Page 9 of Gumiho Kiss (Realm of Eternal Blossoms #1)

The Goblin

A fter Chin Sun and Min Joon had gone over the details, they concluded that surveillance was the best course of action.

Min Joon had a contact south of Sokju he wanted to visit to find out whether there had been any other pirate sightings in the next province.

If this operation stretched beyond their city’s borders, it might be too big for them to handle on their own.

Chin Sun would watch Hong for any other suspicious behavior, and then the pair would reconvene here the night before the magistrate’s planned deal.

Once they’d finalized everything, Chin Sun was quick to depart.

Normally, she would have stayed longer to cross blades a few times, but she wasn’t up for the exertion right now, and she didn’t want Min Joon discovering the severity of her injury.

He would have told her not to come when they went to spy on Hong’s operation.

Not that she would have listened if he’d urged her to stay away. Her healing abilities were more than sufficient to have her in good condition by the night of the deal. It was just easier to keep Min Joon in the dark; then she didn’t have to worry about questions—or worse, concern.

Chin Sun darted across the tiles of a rooftop, the crisp air invigorating her lungs.

It would be Chuseok soon, a time which always evoked a pang of sorrow within her.

The annual celebration of the harvest was a three-day holiday full of laughter and joy for most, but for Chin Sun, it was also a time of grief.

As much as she loved her family and was grateful they’d taken her in, she couldn’t help but long for the mother and father she couldn’t remember.

A silly desire when they’d died long ago.

The story her uncle and aunt told of her origins was that Uncle’s younger brother had gotten a lowly peasant girl pregnant and agreed to marry her, but then he’d been killed by ruffians, leaving his bride-to-be penniless and alone.

Uncle and Aunt had taken the girl in, but she’d passed shortly after giving birth, so Uncle and Aunt had raised baby Chin Sun themselves.

It had always been a sensitive subject that tended to make Aunt burst into tears. When Chin Sun’s gumiho abilities had emerged, though, she’d discovered their reluctance to talk about the past had really been because it was a lie. What had actually happened was far worse.

Chin Sun swallowed, hating the emotions such memories dredged up.

She jumped to the ground as her family’s residence came into view.

Her neighbors’ homes sat on either side of her, hidden behind their stone walls and eaves.

As if they wanted to keep out anyone who didn’t fit the perfect mold they’d created.

She cut off the thought. She needed to focus on the present. That was what she could control.

A soft swish was her only warning before a blade arced toward her.

Chin Sun leaped into a front flip, then pulled her sword from its scabbard and swung around. The sharp ring of metal filled the night as the two swords collided. Her eyes widened when she recognized her assailant, foot slipping before she righted herself.

Mr. Park. She shouldn’t have been surprised to see him, but somehow, in all the planning with Min Joon, her nuisance of a bodyguard had slipped her mind.

Mr. Park pressed harder, straining to get the upper hand, but Chin Sun shoved him back. “Get out of my way,” she growled, then turned to leave. Despite the complications his presence brought to her life, he seemed to be a decent person. It would be a shame to have to kill him.

But Mr. Park jumped into her path once more, weapon raised. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You see, I swore if we ever crossed paths, I would kill you.”

“I’m flattered.” Chin Sun noted the self-assurance in the man’s eyes, the wide stance of his legs. Curiosity sparked within her. “But what makes you so certain I’ll let you?”

She advanced, not moving at full speed, but he easily deflected the blade. She struck again, faster this time, but the result was identical.

Mr. Park raised his eyebrows as if to say, Is that the best you can do?

Chin Sun smirked, injury forgotten. This was going to be fun. She thrust her sword forward, so quickly she was almost a blur, and Mr. Park parried just in time. He struck toward her core, but she evaded him gracefully, sliding to the right before moving into a defensive pose.

Mr. Park attacked a second time to the same effect.

Chin Sun tried to knock his legs out from under him, but he lurched out of the way.

Back and forth the two moved, almost in a dance as their swords clashed again and again, neither able to overtake the other.

Chin Sun pressed into her gifts as hard as she could, but again, she came up against that mental wall, leaving her wondering what might lie on the other side.

“Impressive,” Mr. Park admitted. Chin Sun had purposely led him away from the center of the city, and they now stood at its very edge. Rice paddy fields stretched out at her back, and great mountains rose in the distance. “I see why no one has captured you.”

