Page 20

CHAPTER 20

REN

Seorawon, Port City on the River Nakjin

Occupied Territories

WITH SUNHO’S COINS, Ren had just enough to purchase passage on a small fishing boat. The captain was a surly old man who boasted an impressive beard braided with colorful amber beads. He reminded her of the peddlers the caravan would trade with while on the road, who were often eccentric and solitary—except the boatman was infinitely ruder.

“Come back in a half hour,” he crowed, shooing her away and sticking half of her coins in his beard, where she assumed he kept a pouch attached to a string around his neck. “If you’re late, I’m leaving without you!”

He shoved her off the boat onto the dock. “Can I leave my bags here at least?” she protested.

He harrumphed from his seat on an upturned pail, waving his hand in the air. She took that as permission and threw her belongings onto the deck, though she kept her umbrella tucked against her back.

“What are you wearing that mask for, anyway?” he grunted, clicking his tongue. “You stick out too much. Take it off.”

“Take off your beard first,” she rejoined, and got an apple thrown at her head.

She caught it with a flourish. “Thanks!”

The old man grumbled to himself but couldn’t hide the upward twitch of his mustache.

Ren leaned against the wooden railing of the dock. The boatman was right—she was conspicuous with her mask. When she was with Sunho, she’d seen a few children pointing and staring before their caretakers hurried them along. She wanted to blend in with the crowd, and not draw attention to herself, and so, slowly, she lifted her mask, first over her brow, then off entirely. She laid it aside, relishing the feel of the brisk air. Lifting the apple, she took a large bite, savoring its tart crispness.

A stray wind swept over the river, loosening her braid and ruffling her short jacket.

From the dock, she watched as boats glided along the crystalline waters, their sails like bright wings. One of the larger vessels disappeared beneath the arch of the bridge, emerging on the other side a short few seconds later. Finishing her apple, she tossed the core into the water for the fish; then, laying her arms on the railing, she rested her chin in her hands.

A melancholic feeling stole over her, which was odd, seeing as she’d accomplished her goal of procuring a boat to the Under World.

A loud squawk startled her as a gull launched itself from the railing, winging out toward the city.

As she followed its flight, she thought of Sunho and whether he’d found an airship to take him over the mountain.

What would he think when he discovered the truth? That the light had come from a girl, a troupe performer , who disappeared shortly after the attack? Sunho would know then that she was the one he’d been looking for. Would he resent her for lying? Hate her? Ren’s stomach churned at the thought.

She remembered his expression as he’d gazed up at her by the fountain, the trust she’d seen there. She’d almost told him the truth, then. Except he’d divulged to her the real reason he needed to find her. Ren had panicked. She couldn’t reveal to him the truth of who she was and risk that he’d choose his brother and betray her.

Even as the thought entered her mind, she knew it was a lie. She was only telling herself this as an excuse because she didn’t want to acknowledge the truth she’d known ever since she’d woken from her dream of the Floating World.

She wasn’t afraid that Sunho would betray her. The betrayal she feared was her own.

To remember that night was to know that her mother had been murdered by the man sworn to protect her, who in one fell sweep had taken everything from Ren—her mother, her home, her world . Everything she had once loved, everything she had tried to forget.

Vengeance, and the desire for it… The only way to be rid of it would be to kill the man who’d murdered her mother and take back all that she’d lost.

The clock tower gonged in the distance, startling her. She released her hands from the railing, her knuckles white. She hadn’t realized she’d grabbed hold of it.

She staggered back. No , that wasn’t the path she’d chosen for herself. A path like that, a path of revenge, using her powers to take back her birthright, would change her, lead her farther and farther away from the people she cared about—Little Uncle, Auntie, and Hwi—and closer to the precipice.

She could see it, looming before her. The edge of the world.

She realized the memory of it had always haunted her, even as she tried so hard to forget. It was her fear that had immobilized her outside Gorye Village and stolen her breath at the ravine.

The fear had been so powerful, a maelstrom of dark images from her past she didn’t think anything, or anyone, could break through.

Until Sunho.

