“Thank you.” Then I catch Haesan’s eyes, and he nods. “I think we’re ready to go.”
“Taking both of you at once, I can only teleport short distances.” The judge rubs the back of his head apologetically.
“I’ve heard the Judges of Ten Hells can do that.” Haesan looks at Gyun with something like awe. “Make as many stops as you need. It’ll be amazing no matter what.”
“We’re not here to get a tour of the Kingdom of Underworld.” I roll my eyes at thein’eo. “But do what you need to do, Gyun.”
The Judge of Tenth Hell wraps his arms around our waists, and I’m hit with the sensation of being sucked out of my own body. Just as quickly, I feel solid ground under my feet again. This time, we’re at the edge of a more traditionalhanokvillage. Before I can appreciate its quaint charm, we teleport again.
We stand in the middle of a black-sand desert, hot wind blowing in our faces. I blink and hold a hand up. “Give me one second. My brain needs to catch up.”
Haesan nods in agreement, looking green around the gills. He pats his body down from chest to thighs, then he stares down at his hands, flipping them over, back and forth.
“Okay, good.” He sighs. “I’m still here.”
“Teleporting works differently than moon shifting,” Gyun says sympathetically. “It’ll be easier if I carry you, but with two of you ...”
“Don’t worry about it.” I take a deep breath. “Ready, Haesan?”
A choked gurgle escapes past his lips, but he manages to nod. I’m proud of the big softy.
“We’re almost there.” Gyun wraps his arms around our waists and tucks us extra close. I think he’s trying to make us feel less disembodied. “This will be the last jump.”
Thein’eonestles himself against the judge’s side, like he’s snuggling a teddy bear. I shrug and do the same.
Being pressed against Gyun does make the teleportation less disorienting, and in a blink, I’m back on solid ground. My throat constricts halfway through a sigh of relief when blazing heat blasts my face.
“What the fuck?” I rasp. We’re standing at the bottom of a volcano, complete with trails of sizzling lava sliding down its sides.
“Are we in ... hell?” Haesan hugs his midriff.
“Gods no.” The judge snorts, then coughs to hide his amusement. “No, Haesan. We are nowhere near hell.”
“Yeah.” I laugh nervously. “You donotwant to know what real hell is like.”
“Well, well, well.” A tall, willowy female sashays toward us in a skintight leather jumpsuit. “Fancy meeting you here, Gyun.”
“Keeper Bang.” The judge addresses her formally. “I have brought you two travelers. The king bids you to allow them passage to the Kingdom of Water.”
“Neither of them is a being of Underworld.” She crosses her arms, accentuating rather perfect breasts. “Do you have the appropriate documents with you?”
“They are both guests of the King of Underworld.” Gyun’s voice softens terrifyingly. “And time is of the essence.”
“It is not easy to prepare passage to the Kingdom of Water.” The keeper pouts in displeasure, then a cunning smile curls her lips. “And I am out of water. I can’t prepare a token to the Kingdom of Water without water.”
“Will this work?” Haesan cups his palms, and water swirls to the top.
“Are you going to claim to have run out of vials, too, Keeper Bang?” A muscle tics in Gyun’s jaw.
“As a matter of fact—” she begins snidely.
“Donottest me,” the judge says through gritted teeth.
“Oh fine.” Two glass vials each the size of my thumb appear in her hand, and she tips them into Haesan’s palms and fills them with water. “There was a time you would’ve grasped at any excuse for one more minute with me.”
“Therewas.”
Sadness flickers across the keeper’s face before it’s replaced by haughty disdain. “Excuse me while I go do my job.”
