Part 20 (1/2)

She pulled out her small leather pouch that hung around her neck. Opening it, she placed the ruby next to her little haetae statue before tying it closed and tucking it under her s.h.i.+rt.

She gazed down into the water and reached her hand in, grabbing a small rock covered in green, glowing algae.

”Look! These rocks glow, even in the water!” she said.

Taejo glanced indifferently at her find. But Kira was intrigued. She leaned into the water and gathered several more glowing stones, which she placed in her bag. Catching Taejo's moody gaze, she smiled.

”They might come in handy,” she said.

Without answering, Taejo ran up the sloping tunnel. They trudged back, neither speaking, too caught up in their own thoughts.

The warm, pulsing sensation of the ruby stone against her chest was pleasant. The power of it made her heady. Kira could use it to destroy s.h.i.+n and the Yamato army. She could find the shaman who had cursed her family and kill him. Kill them all.

The stone grew warmer, pulsing against her skin, in tandem with the rapid beating of her heart.

34.

”I don't understand,” Brother Woojin said. ”Why do you have it?”

Kira could see the shock and confusion on everyone's faces.

”I am just the keeper of the stone for the prince,” she replied. ”He was in an accident in the cave and was unable to retrieve it. That's why he's all wet and should change his clothes now.” Taejo moved away, avoiding Brother Woojin's questioning gaze.

Brother Woojin gasped with reverence when Kira placed the stone in his hands. He held it up to the light and watched it catch the rays of the sun. The stone remained dormant in his hands. With a heartfelt sigh, he put it back into the leather pouch and hesitated.

”Perhaps I should hold it for the prince?” he asked, turning toward Taejo.

Kira clutched the bag.

”It's my job to keep it safe,” she said. She tucked the precious parcel under her jacket.

”Keep it near you at all times,” the monk said.

Kira nodded. Of course she would keep it near.

She s.h.i.+vered in the cold. Taejo was still wearing her coat. She was wis.h.i.+ng she had another layer to put on, when someone placed a warm blanket around her shoulders.

”We can't have you freezing to death,” Jaewon said.

Kwan came between them, sending Jaewon an untrusting look. ”Thank you very much, but my sister doesn't need yours. I'll give her mine.”

He pushed off Jaewon's blanket and replaced it with his own. Jaewon shrugged and gave her a rueful wink before handing back her bow and arrows. Kira barely noticed the tension between the two. For once, she was really happy. She'd found the legendary tidal stone. And it had worked for her and not Taejo. For a brief moment, she wished that she could be the Dragon Musado. But it just wasn't possible.

They headed back to their campsite, Taejo setting off before them with only Jindo for company.

”Taejo, wait!” Kira said, starting after him.

”Leave him be,” Kwan said. ”He needs time to himself without you mothering him.”

She halted, shocked at his words. ”I don't mother him!”

”Yes, you do. You're worse than a dog with a bone, always all over him, checking up on him, coddling him. Give him some s.p.a.ce! Leave him alone,” he groused. ”I know Father asked us to protect Taejo, but you have to let him make his own mistakes, or he will never become the man he is destined to become.”

Kira winced.

”I'm not trying to hurt you, little sister.” Her brother softened his tone. ”I'm just saying, let him have some room to grow into himself.”

She pushed past him, unsure of what to think. Her vow was always first and foremost in her mind, and the Heavenly Maiden had also confirmed her duty.

Regardless of what Kwan believed, she would continue to protect her cousin to the best of her abilities. But she would give some thought to Kwan's words.

Just as she made her decision to run ahead, Jindo came cras.h.i.+ng through the woods, barking. The hair on the back of her neck rose.

”Something is wrong,” she said.

Jaewon pressed a finger to his mouth for silence. In the sudden quiet, they heard the crackling and shuffling sounds of many heavy boots tramping over snow and ice. Kwan signaled for everyone to disperse, and Kira took off, Jindo right at her heels. She raced deeper into the woods, away from the approaching men, and then began to cut diagonally toward their campsite. As she ran, she noticed Brother Woojin keeping up with her. There was no sign of the others.

Through a break in the trees, she peered below into an open clearing alongside the river. Taejo and Seung were prodded forward by Yamato soldiers with drawn swords. s.h.i.+n Bo Hyun walked in the lead.

”Where the h.e.l.l are they?” he shouted. ”They should have found the others and caught up to us by now!”

Kira pondered her next move, when the familiar sound of arrows whistling through the air dispatched the rear guard and two more Yamato soldiers. She raised her bow to fire, but Brother Woojin stopped her.

s.h.i.+n Bo Hyun shouted into the woods for backup. Within minutes, a horde of enemy soldiers charged from the woods, swords held high. Kira gasped in horror. Where had these men been hiding? How could their group of six fight an entire troop of over a hundred enemy soldiers? She wanted to shoot, but again, Brother Woojin kept a firm grip on her bow, shaking his head.

”We must wait for the right moment,” he whispered.

They slunk into the shadows of the trees and watched as Kwan and Jaewon were dragged out.

Her brother head-b.u.t.ted a soldier. With a slight pivot, Kwan reverse side-kicked, sending the soldier who was holding him flying back. Freeing his right hand, he struck an attacker in the chin with an upward thrust of the heel of his palm, knocking him unconscious. Kwan took down five Yamato soldiers before s.h.i.+n Bo Hyun bashed his forehead with the pommel of his sword. Kwan fell to his knees as soldiers tied his hands. He was hauled next to Jaewon and Seung, both of them battered and bound.

Kwan spit at s.h.i.+n Bo Hyun, hatred blazing hot on his face. ”You filthy traitor! Cowardly swine! Come on and fight me yourself! Give me my revenge!”

The soldier next to Kwan punched him hard in the mouth repeatedly.

”That's enough,” s.h.i.+n Bo Hyun said. The soldier stepped away.

”Where's your sister?”

Kwan coughed up blood and spit on the ground.

”She's not here. We left her with our uncle in Guru.”