That would’ve been a fate worse than death. I’m going to strangle her once I get my strength back. Oddly enough, my limbs don’t feel as wobbly anymore.
“No. Why would you be contaminated by it?” The historian sounds perplexed. “The blade only had the barest hint of contamination. My incantation would’ve stopped any darkness from entwining with your life force even if you didn’t have the Yeoiju. But like I said, I was fairly certain you did.”
All the fight suddenly drains out of me. I lean my head back and close my eyes. “I don’t want the Yeoiju.”
“Do you realize how much power you hold inside you?” Minju whispers, her voice brittle around the edges. “How much good you can do?”
“Then you can have it,” I say carelessly.
The historian is quiet for so long that I open my eyes. She’s staring down at the hands she’s fisted on her lap. “Don’t ever say that again. If you give up the Yeoiju, you’d be giving up your life. Even though I know that, if you offer again, I might be tempted to take you up on it.” Her voice is so soft I can barely hear her. “There is no living being in all the realms who wouldn’t want that kind of power.”
“I don’t—wait.” I sit up straight. “I have the Yeoiju?”
“Yes, we just went over that.” Minju looks confused again.
“Does that mean I can defeat Daeseong?” Has the answer been inside me all along? I can save Ethan even without the dragon scales? I can go to him now?
“Not yet.” She shakes her head slowly. “It’s too dangerous to summon the Yeoiju until you learn how to wield its powers. Otherwise, the Cheon’gwang might incinerate you into nothing.”
Fear shivers down my spine, but I have no time to be scared. “How can I learn?”
“I don’t know the answer to that,” she says with soft sympathy. “But I’ll work day and night to find out more.”
Hope snuffs out inside my chest. The Yeoiju is just another question without answers. I drag a hand down my face as frustration eats through me. I’m running out of time. Ethan needs me.
“Sunny? Are you all right in there?” Hailey asks from the courtyard.
Minju lifts a finger to her lips and gives me a firm shake of her head. She doesn’t want her friend to know. Why?
“Yeah, just getting my things together.” I peek out through the window. “I’ll be right out.”
“No worries.” Hailey gives me a thumbs-up. “Our thirty minutes isn’t up.”
“You must tell no one of this.” The historian cleans up the blood and mends my tank top with a wave of her hand. Then she gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Not until you can wield the Yeoiju. Otherwise, you’ll be signing up for a death sentence—hunted for the rest of your days.”
With those ominous words, Minju backs away into the shadows and disappears. I shake my head to clear it. So what if I have the Yeoiju? I don’t even know what powers it holds, much less how to wield it. As it stands, it’s nothing more than a distraction—a distraction I have to shut out until I have time to figure things out. For now, finding the dragon spirit is our best bet for helping Ethan.
Blowing out a long breath, I tuck the bokjumeoni into my backpack and make sure my hwando is inside. I get to my feet and realize I don’t feel any worse for wear.Wow.I really need to learn that healing incantation from Minju. Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I rush out to join Hailey in the courtyard.
“Okay.” I tug on my sneakers, hopping foot to foot. “I’m ready.”
“If we hurry, we might get back before Captain Song.” Her expression is full of mischief. “Then we can rub his face in it for being late.”
I’m not surprised to find Jihun waiting outside his study when we arrive. Of course he’s not late. He’s changed into a pair of dark jeans and a gray T-shirt that molds to the contours of his body. My eyes snag on his silky shoulder-length hair fluttering in the breeze. I take in his beauty, a wistful smile tugging at my lips.
My attachment to Jihun has nothing to do with attraction. Sure, he’s beautiful. But what seraph isn’t? Did I notice? Of course I noticed. I’m not dead. But he and I have a budding friendship, not a romance. I know that now.
Losing Ethan gutted me, and coming to this strange and beautiful realm made coping with it that much harder. So I leaned on the only familiar person by my side—someone as strong and steadfast as themountains. In some ways, he reminds me of Ben, who was a good friend to me until I got scared and ran. If I give Jihun a chance, will he be a good friend too? And will I be brave enough to keep him?
He catches my smile and gives me the barest tilt of his head. I shake mine but keep smiling. His lips twitch in an answering smile before he turns his gaze toward Hailey.
“Reporting for duty, Captain.” Her grin belies the formality of her words.
“Am I last again?” Jaeseok saunters toward us, not sounding the least bit concerned.
“It’s the best way to make an entrance,” Hailey teases.
He bows his head in acknowledgment. “You know me so well.”
