Silvern (The Gilded Series) (10 page)

Me kissing Marc while holding bunny fingers behind his head. The two of us cross-eyed. Tongues sticking out. Pouting lips.

I look so happy in every picture. Probably because I thought I was free.

“Here’s the book I was looking for,” Marc says, pulling me away from my memories. “This explains the myth.”

He sets the book on his desk and the tablet on a tilt next to it. According to the website, Kuryong Falls is located not far from a popular hotel called Kumgangsan Hotel. The book doesn’t explain much about the ancient myth except how nine dragons guard the waterfall.

“So we’re going to assume the myth of the Nine Dragons is true.”

“Dragons are dangerous,” Marc says.

“Tell me about it,” I mutter.

“Promise not to wander off or enter any portals without me.”

I don’t like the thought of him coming on this trip. I nearly lost him once, and I certainly won’t do it again. Still, I’m not sure I can succeed without his help.

One hurdle at a time
, I tell myself. To Marc, I just smile and squeeze his hand.

The next few days, Michelle, Lily, and I plan the Dano mask party until I’m sick of the whole thing. The school board has approved our endeavor as long as we have our parents’ permission and sign a butt-load of waivers. It makes me wish we could find a wealthy donor to supply all the medical funding and pretend we did it all. But that would lead to suspicion. We have to appear to be purely a humanitarian effort not only to the North Korean government, but also to Kud.

Between school, planning this event, and Tae Kwon Do lessons, Marc and I haven’t seen each other except between classes. It hasn’t helped that every day after school he’s over at Jung’s house learning secret Guardian stuff.

“So when are you going to tell me what you’ve been doing with Jung?” I ask Marc one day between classes.

“Can’t.” He grimaces. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

“You can’t be serious,” I say, stopping midstride and blocking the flow of traffic. “I’ve told you everything that has happened to me.”

“It’s extreme. I know.” His brow wrinkles. “Hey, it’s not that big of a deal. Come here.” He pulls me against the wall and then whispers into my ear, “They’re teaching me an ancient form of fighting. It’s supposed to be able to combat immortals in our world.”

I think about how Grandfather and Komo tried to fight Haemosu. Maybe they’d have had a chance if he hadn’t brought his wild boars. I swallow those bloodstained memories and trail my finger over Marc’s palm.

“I don’t like the thought of you fighting immortals,” I say. “They may not be as powerful in our world, but they’ve been around practically forever and have learned too many tricks along the way.”

“Don’t worry about me.” He kisses my forehead. “It’s you we should be worried about. This training is good. From now on, I’m not going to be a burden to you, but someone who can help you. Next time Kud shows up, I’ll be ready.”

I watch him saunter back to class, so confident and hopeful. A mix of emotions jumbles inside of me. I’m glad he’s found something that makes him happy, but at the same time I hate it. I hate the Guardians of Shinshi for taking my boyfriend from me. I hate the idea of him facing Kud.

“Nothing good can come of this,” I mutter.

Friday after school, I wait outside the infamous elevator at Yonsei University for Marc to show up, leaning against the wall and smacking on my bubble gum. Grandfather wants us to meet to work out the details of our trip.

Marc strides in through the door, his hair disheveled as usual, but there’s a confidence in his gait, and I wonder if that’s due in part to what he’s doing with the Guardians. As part of the plan, I don’t acknowledge his presence but blow out a long bubble instead, focusing on the blur of letters in the book I’m supposedly reading. Marc pushes the elevator button, and the two of us slip inside.

The doors grind shut, and Marc opens the compartment and presses his ring into the slot.

“Do you think all this cloak-and-dagger business really tricks Kud?” I say.

Marc shrugs. “I don’t know, but it’s worth trying to keep what we’re doing a secret.”

As the elevator shudders down the shaft, he reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I’m glad we’re in this together,” he says.

“You might be changing your mind in a few days,” I say.

