Run, Daughter. You must run.
Why did the last of my mother’s life force tell me to run? Why did she try tokillEthan?
Frustrated and desperate, I ask, “Did you by any chance grab theBook of Answerstoo?”
“Sorry, no.” He kisses the top of my head. “And I’m so sorry about your house.”
“Me too.” I sigh. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Lead the way.” He drops his arm from my shoulder, then grabs hold of my hand.
I pick a direction and walk, lifting my floor-length skirt off the ground with my free hand. I’m still missing a jeogori, but I feel far lessself-conscious about my luscious cleavage. Oh, what a difference a day of naked shenanigans makes.
As I trudge on like a topless Joseon maiden, Ethan walks silently at my side. I glance at his profile and down at his hands. “Hey, where did your golden axe go?”
He shrugs, keeping his gaze forward.
“I guess it comes and goes as it pleases,” I murmur when he doesn’t elaborate. “Let’s go this way. There’s a spring nearby.”
As we walk on, his expression grows distant and hard.Hefeels distant and hard. My teeth dig into my bottom lip. I tsk and shake my head. He’s upset about losing his necklace. How could he not be? The only reason I’m semi-okay with my childhood home burning down is because I have Olympic-level avoidance skills.
I want to hug him tight until he thaws, but something holds me back. The rigid set of his shoulders and the inflexible lines of his face tell me he might not welcome my comfort. Something inside me withers a little. Does he ... regret what happened yesterday? My stomach drops at the thought, and my heart drums with fear. No, this won’t do. I clench my jaw and pick up my pace.
I don’t care what he thinks, because I don’t intend to repeat the ... the mistake. I tug my hand out of his grip, but he doesn’t seem to notice. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep my lips from wobbling. We’re in this together for now, but once it’s over—and we manage to live through it—I’m going back to my lifealone, and he’ll go on with his.
But the life he left behind won’t be the one he’ll return to. That life doesn’t exist anymore. He’s a being of the Shingae with untapped powers I can’t even begin to fathom. Nothing can wound him. Even the Blessed get hurt—they just heal fast like me. And he can wield the legendary axes.
I know Ethan ismore, but I can’t make sense of it. The Kingdom of Mountains from the old story doesn’t exist. There is noKingof Mountains. There is no crown. But until a few days ago, I thought the golden axe and the silver axe weren’t real.
Although my mother kept me secluded from the rest of the Shingae, she taught me everything I know about the world of gods—from history and politics to medicine and martial arts. But what if Samshin Halmeom had been teaching me too? What if the tales she told me were based on the truth? I shiver. Some of her stories were dark and bloody. I would have nightmares for a week after hearing one. That didn’t stop me from asking for more, though.
I can’t help glancing at Ethan again, my heart twisting. I don’t know if it’s for myself or for him.Who are you?I press my lips tight. He’s Ethan Lee. My friend. That’s all that matters. And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure he survives this shitshow so he can have a life to live—whatever life awaits him.Without me.
“Hey.” The back of his hand brushes mine. “Where have you gone?”
“Just ... strategizing,” I murmur, drawing myself out of my thoughts.
Ethan nods. “Now that we have the sacred ashes, don’t you think it’s time we bring the fight to Daeseong?”
“That’ll be suicide until we figure outhowto use the ashes,” I say, arching my brow. What’s gotten into him? “Besides, I have no idea how to find him.”
“Maybe we let him find us.” A muscle tics in his jaw. “Once we dispose of his final assassin, he’ll have no choice but to come after us himself. And when he does, we’ll make him pay for killing Ben ... for hurting you.”
I feel it again. He’s ... different. The Ethan that walked into Roxy’s was kind, even in his grief. He wanted justice for Ben, not necessarily vengeance. It’s true that things have changed since we learned the truth about Daeseong’s resurrection. He isn’t someone we can just turn over to the local law enforcement. No, the dark mudang has to be stopped at all costs. But this Ethan is vengeful, angry ... sorrowful. He’s like a stranger.
“Hey.” I put a hand on his arm, and he stops walking. “Daeseong will pay for what he did to Ben, but there might be more at work here than we know. I need you to be patient for just a bit longer.”
“Patient?” His soft scoff is as bitter as crushed aspirin. “I think I’ve been patient for far too long.”
“I ...” My words catch in my throat. “I’m sorry. This is ... this is all my fault. I’m so sorry.”
“None of this is your fault.” He spins me to face him, his fingers digging into my bare shoulders. Then he sighs, bowing his head. His grip loosens, and his thumbs brush across my skin. When he raises his eyes to meet mine, they are full of remorse. “I’m being an asshole.”
“Yes. Yes, you are,” I say without rancor. I glance around the woods because I can’t seem to look at him. “I bet you didn’t sleep since the fire. You must be exhausted. Once we get to the spring, we can rest and regroup.”
We climb the mountain in silence, each of us lost in thought. Neither my mother’s teachings nor Samshin Halmeom’s stories explain how to use the sacred ashes. Maybe I could draw a circle on the ground with them and entrap Daeseong inside, paralyzing his powers. Or I could coat my hwando with the ashes and drive it into his heart. Or I could dip bulbs of garlic in them and wear them around my neck, splashing around holy water.Gods.
“Halt,” a uniformed man yells from the woods. “Hands in the air.”
