“I have to try.”
“So be it.” His paw reaches out and touches my hand, as soft as a cherry blossom. “Take this.” I open my palm, and he places an amethyst the size of my fingernail in it. It pulses warmth through my skin.
“The soul of Korea. Let it guide you through the darkness.”
Before I can thank him, he transforms into a giant topaz sphere. It rolls across the golden thread and disappears.
I stand still for a moment, trying to grasp what I’ve just seen. There’s nothing around me but stars and emptiness. I’m lost. What now?
Then I remember the tiger’s words about the gem. I strap my bow to my back and open my palm. The gem glistens, ribbons of light cascading from its surface.
I follow the light, my feet touching nothing, and it’s as if I’m flying. The wind picks up around me, and I move closer to something in the distance. It’s another golden plate, just like the one at King Munmu’s tomb. When I reach it, I set the amulet into the hole as before, and I’m sucked inside.
CHAPTER 40
The darkness fades, and wavering before me is Haemosu’s throne room. I glance over my shoulder, but the plate I walked through has disappeared. The air shimmers, and as it settles, I slide the amulet back into its pouch and stuff the amethyst into my jeans pocket.
I swing my bow and arrow into place in one fluid motion and wait. Holding my breath, waiting for Haemosu to leap out in one of his strange forms. But nothing happens. The room is empty. I lower the bow, glad it’s in perfect condition. Maybe it really is the true Blue Dragon bow.
I race outside the throne room into the courtyard. All I can think about is Komo, Marc, and Grandfather and if they’re safe. If they’re still alive.
“Jae!”
Marc’s voice.
I skid to a stop and swing around to see Marc and Grandfather trapped in a bamboo cage at the other end of the courtyard. I race toward them. Their clothes are shredded, and the side of Marc’s face is caked with blood. Grandfather is lying still, curled up in the small space. My heart slams inside my chest like someone kicked me. This is what they get for helping me? I should never have allowed this to happen.
“Jae Hwa!” Marc says, falling to his knees, his hair a wild mess. “What happened? You’re supposed to be in Japan.”
“I’m so sorry, Marc.” I hunch down and grab hold of the bars. “How is Haraboji?”
Marc shakes his head. “Not good. Haemosu brought him here only recently. He hasn’t woken up yet.”
I swallow back tears and lift my chin. “I’m going to get you out. I’m going to fix all this.” I run my hands over the cage’s edge in search of the lock, but the bamboo runs smooth and unending under my fingertips.
“You won’t find any locks,” Marc says, “if that’s what you’re looking for.”
“Have you seen Komo?”
He looks away. I grip the bars tighter to stop myself from going into complete panic mode. I can’t think about what that look means.
“He’s been using the life energy of your ancestors’ souls to become more powerful,” Marc says. “And he thinks that with you as his queen, no one can cross him.”
“That’s why he was able to come out at night?”
“I got the feeling that he wasn’t telling me everything.”
I stand up. “Move back,” I say.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you out.” I bring my hand up and slice it down on the top bamboo pole of the cage, pulling all my energy into the motion. The bar splits, but not enough to break. I prepare for another thrust.
“Hide!” Marc whispers, his eyes focused on something behind me. “He’s coming.”
A tingling sound fills the air, and I know Haemosu is near. He’s already sensed my presence, I’m sure of it, so hiding isn’t an option. I swivel around, pulling out my bow and arrow. I take my mark.
“Well, well,” Haemosu says, appearing from nowhere and strolling up to us casually, his red cloak billowing out behind him. “My princess has arrived. I have been expecting you.”
Apparently he has, because he’s all dressed up. His silk tunic shimmers in different shades of blue as the light reflects against him. The tunic, with wide sleeves that flare out at the wrist, flows down to his feet, the front and back cut apart; and I can see he’s wearing black pants underneath. The white sash around his waist holds the tunic tight against him and accentuates the five golden dragons twisting to form a circle on his chest. On his head he wears a golden band with a mini crown resting on his topknot, a dragon-headed pin sliced through it.
“I am pleased to see you have realized your destiny is with me,” Haemosu says. “My kingdom is more complete when you are here.”
“You have two choices,” I say, my string taunt and ready.
He raises his eyebrows and rubs his chin. “Choices? How intriguing.”
“Let Marc and my family go and release the spirits of my ancestors, or I’ll send this arrow through your heart.”
“Dearest, dearest princess. You must know you cannot kill me. I am immortal. A spirit of the wind.”
To demonstrate, he lifts up in the air, golden dust spiraling under him. His image seems to grow larger and larger until it fills my whole vision and all I can hear is his booming laugh. And then in a blink he’s back to his normal smirking self, standing in front of me.
“And do not worry your little head about that bothersome Haechi. I have made sure he will be too busy to join us.”
What has Haemosu done?
“Look carefully, Haemosu,” Marc says, his fists clenched by his sides. “Her bow bears the symbol of the Blue Dragon. An arrow released from it will kill you.”
“Who are you to know of such things?” he says, staring at Marc, eyes blazing like dragon-fire. “You are nothing to me. Besides, I have a great ally, one who has shown me how to increase my power. And with my princess at my side, I will be indestructible.”
“I will never be at your side,” I say. “Now give me your answer!”
“You want an answer? Experience my answer!”
Sparks burst from Haemosu’s body, crackling in white and gold. His figure writhes and twists until he’s morphed into a wingless dragon as tall as the palace walls, golden scaled with large, crimson eyes. His four golden claws scrape the brick path and rip it to shreds.
A blast of fire shoots from the dragon’s mouth, and I know what to do.
I hold out my hand and push the fire around me.
I’m so shocked at what I had just done, I nearly drop my bow. I reposition it, notch in an arrow, and let it loose. Too late. The tip flicks off his scaly armor just as Marc’s and Grandfather’s cage catches fire. The flames feast hungrily on the bamboo.
“Marc! Haraboji!” I race to them.
Marc pulls Grandfather into the corner while I thrust the side of my hand at the bamboo until a chunk breaks off the top of the cage. My skin singes from the heat. Marc rips off his shirt and starts beating the flames with it. Finally the cage breaks. Marc grabs Grandfather under the arms and drags him off to the side.
“Keep him safe!” I yell to Marc.
Haemosu’s dragon body shakes, and he whips his head around, looking for prey. He rears over Marc and Grandfather.
“No!” I scream. As my words echo through the courtyard, the trees bend and shiver as if responding to my voice.
The power of the land draws to me. Haemosu blinks. I notch an arrow into my bow and send it flying. It hits his face. With a screech, the dragon rears, eyes focused on me. I don’t stop.
One arrow.
Then another, and another, fast like the wings of a hummingbird until my goong dae is empty. The dragon lifts up a four-clawed paw and swipes at me. I leap backward.