Even though it’s my second time entering the Guardians of Shinshi’s secret headquarters, it still gives me goose bumps. Jung greets us just like he did on my first visit. We slip through the front doors, and even though the whole Council isn’t there, the candles still flicker in their holds.

Marc directs me across the main room where the Council meeting had been to another passageway. It twists around until we come to a series of marble steps that lead us into another room. This one is so different, I wonder if we’ve stepped into another dimension.

The wall in front of us must be a giant computer screen. It’s full of data and charts that someone sitting before it is typing in. The wall to the right is tacked full of more charts and graphs and a row of computers, while the wall to the left is a map of Korea at the bottom with pushpins stuck in it at different locations. Above that is another rough outline of a map, of a place I’ve never seen before.

As we step inside, the person at the computer spins around in his chair. I gape in surprise as I recognize Kumar, Marc’s best friend from school. His dark hair is combed back neatly, and his olive complexion almost looks darker in the mix of light from the computer screen and the oil lamps tucked into the walls.

He flashes his typical wide grin at me. “Surprised to see me?”

I try to speak, but I have no words.

Kumar claps his hands and rubs them together. “I hope I get an extra bonus point for that.”

“But you’re not—” I start, then close my eyes and shake my head. “You’re not a part of all this, are you?”

“The Council recruited him,” Grandfather says, coming in from behind us. “When he gained Dartmouth’s and Harvard’s interest, he also gained ours.”

“You can’t get him involved in all of this!” I say. “He’s got his whole life ahead of him.”

“He does not have to do this for his whole life,” Grandfather says. “But we have much to offer him and he us, especially his research on multiple dimensions.”

“Don’t be mad, Jae,” Kumar says. “I just joined ranks a month ago. I couldn’t resist. When Marc’s dad came to me with the proposition that these theories I was studying on multiple dimensions were in fact true, and he had a way to allow me to study them, I couldn’t say no.”

“What about Lily? Does she know?”

“No.” Kumar looks down at his hands. “They say it’s better if she doesn’t.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

“We should get to business,” Grandfather says. “Kumar, do you have the region map and itinerary ready?”

“Yes!” Kumar starts rummaging through a stack of papers on the long desk beside him. He hands each of us a folder. Inside, I find a one-page summary of our trip, a map of the trailhead that leads to Kuryong Falls, and the legend of the Nine Dragons.

“Excellent,” Grandfather says as he scans over the documents. “You must read through this carefully and memorize it as best you can. These documents cannot be brought outside of this headquarters.”

The complete organization of everything is daunting. I sit at the table and review the pages.

“Did you have something similar to this when we went to Busan?” I ask. When both Marc and Grandfather nod, I feel a rush of anger. “Why didn’t you tell me about all this stuff then? I was already involved with Haemosu.”

“They made me swear not to tell you,” Marc says.

“Our methods call for the least amount of involvement possible,” Grandfather says. “It was purely for your safety.”

“How do I know you’re not keeping other secrets from me?” I say.

“Jae Hwa,” Grandfather huffs, sounding exasperated. “You will have to trust that I only want the best for you. You wanted to do this mission when I did not. If you want to back out, I have no problem with that. But if that is the case, we will have to find another way of dealing with Kud.”

The room grows silent except for the hum of the computers. Kumar suddenly becomes interested in his haphazard stack of papers, and Marc pretends to read through the report.

“Fine,” I say. “Let’s continue. Explain how we’ll get the orb.”

Grandfather nods at Kumar. “As you know, the five of us will go in under the guise of delivering medical supplies. Michelle is the only one with limited knowledge of the full reasons for the trip, and by the way, I’m against her coming.”

“She knows too much not to come,” I say.

“Perhaps.” Grandfather sighs and shakes his head. “Then there’s Kang-dae. He couldn’t make it today, but I will make sure he is briefed.

“Once there, I will make arrangements for us to hike to Kuryong Falls. If we find the orb, we will then journey to the royal tomb of King Kongmin and enter the Spirit World through it to return the orb to the Heavenly Chest.”

“So we will need to take the
samjoko
amulet,” Marc says.