I won’t let you fall. With only his voice, he’d swept back the storm.

It wasn’t just his calmness, or his certainty; it was that she believed him. If anyone could keep her from falling off the edge of the world, it would be him.

Lifting her head, she gazed up toward the bridge. Had he left yet? Was she too late? She started walking, quickly at first, her heart picking up speed, until she was running.

On the bridge, pedestrians jumped out of her way, cursing and shouting for her to slow down. A woman lost hold of a goose that squawked and flapped its wings in her face. Ren didn’t stop to apologize, too focused on reaching the other side. There was still a chance she could catch up with Sunho, to tell him the truth. Loud bells pealed across the city, and she stumbled to a halt.

She watched as from behind the clock tower a small airship rose, careening alarmingly in the wind before righting itself. It headed east, sputtering a sparkling trail of blue.

East. Toward the Haebaek Mountains.

Her chest tightened painfully. Sunho was on that ship. She was too late. He was gone.

“Hwi?”

A group of carpenters carrying planks walked by in front of her. As they passed, she saw Sunho standing by the fountain. Droplets of water had caught in his hair, glistening blue black in the sun.

She stood still, staring at him, uncomprehending. She’d taken a step forward when she realized…

She wasn’t wearing her mask. She’d left it on the railing by the docks.

He’d seen a drawing of her. She knew it wasn’t a perfect likeness, a rendering composed of her girlhood appearance and her mother’s features. Still, the resemblance would be enough for him to make the connection.

His eyes never left hers as she approached him. She couldn’t read his expression to know his thoughts, his face carefully blank.

“I thought you’d left,” she said, once she was near.

He shook his head.

His gaze finally moved downward, lingering on the parts of her face that had been hidden beneath the mask—her nose, her lips, her chin.

She’d never been so conscious of her appearance, aware that at any moment he might recognize her, that his face would twist in shock at her betrayal.

Unable to bear the scrutiny any longer, she blurted, “I’m sorry, I lied. I—”

“You’re beautiful,” he said.

She stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. Then her cheeks flamed and she attempted to collect herself. “How did you know it was me? Was it my clothes—ah, the umbrella.” She wore it slung across her back.

“Even without them,” he said, “I’d have known you.”

The clock tower had ceased gonging long ago. Why hadn’t he boarded that ship? Why did he come back?

The painful tightness in her chest was gone, replaced with something else—hope. She reached out her hand toward his.

“Sunho—”

His body tensed, eyes darting to the side. A man leaped from the fountain, spraying water. On instinct, Ren dropped to the ground. The air shifted above her head as the mercenary’s blade swept the area where her neck had been. With a curse, he swung back around, but Sunho blocked his next attack, shoving the man backward. He fell into the fountain with a splash.

Sunho reached for her hand, and she took it. Together they raced toward the entrance to the bridge, arrows piercing the wooden planks around their feet. The crowd had scattered in all directions, screaming and panicking, with those standing nearest the pavilion hiding beneath its wings and others leaping off the sides of the bridge into the water several feet below.

Jumping over an overturned cart, Ren and Sunho pressed their backs against bundles of hay.

“Is that one of the killers from the train?” Ren caught her breath. Though the train had crashed, a few must have made it to Seorawon. She’d assumed they’d headed east in pursuit of her, like Sunho had originally intended.

“Some of them must not have left the city,” Sunho said, his voice gruff. “The cart vendor from earlier knew. She warned me you were in danger.”

Ren frowned. “But she didn’t see my face.”

“I’m guessing the bounty wasn’t just for someone fitting your description, but any girl around your age.”

Ren shuddered at the cruelty of such an order. How many girls had died in the search for her? She knew it wasn’t her fault but the man who’d set the killers on their course. The general.

“Boy!” a loud voice boomed from the square in front of the pavilion.

Sunho and Ren both twisted, peeking their heads over the cart. A man with a bow and arrow stood between two others, similarly armed, as well as an old woman.

Sunho inhaled sharply. “I know her,” he said, nodding at the woman. “She was one of the mercenaries hired alongside me. A bounty hunter.” Sunho frowned. “She must have switched sides.”

