’s bead, wrapping it in a bright bujeok. Then she did the same with Miyoung’s. Two perfect spheres wrapped in gold and red.

As Detective Hae set the white paper he held ablaze, Shaman Kim laid out a white handkerchief and placed the stones atop it. Then she lit incense sticks and stuck them in the ground in a circle around the beads.

Shaman Kim began to chant. And with her words she began to sway, her movements becoming long and rhythmic, joining her song.

It reminded Miyoung of that night three months ago, when the shaman had pulled at Miyoung’s soul until she thought it would be sucked out of her body.

And as the shaman danced, the moon’s light burst through the clearing, a thousand times more powerful than the glare of the sun.

It blinded them all. Turned night to day and cold to fire.

Miyoung screamed, holding Yena’s hand tightly. Her wails mixed with her mother’s.

“I’m sorry.” Yena’s agony was painted on her face. Her pale skin reddened, as if she were held over a flame.

“You can’t give up,” Miyoung said through gritted teeth.

Yena grinned, a feral smile that gave Miyoung hope. “Never.” Then her body shuddered and her hand tightened. Blood seeped from Yena’s eyes, her nose, her lips. And she fell to the ground.

Miyoung tried to move, but her muscles seized, and she fell beside Yena’s prone form.

Flames rose up inside her. Giant licks of agony that scorched her until she was sure she would burn to nothing.

76

MIYOUNG WANTED TOlet the pain take her into the dark. At least then her torment would end.

“If you die, you’ll be going against my wishes.” The words were an angry rasp from Yena, her eyes closed against the pain. Miyoung almost laughed. Leave it to her mother to command her to live.

“As you wish, Mother.”

Miyoung pulled herself up and lurched to her feet, swaying at first. The air sizzled and sparked, an electric energy created through magic and might to hold down a gumiho.

She gathered the last of her strength and charged. With each step, pain engulfed her. It coursed through her like a thousand volts.

Detective Hae’s eyes widened at the sight of her, blood and spit foaming at her snarling lips. Each step pulling a scream of agony from her. “You said they wouldn’t feel pain.”