“Indeed,” Grandfather says. “It is a risk bringing the sacred amulet into a restricted area, but it is the only way for us to enter the Spirit World. Do you remember how to use it, Jae Hwa?”

I nod, remembering how I took a boat out to the island where King Munmu’s tomb was buried under the water. I had fit the amulet onto a golden plate that opened a portal to the Spirit World. Legend has it that all the royal tombs are portals to the Spirit World.

“Very good,” Grandfather continues. “Hopefully we will not encounter any issues along the way. But if we do, you will have both Marc and Kang-dae as your Guardians.”

“You will also need this.” Kumar hands Grandfather a small box. At Grandfather’s raised eyebrows, Kumar explains, “It’s a bug scrambler. All the hotel rooms near the North Korean border are bugged with listening devices. If you need to have a private conversation, you’ll want to use this.”

“Nice,” Marc says, studying the device and slapping Kumar on the back. “You’re smarter than I thought.”

Kumar shrugs as if it’s no big deal. “Just looking out for you guys. Having unrestricted funds makes everything a little easier.”
“What are these two maps?” I ask Kumar, moving to the left wall. I trail my finger from each of the pinpoints on the map of Korea, trying to figure what is so important about these locations.

“Those pinpoints are where the Guardians have found portals to the Spirit World,” Kumar says. “Or at least we think they’re portals. Actually, you’d probably know more about that kind of stuff since you’ve actually been there. And I have not.”

He grins and jams his hands into his pockets. I can see from the look in his eyes that he is loving this new job. He’s swimming in his element here.

I point to the map above Korea. “And this map?”

“That’s my rough sketch of the Spirit World,” Kumar says. “Again, this is purely based on hearsay. I’ve interviewed your grandfather and Marc, since they went there not long ago. It would be pretty cool to hear about your experiences.”

I run my fingers over the map, studying Kumar’s sketches and remembering the flying trip Palk took me on. “It’s a lot bigger than this,” I tell Kumar. His eyes widen. “When we get back from North Korea, I’ll sit down with you.”

“Really?” Kumar says. “That would be great. Really great.”

Once we finish studying, Grandfather has us put our papers into a stone basin by the door. He takes a match, lights it, and tosses it onto the papers. I watch as the plans go up in flames, hoping our mission won’t follow the same fate.

“This is going to be the best event
ever
,” Michelle announces as the taxi stops at gate eight of Namdaemun Market.

This past week, with worrying about and planning for our trip, I hardly got any sleep. I have to admit I was looking forward to a Saturday-morning sleep-in. I resist groaning and promise myself a coffee at the first coffee shop sighting. Last night Marc and I stayed up late again, spending hours reading old Korean myths and wondering which ones were actually reality rather than fantasy. When I finally collapsed onto my
yo
, I slept restlessly, worried that Kud or some other mythological creature would creep into my room and stab me in my sleep.

Even as I stand here in the bright daylight, I still can’t quite shake my horrifying dreams. I try to focus on the quaintness of the market to shut off the images floating in my head. Dad explained to me once that long ago, all the markets of Seoul were stationed outside of the four gates of the walled city. This made it easy to trade with outsiders. Of course, those ancient walls have long ago crumbled, replaced by huge concrete buildings that are multiple stories high and packed to the brim with shops.

“I’m glad someone’s feeling confident,” Lily says, her forehead puckered as she goes over her list for the hundredth time. “There’s so much to do and not enough time.”

“It will be great,” I say with false brightness, and I squeeze her arm. “If anyone can pull this event off, it’s you and Michelle.”

We scoot out of the taxi. It’s the perfect spring day, with a cool breeze sweeping down from the northern mountains. The shopkeepers are still stripping tarps off their tables and unrolling awnings. Lily was insistent we arrive right at nine o’clock so we’d avoid the crowds and get through all of our shopping before lunch.

Ducking past a delivery truck, we stroll down the narrow lane. I eye the shadowed alleyways for creatures lurking about. Lily and Michelle’s laughter pulls me back to earth, and I cling to the sound, forcing myself to smile. To pretend.

