Silvern (The Gilded Series) (15 page)

I blink my eyes open. I’m lying on a
yo
in the clinic, and a noise rumbles through my ears as if I’m riding a screeching train out of a tunnel. The last thing I remember is watching the
imoogi
fall, crashing at my feet, smaller than horses, and then seeing Grandfather and Marc emerge from a fog with their farm tools to cut off the heads.

“Jae Hwa,” Grandfather says, drawing me to the present. He’s holding my hand. His is rough and strong. The wrinkles around his eyes seem deeper than I remember. A bandage runs along his hairline. “Yes, there you are, my strong one.”

I lick my lips. Michelle leans close and presses a cup to my mouth. I take a sip.

“Is she okay?” Marc peers over Michelle’s shoulder; his hair is full of hay and grass. Streaks of dirt cover his face, and his once-clean gray shirt is slashed as if a claw caught a hold and sliced it. “Can you move? Can you hear me? How about your hands? Can you use them?”

“Shut up already!” Michelle says and pushes Marc away. “Asking her fifty million questions isn’t helping.”

“That was a great risk you took,” Grandfather says. “Riding the
imoogi
as you did. But you must remember, this is not the Spirit World where you heal or can control it as you wish.”

Everything hurts too much to even nod, but he’s painfully right. People begin speaking around me, and then Michelle starts arguing with Grandfather how I shouldn’t be moved. Meanwhile, Dr. Jong keeps bowing and thanking us. I’m sure they’ll never forget our visit.

In the middle of the chaos, Marc slides to the floor beside my
yo
. He brushes at my hair and then kisses my bandaged palm.

“I could say I was right about how we shouldn’t have come,” he says. “But then I would’ve missed out on watching how amazing you were. Your grandfather and I couldn’t have defeated them without your help.”

I try to smile. “You weren’t so bad yourself.”

“You think you’re up for traveling to the hotel?”

I strain to sit, groaning from the action, because every bone and muscle in my body aches. Marc lifts me into his arms and carries me out of the clinic. I gape at the sight before us. All of the patients, as well as Dr. Jong and the nurses, have created two long lines ending at our SUV. As we pass, they bow low. Some have tears in their eyes.

“We are overwhelmed, but eternally grateful.” Dr. Jong’s hands shake as he grabs mine. “You have saved us from the darkness that eats away at our souls. Now we know why we suffered so. And we thank you for the medicine. We will never be able to repay you for this.”

A tear escapes and falls down my cheek. The power of Kud is so much deeper and darker than I even thought possible. His lands are desolate, evil is free to scour the countryside as it wishes, and no one is here to hold the monsters in check.

I push my hand to Marc’s chest. “Let me try walking.”

He sets me down. Pain shoots along my back and legs, but I can stand. I grip Marc’s muscular arm and bow back to Dr. Jong.

“No,” I say in Korean. “The honor is mine.”

Then, leaning on Marc for support, I hobble my way to the SUV where Grandfather and Michelle are waiting. Chu-won is sitting at the steering wheel, mopping his forehead with a handkerchief.

“Hurry!” Chu-won calls out the open window. “I do not think we should stay here for another moment.”

As we drive away, jostling over the rough dirt road, I gaze out the back window at the patients and staff until they vanish from sight. Our truck dips down into a valley. My heart feels as if it’s being pressed down by a mound of rocks. This trip was supposed to make me feel like I was making a difference. Instead, it only made me realize how great a task we’ve taken on.

“Someday I want to go back,” Michelle says. “And change their world.”

When we drive up to the Kumgangsan Hotel, my muscles relax. Its modern white curved design, with a single tower that runs up about fifteen stories high, gives the building an artistic flair. The brochure Chu-won handed us said our hotel is supposed to have a performance hall, a gymnasium, a buffet restaurant, and a sky lounge. It’s shockingly different from the world we just left. This tourist zone is a facade over the realities of North Korea.

When we step out of the bus, Grandfather bows to the attendant who helps us with our meager luggage.

“Do you notice anything out of the ordinary?” I whisper to Marc as we follow the attendant inside the hotel.

Marc gives the parking lot a quick perusal and shakes his head. “Nothing yet.”

The lobby is as large as our school gym, decked out with planters, vinyl chairs, and a mirrored ceiling over the reception desk. The air smells musty and stale, but the tile floors shine so clearly, I can almost see my reflection in them. Soothing bamboo flute music plays through the room.

The attendant escorts us to our rooms. Michelle and I will be sharing one room, Grandfather and Chu-won a second, and Marc, who was supposed to room with Kang-dae, is in a third. Maybe it’s best Marc and Kang-dae didn’t room together. They don’t ever seem to get along unless they are busy fighting a common enemy.

“Take a quick break,” Chu-won tells us. “We will meet in the lobby at three o’clock for our hike to Kuryong Falls. It’s a brisk three-hour round-trip, so make sure you’re prepared. I must speak with the authorities about the accident with the guard.”

“How are you going to explain the soldier’s death?” Marc asks.

Chu-won takes out his handkerchief again and dabs his forehead. “I have not come up with a good enough lie yet, but I am working on it.”

