Silvern (The Gilded Series) (30 page)

The wind cuts across my cheeks, cold despite this spring day, as I stand on the bald summit of Seorakson Mountain. It’s a narrow crag, but wide enough for a few hikers to stand and see the view of endless mountains, swooping in jagged summits one after the next all the way into North Korea. A mist weaves through the dagger-spiked peaks. I breathe it all in.

I hear him hiking up the path, rocks tumbling in his wake. My body tenses, and I pray he’s come alone. But I have nothing to worry about. It’s only Marc climbing up the last rope that will lead him to me. I check my watch, already feeling the minutes ticking away.

Once he’s scrambled up, he pauses, his eyes taking me in. I search his face for a sign of how he feels about us. His eyes are guarded, wary. Fear clamps my heart. Does he still love me? I follow his gaze to my tight black pants and black turtleneck top. My hair is braided down my back to keep it out of my face. I wonder if he even recognizes me.

“I miss you,” he says.

He misses me.

I almost smile, but then I remember. He should forget my existence. Michelle’s death still tortures me, and I wallow in it because I deserve nothing but misery. The distance between Marc and me might be a few feet, but it feels like an eternity. We are worlds apart.

“I miss you, too.” I swallow the ache in my throat.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

No, I’m not.
“Yes, I’m getting used to it.”

He looks away, focusing on the mist curling at our feet. “You’ve never been a good liar. I’m surprised Kud allowed this. Good behavior?”

“Yeah.” I grimace. “Something like that. How are my dad and Haraboji?”

“Your funeral is next week.” He lets out a long breath. “I think your grandfather suspects something.”

I close my eyes, hating how I’m bringing them both so much pain. It’s almost too much to bear, and the weight of it all presses down on me.

“Hold my hand.” I reach for him. His hesitation stabs me. Yet through the strain and uncertainty, our hands find each other’s. His warmth against my cold.

“I’m going to find a way to get you out of there,” Marc says.

“No, you’re not.” My fingertips find his face, and I trail the scar along his jawbone. “You’re going to stay alive. If things go well, we can meet again.”

But I know the truth. He must move on. Find a new girl. Because for his safety, I must be dead to him now. I check my stopwatch.

“Fifteen seconds.” I can’t hide the panic in my voice.

“I love you,” he whispers into my ear.

His lips find mine, and for a moment, our worlds collide. I clutch his jacket with both hands, clinging to our every second.

Then I feel Kud’s pull. I’m ripped from Marc’s arms, and a tunnel of stars and emptiness swirls around me, yanking me back into Kud’s lands. The last image I have of Marc is the pain carved on his face, the hardness of his jaw, and the spark in his green eyes. Our moment has vanished, leaving me once again alone with only the darkness for company.

My arms never stop reaching for him.

ajusshi—
man older than you

annyeong haseyo—
hello (formal)

annyeong kyeseyo—
goodbye

Black Turtle—
guardian of the north and of rain

Blue Dragon—
guardian of the west and of the clouds

Bonghwang—
mythological bird with the beak of a rooster, face of a swallow, forehead of a fowl, neck of a snake, breast of a goose, back of a tortoise, hindquarters of a stag, and tail of a fish

Bulgae—
Kud’s bloodhounds

Chollima—
winged horse

dak-gangjeong—
sweet-and-sour fried chicken

dalgyal gwishin—
a ghost with a featureless egg-like head

Dano Festival—
holiday that falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar Korean calendar

dobok—
Tae Kwon Do uniform

dojang—
training center for Tae Kwon Do

dokkaebi—
gremlin, trickster

Eereumee muhyehyo?—
What’s your name?

goong dae—
quiver for arrows

Guardians of Shinshi—
an ancient sect of warriors dedicated to protecting Korea

Gwanghwamun—
downtown Seoul

gwishin—
a ghost

Haechi—
legendary creature resembling a lion; a fire-eating dog; guardian against disaster and prejudice

Haemosu—
demigod of the sun

hanbok—
traditional Korean dress

haraboji—
grandfather

imoogi—
half-dragon that must wait a thousand years to become a real dragon; some are good while others are evil

kalbi—
grilled beef or pork

kimbap—
Korean dish of steamed white rice and other ingredients rolled in sheets of dried seaweed and served in bite-sized slices

kimchi—
spicy pickled cabbage; the national dish of Korea

King Daebyeol—
ruler of the Underworld

komo—
aunt on the father’s side

Kud—
god of darkness

kumiho—
fox-tailed female shape-shifter

Kukkiwon—
the world headquarters for Tae Kwon Do

Kumgangsan—
the Diamond Mountains; a tourist region in North Korea where Kuryong Falls is located

Kuryong—
Nine Dragons

mool gwishin—
ghost of one who was drowned by water

odaeng—
fish skewers

ondol—
under-floor heating system

Oryonggeo—
Haemosu’s chariot, drawn by five dragons

pagoda—
temple or sacred building, typically a many-tiered tower

Palk—
sun god and founder of the realm of light

Red Phoenix—
guardian of the south and of fire

Princess Yuhwa—
demigoddess of the willow trees

samjoko—
three-legged crow; symbol of power and of the sun

Samshin—
goddess of life and childbirth

Seijak—
begin

Tiger of Shinshi—
protector of the Golden Thread that ties and binds the Korean people throughout time

umma—
mom

White Tiger—
Guardian of the west and of the winds

won—
the basic monetary unit of North Korea and South Korea

yo—
Korean mattress that easily rolls up

Yonsei University—
one of the most prestigious universities in Korea

Photo © Liga

Christina Farley was born and raised in upstate New York. As a child, she loved to explore, which later inspired her to jump on a plane and travel the world. She taught at international schools in Asia for ten years, eight of which were in the mysterious and beautiful city of Seoul, Korea, that became the setting of the
Gilded
series
. Currently she lives in Clermont, Florida, with her husband and two sons—that is until the travel itch whisks her off to a new unknown.