Socks, shoes, shirts, dried squid, and jewelry are all piled high on the tables we pass by. Little shops are tucked inside concrete walls, but their colorful awnings and tables heaped with goods give them character, and each shop has its own personality. We pass one with every T-shirt imaginable, and another with stacks of pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. The air is a mix of gasoline,
kimchi
, and fried food.

“It’s crazy, the random things you find here,” I say.

“A shopper’s paradise,” Michelle announces, strapping her purse over her shoulder. “You never know what glorious treasures we’ll find.”

I laugh. “Uh-oh,” I tell Lily. “See that look in her eyes? We might never leave this place.”

Lily reads her phone. “The lantern shop is located one block down, shop number one forty-five,” she says.

As we wander, Michelle stops and lingers at every other table. We’ll never make it to the lantern shop at this pace. It doesn’t help when Lily finds a coat on sale that she proclaims she adores. While she pays for it, Michelle and I wait outside of the shop, rummaging through their winter sale items.

“So how are you doing?” Michelle asks as she picks up a hat and tries it on. “Any more stalkers?”

I think a moment and realize there hasn’t been, which is kind of weird, but good at the same time. When Haemosu was alive, he and his cronies seemed to show up everywhere, all the time.

“No.” I tug the ends of my spring jacket. “Everything has been oddly calm.”

“Well, that’s good,” Michelle says.

“Maybe.” For some reason, I doubt Kud liked the idea of me slipping through his fingers. He doesn’t strike me as one who accepts defeat. Unease curls through me. He must be up to something. The problem is, I don’t know him well enough to know what that is.

“Because I’ve got to admit”—Michelle moves to the rack of scarves—“that whole mirror episode has changed how I think about everything. Two of Marc’s Council dudes even came to talk to me. They asked me a bunch of questions.”

My head jerks up at this. I resist the urge to grab her arm and demand for her to tell me everything that happened. Marc must have told them Michelle knew. How could he do that? I could strangle him for getting her wrapped up in his secret Council.

“What kind of questions did they ask?”

“Nothing much. Mainly the details of what happened. But they did give me the name of a therapist I can talk to if I feel worried about anything.” She digs through her pocket and produces a smooth, cream-colored card with a name and a phone number on it. “Have you talked to a therapist yet? It might help. You seem stressed out.”

“That’s not going to solve my problems.” I glance over at Lily to make sure she isn’t overhearing our conversation. She’s still at the counter paying for her coat. “Dad wants me to go to a special school where they have a full-time counseling staff and can treat me if I have any more ‘episodes,’ as he likes to call them.” I focus on the design on a nearby beret. “He’s already talked to the admissions counselor.”

“When did this all happen?” Michelle’s eyes practically bug out.

“Two nights ago.” I rub my temples, trying to avoid the headache coming on. “I need coffee.”

“You need to let me help you out. What can I do?” She sets the scarf down and plants her fists on her hips, practically glaring at me. “That mirror freak show was horror at its finest, but we can find a way through this.”

“What was horror at its finest?” Lily asks from behind me.

I literally jump, not expecting her. My brain spins, trying to think of a clever recovery. “Michelle’s last date,” I say, and then bite back a laugh at Michelle’s glaring eyes.

“You had a date?” Lily gasps. “And didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t have a date,” Michelle snaps, rolling her eyes. “Jae is making up nonsense.”

“Well,” I say, taking Lily’s arm. “We need to brainstorm new possibilities for her. She hasn’t dated anyone since Charlie.”

“Excellent!” Lily grins. “This sounds positively evil. Come on, I see a rice paper store up ahead. We can brainstorm and stock up on paper at the same time.”

As we scurry up the concrete steps of the shop, a cool sensation slithers over me. I glance around, but I don’t notice anything. If Marc were here, he’d be able to tell me right away if something from the Spirit World was nearby.