“One hour?” Michelle asks. “But we just got here.”

“After what just happened at the clinic,” Grandfather says, “I am worried one hour is too long to wait.”

I eye Michelle and bite my lips. We never told her about our plan to hike to Kuryong Falls and scout the area for signs of the orb. After what happened at the clinic and watching that
imoogi
nearly bite her head off, there’s no way I’m putting her back into danger. But how can I get her to stay without her feeling as if she’s missing out?

Marc comes over to me and rubs my arms. “You ready for this? No one will think less of you if you decide not to go.”

I stare at his chest. Going to the falls could mean danger and more injuries. Or worse. My heart thumps, thinking how inadequate I would’ve been fighting the weasels or the
imoogi
alone. Plus, I’m in so much pain that I can barely walk. It doesn’t help that we are weaker without Kang-dae. I don’t think I could kick anything without falling to the ground in agony.

No
, I think to myself.
I’m not ready. At all.

“We must review the mission in my room before we go,” Grandfather whispers to Marc and me. “Especially now that Kang-dae isn’t here.”

“I’ll just drop this off and change for the hike,” I tell Grandfather.

Following Michelle, I lug my suitcase down the hall. Her fingers shake a little as she fits the key into the small lock in the keyhole.

“What is this?” she says. “The dark ages?”

“Here.” I take the key from her fingers, slide it inside the lock, and twist. The door clicks open. “We’re spoiled back in Seoul.”

The room is simple but clean. White walls and matching linoleum flooring with two single beds. I abandon my suitcase on the floor, while Michelle shuts the door behind us. I sag onto the bed, which feels like a rock slab rather than a mattress. After two different attempts, I finally manage to shift my body just the right way to even lie down. I pop some more ibuprofen, deciding not to mention I’m pretty sure my back is completely screwed up.

Michelle falls backward onto the other bed, groaning. “I can’t stand the thought of doing anything other than sleeping. After what happened back there at the observatory and then at the clinic . . . I don’t know how much more of that kind of stuff I can deal with. Does that make me a wimp?”

“No, it makes you smart.”
Way smarter than me.

“Besides, I feel like I’ve used up all my energy facing those creatures. A three-hour hike seems horrifying. Why even bother with the sightseeing trip?”

“Yeah.” I shift so my head is propped up on a pillow. “It does. Especially Grandfather’s version of a hike. Knowing him, he’ll want to jog the whole thing just to get in some exercise. But there’s a chance that there might be a clue at the falls to help us find something.”

I’m trying to be as vague as possible, not only for Michelle’s sake, but also because Grandfather warned us that the rooms were bugged. We don’t need to give them any reason to kick us out of the country.

“Seems like a lot of work just to look for something that probably doesn’t exist,” she says.

“I hope Kang-dae is okay,” I say, trying to change the subject.

“Yeah, me too.”

We lie there, and all I can think about is Kang-dae injured, maybe dying. If I fail at finding this orb, or if Michelle’s right and it doesn’t exist, then Kang-dae will have risked his life for nothing.

“I wish I had a phone or a way to call the hospital,” I say.

Michelle rolls onto her side, playing with the edge of the yellowed pillowcase. “I know. Me too.”

I manage to slide off my bed, my spine prickling with pain. I seek out the faucet and splash water over my face, hoping the coolness will soothe me. Then I remember the
gwishin
from the school bathroom, and how Kud reached through the mirror at the hospital to grab me. I turn the water off and pull off my pillowcase, using it to cover the mirror.

Better.

“Damn, girl,” Michelle says. “That Kud guy really messed with your head.”

I stare at the covered mirror. “Let’s not talk about him, ’kay?”

“Sure.” Michelle shrugs and tosses her boots against the wall, but from her puckered forehead and how she keeps nibbling at her pinky, I know her mind is whirling. She’s too smart. It’s only a matter of time before she figures out the truth about this whole mission and gets involved. And I can’t have her involved.

“You don’t have to come,” I say. “We’re just going on a hike to see a waterfall. You should stay and get some rest.” I hobble across the room to grab my day pack and stuff it with snacks and water. “I’ll be back from the hike in no time.”

She stares at me skeptically, but then sighs. “It does sound so tempting. Maybe I will. I’ve been working on this idea I got when I saw all of those pictures that Lily put up at the Dano Festival.”

She pulls out her notebook and starts flipping through it.

“Really?” I ask. “Tell me about it.”

“This is just a start, but sometime in the future I want to set up something bigger than just this trip. If we could get more people involved, we could make a bigger difference. These clinics shouldn’t have to wait a whole year just to get one part so their computers will work again. If we teamed up with other schools, we could provide enough medicine, food, and warmth for anyone who needed it.”

“You plan it and I’ll help,” I say, relieved she’s staying behind. “It sounds awesome.”

I wave good-bye and slip out before she changes her mind. It’s a miracle she’s still alive considering everything that’s happened today.

Marc is already in the hallway, leaning against the flowered wall. His arms are crossed, and his hair half hangs over his eyes. I start toward him, aching to sink into his arms, but Grandfather opens his door at the other end of the hall and motions for the two of us.