“They don’t call me the Ghost for nothing.” She blocked a weak attack to her right, then twirled out of reach. “But I’m more curious about you. Did Hong send you? He must be desperate if he’s hiring common thugs now.”

A muscle twitched in her opponent’s jaw, sending a ripple of pleasure through her. She’d gotten under his skin. Perfect.

What she couldn’t do through skill with a blade she’d accomplish with her barbed tongue. There was more than one way to overpower an enemy. And distracted ones were prone to all kinds of mistakes.

Chin Sun swung at his chest. He blocked with his sword before metal met skin, his mouth curving with amusement.

Not as distracted as she’d thought.

“Since you’re so interested, there is something you should know about me,” he said.

“What’s that?” Chin Sun stepped back, allowing him the next move.

She purposely left her chest unguarded to see if he would go for the obvious play.

Then she could knock the sword out of his hand and flee to the woods at the mountains’ base.

As entertaining as this back-and-forth was, she was growing tired.

She needed to end this before things got messy.

He sliced toward her center, then at the last second, pivoted to the right. Chin Sun swerved to counter the attack, realizing his intent just before he made contact. She was too late. He cut into her left arm, right where she’d been injured.

Chin Sun gasped as pain ricocheted through her body, her blade clattering to the ground. She grabbed her arm; the sleeve was already damp with blood.

A second strike sliced just below her ribs, and she dropped to one knee with an all-too-feminine cry. Her head swam, black spots peppering her vision.

Mr. Park hesitated for a split second before moving closer, victory flashing in his eyes. “I never start a fight without first knowing my enemy’s weakness.”

Irritation surged through her, hot and overpowering. And strong enough to break through the fog descending on her mind. She gave his legs a great push, knocking him off his feet, then drew herself up and raced toward the mountains, her sword abandoned in the dirt.

Mr. Park’s feet pounded behind her. The forest lay ahead, growing thicker the farther she fled from the city.

She weaved in and out of the trees, trying to lose the stubborn bodyguard, but he clung to her trail like a dog after a fox.

Her energy was fading, draining out of her with the blood dripping onto the cold ground.

Chin Sun scrambled over a thick log, searching for a place to hide. Her dizzy mind spun in circles. Had she already gone this way? She’d grown up playing in these woods with Min Joon, but now everything looked the same. Sweat gathered on her skin, her breath coming in short pants.

The hair on the back of her neck prickled. Mr. Park was getting closer.

This form made her too big of a target. It might be time to resort to extreme measures.

Chin Sun blinked a few times, trying to shake off the idea, though she couldn’t remember why it was unwise anymore. She was so tired.

Heavy footsteps made her rapid heart fly faster, and before she could stop herself, her human form slipped away.

* * *

Hyun Soo dashed after the vigilante, amazed at the fellow’s breakneck pace after sustaining such heavy injuries. He seemed almost more like a ghost than a man, and when he slipped into the woods, it was all Hyun Soo could do to keep from losing him completely.

But he’d promised Dol Sam he’d protect Lady Lee, and that was what he was going to do.

Once Gwishin was eliminated, he could ask Dol Sam to help him acquire a government position.

From there, he’d work his way up until he’d rebuilt the reputation he’d lost. Then Father would realize he’d made a mistake, and the two of them could?—

He needed to slow down. There were too many variables still up in the air. Too many things that could go wrong.

Even so, stopping Gwishin was a step in the right direction, and the hope of restoration bolstered his endurance despite the fatigue creeping into his muscles.

A strange scraping sound to the right drew his attention, and he veered toward it.

A wild boar lifted its head from the base of a nearby tree, staring straight at him.

Hyun Soo carefully backed away from the animal, not wanting to startle it.

After a moment, it seemed to lose interest in him and returned to scratching at the tree bark.

Hyun Soo sighed in relief, then hurried off in the direction Gwishin had fled. Where had that fiend gone?

The screeching of bats and chirping of insects inundated his ears, but he could no longer detect Gwishin’s light steps. The terrain was rockier now, with several drop-offs and dangerously steep inclines. Hyun Soo picked up his pace, praying he hadn’t let the elusive criminal slip away.