He nodded toward the man who’d shouted. “That’s Claw, one of the thugs who was on the train.” He grabbed the hilt of his sword. “I’m going to see what he wants.”

Sunho stood, and Ren held her breath, only letting it go when an arrow didn’t sweep down to pierce his chest.

“She’s not the one you’re looking for,” Sunho said, his voice carrying across the now silent square. “There’s no reason for us to fight.”

Claw, the presumed leader, scowled. “Don’t mistake us for fools. We saw the girl’s face. Give her up and maybe we’ll consider sparing your life.”

Ren cursed her foolishness. If only she’d kept her mask on, then they wouldn’t be in this situation. No , she decided, they would have come after me regardless.

“Keep your eyes down, Servant of Sareniya. You are unworthy of the light.”

It was the old woman who’d spoken, without inflection, as if the words were seared into her bones. The words sounded repetitive; Ren had heard them before. An image came to mind of men and women kneeling before her mother as she stood on the dais of a great ceremonial hall, the celestial robe falling from her shoulders to pool around her feet.

“You know what that means, don’t you, boy?” The woman addressed Sunho directly, her gaze never leaving his. “She’s from the Floating World, and you’re from the Under World. She’ll use you, then discard you. To someone like her, you’re expendable.”

That’s not true! Ren wanted to shout, but that would admit her identity.

“Do you know who they think she is ? Their lost princess. The last of the celestial maidens. In her name, they will commit great horrors. As long as she lives, the bloodshed will never end. For the glory of Sareniya.”

Frustration churned in her gut. This was all the general’s doing. Ren would never have anything to do with a war that brought such suffering. Neither had her mother. Ten years ago, she would have been a young woman herself. She couldn’t have condoned such acts.

No, it was the general. Though an uneasiness settled in her gut. The woman sounded so certain.

When she glanced up, she saw that Sunho’s head was lowered. What was he thinking? He had every right to hate Sareniya. Her people had taken everything from him—his brother, his friends, his childhood…

More mercenaries emerged from where they’d been concealed, joining Claw and the old woman.

“I saw you fight on the train,” Claw said, the respect evident in his voice. “It’s clear to me you’re a worthy opponent. Let’s stop this infighting. The Sareniyans aren’t worth our blood.”

“You didn’t hear me,” Sunho said, lifting his head. “I’m not giving her up.”

Claw frowned. “You have a death wish? There’s ten of us and you’re alone.”

“I’m not alone.”

Sunho’s eyes met Ren’s, and she nodded. She grabbed her umbrella from her back. Together, they leaped from behind the cart, running toward the pavilion on the bridge.

She heard more than felt the shower of arrows, lifting the umbrella behind them and popping the hood. Reaching for her magic, she sent a gust of wind toward the arrows, knocking them off course; a few clattered against the top of the umbrella harmlessly.

As they passed beneath the pavilion, Sunho pulled her behind a pillar. “There are too many of them.”

Ren bit her lip, her eyes darting around the empty structure; the people who’d initially taken shelter beneath the pavilion had fled. Pieces of wooden planks were left behind by the carpenters who’d been patching up the western side. She could see the large scaffold they’d been using through a break in the wall.

Turning quickly to Sunho, she said, “Do you think you can hold them off for a few minutes? I have an idea.”

Sunho gave her a quick nod. Raising his sword in a defensive stance, he turned to face their pursuers.

Ren sprinted toward the opening in the wall. Sliding her umbrella into her belt, she grabbed on to one of the wooden poles of the scaffold and pulled herself through. Then, removing her knife from her pocket, she placed it in her mouth before using both hands to climb.

At the top of the scaffold, she raced down a long plank, leaping from it onto the roof of the pavilion. An arrow whistled toward her, and she bent backward, narrowly avoiding it. Beneath her, she heard clashing steel—Sunho, engaging with the mercenaries. She moved quickly, grabbing the ropes that tied the scaffold to the pavilion and using her knife to saw through them one by one. The last rope snapped. Groaning, the scaffold began to fall. Ren jumped off the roof as it collided with the pavilion, collapsing together onto the bridge.