Shrugging off the sensation, I open the glass door and step inside the shop. The air smells of fresh-cut paper and wood shavings. Massive sheets of rice paper are stacked one on top of the other along the tables. Rolls of colored paper climb the walls all the way to the ceiling.

Lily sighs in ecstasy. “How am I supposed to decide on styles? There’s like every color in the universe here.”

I skim my fingers over the paper, loving its soft, bumpy texture. Then, as I pass the window, my eyes scan the crowded street. I dig my nails into my palms, hating how completely paranoid I’ve become.

I let out a quick breath as my gaze falls on Kang-dae, sipping coffee and leaning against a concrete wall on the other side of the street. A slow grin crosses his face as our eyes meet. He nods once and lifts his coffee cup as if in a toast.

My fists clench at my sides. Is he spying on me? The Council better not have sent him to babysit. It’s bad enough my boyfriend has to be my Guardian. I definitely don’t need two. Why won’t anyone believe that I can take care of myself? I hate this lack of privacy.

“I’ll be right back,” I call over my shoulder at Michelle and Lily. “Going across the street.”

When I reach Kang-dae, he just smirks and takes another sip of his coffee.

“Trying to blow my cover?” he asks.

“You’re spying on me, admit it,” I say.

“Spying is a relative term. I’d prefer to call it ensuring your safety. There are plenty of creatures around here that wouldn’t mind tearing you to shreds after they find out what you’re up to.”

“I don’t need anyone
ensuring
my safety
. I can take care of myself.”

His eyebrows lift slightly as he smirks. “So I’ve heard.”

“Besides.” An edge of annoyance cuts at my nerves. “Marc is my Guardian. I don’t need another.”

“Feisty, aren’t we? Jung is teaching him the art of the sword.”

I open my mouth, then shut it. Marc didn’t tell me he was training today, too. The realization hits me. Kang-dae knows more about Marc’s whereabouts than I do. Not that Marc and I tell each other
everything
, but still, ever since Marc was inducted into the Guardians of Shinshi, he has had this other life—a secret life—that he hasn’t been telling me about.

“I take it your boyfriend didn’t tell you about the lessons,” Kang-dae says.

I turn my head away, not liking the way his eyes study me, trying to read my thoughts. Or maybe I do like it, which is all the more disturbing. I speed-dial Marc and press my phone to my ear. It rings and rings until I get his “May the force be with you” message, and I disconnect the call.

Annoyed, I text him:
Where r u?

“I doubt he’ll have his phone on,” Kang-dae says. “It’s forbidden during training.”

“You seem to know all about this training.”

“I completed the tests last week,” Kang-dae says, arms crossed. “Broke the record for quickest to pass.”

Show off.

Maybe this is why Marc doesn’t like Kang-dae. There seems to be some grudge between the two of them. It’s hard to know, since Marc won’t talk about it.

“Listen,” I say, “you don’t need to babysit me. Tell the Council I can take care of myself. No more stalking.”

“They weren’t joking when they said you were stubborn.”

I frown, not liking the idea of other people talking about me.

“I’ll leave you to it, then.” Kang-dae slips on his sunglasses. “Cheers.”

Jamming my hands into my jean jacket, I take off across the street, already bustling with shoppers and scooters stacked with goods, weaving in and out of the swelling crowds.

When I reach the stoop of the rice paper store, the air shifts as if a heat wave has washed over me. I turn and inspect the street, shading my eyes against the morning glare, but Kang-dae has disappeared. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of what looks like a lion standing on top of a tall building.

The lion creature nods once to me. The sun glints off his body, making him look like he’s burning with fire. The single horn and fangs come into focus. Even though I know he’d do almost anything—has done almost everything—to protect me, I still shudder at his fierceness.

“Haechi,” I whisper.

Careful, little one
, he says in my mind.

He’s the protector of Seoul, and knowing he’s near, my muscles relax. Until I realize he wouldn’t be here unless he had a reason to be. Maybe Kang-dae is right. My eyes sweep the market once again, wondering which creatures are watching me.

And why.