Once we’re in his room, Grandfather presses his finger to his lips, telling us to be quiet. Then he takes out Kumar’s debugger device and places it on the table.

“This will give us five minutes where we can talk freely before the authorities suspect anything.” Grandfather taps his pencil on the table, his brows furrowed as if he’s searching for an answer that won’t come. “We have good news. Kang-dae is well. I have to return to the border and escort him across since he’s a minor.”

“This is wonderful.” I take a deep breath of relief, but when I look over at Marc, he’s shaking his head and scowling as if this is terrible news. “Don’t act that way. He’s one of your fellow Guardians. Aren’t you supposed to have a bond or something?”

“Enough!” Grandfather frowns, his eyes narrowed. “We must focus. Normally I would say wait for my return, but after everything that has happened today, I am concerned we are not only being watched, but time is limited before our secret mission becomes not so secret.”

“If it hasn’t already,” Marc mutters, flopping into the nearest chair.

“Indeed.” Grandfather unrolls a map showing the falls and the path. “I need you to scout out the falls. See if there is anything out of the ordinary. Without Kang-dae, and with your condition, Jae Hwa, I am concerned about the two of you undertaking this mission by yourselves. Regrettably, we will need to refrain from attempting to collect the object until tomorrow. I cannot allow you to risk your lives.”

He points to the area he wants us to scout out.

“Look for anything unusual,” he continues. “Symbols of dragons or codes written in Chinese, since that was the language of Korea during the time the object was last seen.

“And one other thing.” Grandfather digs through his pack and pulls out a leather pouch attached to a cord. “If for some reason you find the orb and have to take it, you should put it in here. Avoid touching it if at all possible. We do not understand its full potential.”

The leather is soft in my hand as I slip it over my head. “Why shouldn’t I touch it?”

“The orbs are powerful objects,” he says. “They were not created for humans. Power of that kind is not to be taken lightly.”

“Sounds simple enough,” I say.

“Let us hope this is true,” Grandfather says. “Whatever you do, wait for me before you engage in acquiring the object. It is far too dangerous to walk anywhere with it without proper supervision.”

Chu-won hires a driver to take Marc and me to the Onjeonggak rest area. There we get out and start our trek. For the first time in days, Marc and I are alone. He takes my hand, and even though it hurts to walk, a smile creeps across my face. I hadn’t realized how much I was craving this.

The narrow path is canopied with overhanging trees. We skirt around rocks and fallen branches. I breathe in the fresh air, full of pine and bark, and I’m amazed at the sharp contrast this tourist area is compared to where most North Koreans live. After a little over an hour of brisk hiking, I hear the rush of falling water, and I know we can’t be far from the falls. The woods close around us, and a thick mist from the waterfall trickles along the path as if joining us in our journey.

“I’ve been acting ridiculously immature about the whole Kang-dae thing,” Marc finally says. “What he did back there at the observatory proved how wrong I was about him.”

“Kang-dae has that effect on people,” I say. “Making everyone hate him. But I’m glad he’s okay and coming back.”

Marc’s face almost smiles, and I know we’ve crossed a barrier and somehow we’re closer because of it. A concrete bridge carries us over a dry riverbed where a thick mist curls through the rocks. After passing through a small tunnel, the sound of roaring water shatters the silence of the forest. The path bends around and the tree line breaks, revealing Kuryong Falls.

“It’s lovely,” I whisper.

The water plummets as if waves are rushing down, frothing until it races over the edge and dives forever into a storm at the bottom. Swirls of whites, blues, and grays push into each other. I love the power and energy it all creates. I take a deep breath of the pine air and feel a sudden urge to move closer to the water. My blood pumps faster, and the muscles in my back loosen, almost as if the pain is receding. It’s a familiar sensation, and at first I can’t place it.

“What is it?” Marc asks.

“There’s something in the air that feels familiar,” I say. “Do you notice anything?”

“Yes.” Marc’s gaze narrows to the falls and then to the pond beneath it. “Yes, I do. Let’s go up to the pavilion. Maybe we can get a better view.”

Up in the Nine Dragons Pavilion, we have a breathtaking view of the falls, which sit between two sharp mountain peaks. Its beauty almost makes me forget the needles of pain in my back. It’s one of the tallest waterfalls I’ve ever seen. Water sprays up, creating momentary crystals before tumbling into the foaming pond. The area has a rugged, worn feel, as if it’s seen and endured too much.

“They say that a trip to Nine Dragon Falls is a trip your heart always remembers,” Marc says.

Whispering sounds swirl around me. Spinning on my heels, I notice the paintings of dragons on the pagoda. The painting shifts, and a dragon’s eye blinks. Another’s tail twitches.

I grab Marc’s arm. “Did you see that?” I point to the dragon painting. “It moved. I’m sure of it.”

Or maybe it didn’t. I hold my breath, waiting for something to happen. But nothing does. It’s hard to know if I’m completely losing it or somehow incredibly in tune with the Spirit World.