“Hwi!” Sunho called out from below, running to meet her. She reached for her magic again, using it to sweep herself into his arms. She couldn’t control her momentum however, and she toppled into him, his arms coming around to catch her as he fell backward, skidding across the bridge. “Are you all right?” he said, breathless, once they came to a stop. He raised himself up on his elbows. “That was incredible!”

“Wasn’t it? Come on!” She grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet. Her heart sang with triumph. Beyond the bridge, she caught sight of the small fishing boat, still tied to the dock. They were going to make it.

A black feather fluttered in the air. Sunho dragged her to a halt.

In the middle of the bridge stood a man, his face covered by a large cowl. He wore diaphanous robes that spilled from his shoulders.

A great gray cloud cut the bridge in half, veiling the man’s side in shadow, while Ren and Sunho stood in the light.

Ren recovered first from the shock of seeing him, and her mind strategized their next course of action. It was likely the newcomer was allied with the others. If he carried weapons, they were hidden beneath his robes.

He took a step toward them, and Ren was struck by the awful splintering sound of his approach, as if the wooden slats of the bridge were being ruptured with each of his steps.

As he broke from the shadow, and into the light, Ren glimpsed his face beneath the cowl. Her whole body seized with fear, unable to move, unable to speak.

His features were monstrous, grotesque: horns and gaping black eyes.

Demon.

Sunho’s sword clattered to the ground as he cried out. He fell to his knees, gripping his head between his hands.

“Sunho!” Ren dropped beside him, grabbing his arm. “What’s wrong?”

She let go of him with a hiss. His skin burned . She stared in horror as his veins began to pulse. Blue. He cried out again and tears sprang to her eyes. Whatever he was experiencing must be agonizing, a pain she couldn’t imagine.

She looked up at a great roaring sound to see the demon charging straight toward them, its claws extended.

Then she felt movement beside her. Sunho pushed her aside just as the demon descended.

Its claws pierced Sunho’s shoulder, the tips of it coming out the other end.

“No!” Ren screamed.

The demon pulled its claws from Sunho, blood spilling onto the wood. Slowly, he slumped over, unmoving.

Ren felt her heart seize with anguish, then it started to pound, hard and fast.

She reached behind her for her umbrella. Upending it, she stepped onto the canopy, snapping off the handle. She rushed at the demon, screaming a battle cry.

It easily dodged her attack, but she had anticipated this. Twisting her body, she jabbed the broken end of her umbrella at its face; it pierced its skin, leaving a jagged slash.

It roared, its lips curling back in a snarl.

She only barely managed to avoid the next swipe of its claws. Then it came after her, faster and more vicious than before.

She deflected a thrust of the demon’s claws with her handle, only for it to go flying over the edge of the bridge.

With a whiplike motion, the demon grabbed Ren’s neck, squeezing the breath from her lungs. She dug her fingers into its hand, but it only tightened its grip.

Her vision started to darken, and her heart broke knowing she would never find the cure for Little Uncle in time to bring it back to him. She would never even see him or Auntie again. Nor would she laugh with Hwi or perform with her family, singing and dancing beneath the stars. That’s all she ever wanted. To find happiness in small, shared moments with the people she loved most. Or at least, that’s what she had wanted. Before she’d gone on this journey. Before she knew of the darkness that shadowed the world. She didn’t know what she’d do about it, but now that she was aware of its existence, she couldn’t go back to her old life, to the way things used to be.

Behind the demon, she saw movement. Sunho, reaching for his sword.

The Light was leaving. No . She felt its spark inside her, building, until it was as bright as the night on the mountainside.

Burn , it called out to her. Ignite.

Light burst from her hands. Howling, the demon released her. She fell to the ground, gasping as she pushed herself upright. She didn’t wait to see if she’d killed it, stumbling to Sunho and helping him to stand. White flames licked the bridge as they staggered to the edge. With the last of their strength, they pulled themselves over the railing and jumped into the river.