𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐋𝐄 ♕ 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐊

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻

While Park Jin stared at Gaeun wearily, Heo Yeom was openly fuming. His nostrils flared and he turned red as he bellowed about how Gaeun had deceived all of Daeho for years by never revealing her magic.

"The nerve of you, girl!" He screeched, jabbing a finger in her direction as he stood beside Lord Park behind his table, "To lie to us and say that you have water magic—"

"Do forgive me, Master Heo," Gaeun was in no state to meekly lower her head and listen to the man's dulcet tone, "but you and many others merely assumed that I had an affinity towards water."

"'Enough magic to keep plants alive'!" He quoted her from a few weeks ago, "That was your fib to us. For years we let you prance around the four heirs of Daeho even when you were a simple tradesman's daughter—"

"—I'm not a—"

"—And," Heo Yeom spoke louder, making Lord Park close his eyes in exasperation, "you persuaded Jang Wook, the boy who broke off engagements like fragile little clay dolls, to marry you—"

"—I didn't need to persuade—"

"Again with the lies!"

Already short on patience, Gaeun couldn't help but clench her fist and let her rage loose in the form of a strong heat wave. The lamps around them exploded. The plants scattered in the office wilted. The men's hair turned frizzy and the skin on Master Heo's cheeks began to peel from the intensity of the heat.

However, the repercussions were instant. Gaeun grabbed the back of the chair to steady herself, trying not to wince when sweat dripped uncomfortably down her spine. Her continuous use of magic in Jooyong's absence had begun to take a toll on her body. Her own helplessness infuriated her. Steeling her eyes, she hissed, "I'd watch my words if I were you, Master Heo."

"How dare you threaten me!"

"Enough!" Lord Park slammed his fist on his work table and attempted to fix his hair in displeasure. Reluctantly and unhappily, Master Heo waited for the Songrim leader to address the issue. "Gaeun-ah." He shrunk at the sour expression on her face but managed to maintain his authority. "Lady Gaeun, is it true that you wield magic?"

She met his steady gaze, "It is."

"Then you must understand that we must take necessary precautions against undocumented and untrained mages."

"I am well aware how Songrim deals with untrained mages," Gaeun replied with an edge in her tone, "The example is currently imprisoned in your secret room." She secretly delighted in the way the man winced as she continued, "I, however, am not untrained."

"Who—"

"Nor am I a mage."

Master Heo immediately cut in. "What are you then?" He demanded, "A witch? An illusionist? An enchantress? I always knew something was off about you, girl. You have had that air of strangeness around you ever since you were a child."

Before she could be questioned further, Sangho entered the office. He paused at the unsightly state Lord Park and Master Heo were in and sent Gaeun a curious glance before saying, "My Lord, there is a visitor. Lord Wang of Yeol is here to enroll his younger brother in Songrim. Is..." his eyes darted between the older men and Gaeun, "Is everything alright?"

Lord Park ignored his concern, "Send them in."

"That is my cue to leave," Gaeun stated, turning around without waiting to be dismissed. Unfortunately, she was half a second too late.

Yifan had changed out of his travel clothes and into regal viridian robes that made him look every bit of the clan leader that he had been forced to become. He stood chest to chest with her, compelling her to stumble back while he obstructed her path.

"Her Grace needn't leave on my behalf," he said plainly, sneering down at her momentarily. The expression on his face morphed into a diplomatic one as he lowered his head in respect towards Lord Park and Master Heo.

The men exchanged bewildered looks but before they could say anything, a blur of bright green shot towards Gaeun. A full head shorter than Gaeun and made of gangly limbs, Yiwei threw his arms around her with pure joy, "Master!"

"I'm not your Master," Gaeun refuted but embraced him back affectionately, "I wasn't your training officer nor were you an Academy student."

She had met Wang Yiwei long ago when the then-eight-year-old had snuck into the barracks to see his beloved brother. Since Yiwei was her partner's family, it was Gaeun's lawful duty to protect him—a duty she had accepted from the moment she had laid eyes on the innocent boy and felt a stir of emotions. Had I lived with my family, she remembered thinking while Yiwei looked up at her in awe, perhaps I would've been to my brothers what this child is to Yifan and me.

Yiwei pressed his temple against her shoulder and mumbled into the fabric of her sleeve, "You left without saying goodbye."

"There was no time for that, little pup," she said softly before stepping away from him, "Congratulations on your admittance. Songrim will do you good."

"Tell that to my mother," Yifan grumbled, politely smiling at the elders in the room.

"I'd rather kill myself."

"Sounds like an absolute win." He paid no attention to the withering glare she shot him and flicked the back of his brother's head, "Stop gaping, fool, and show her some respect. Embarrassing yourself and the clan by hurling yourself at Her Grace like the imbecilic child you are—"

Gaeun interrupted him sharply, clearly unhappy with his choice of words, "There is no need for such severity. Yiwei is your brother and he is a child—"

"He is fourteen—"

"—a child—"

As the bickering grew in volume and in insults, Yiwei looked at the older men casually and shrugged. "It's alright, my Lords," he sighed, "They fight over me like this all the time. My brother doesn't mean any of the harshness he exhibits while Her Grace is just very protective of me. And I am no one to complain when they both adore me."

The men echoed in mutual confusion, "Her Grace?"

Meanwhile, Gaeun's fingers twitched with the all too familiar need to rip out Yifan's hair. As the argument increased, she was sure he felt the same. "That's enough!" She cut him off, "I am already overwhelmed with worries. I would prefer not to add you to the list."

"Oh, aren't you doing me a favour," Yifan snarked back as she shoved past him and angrily exited the office.

Leaning towards Sangho inconspicuously, Lord Park kept his eyes trained on Gaeun's retreating back as he nervously mumbled from the corner of his mouth, "Bring me the Merchant's Registry, will you?"

♕♕

The guards had stopped Gaeun from seeing Wook until Master Heo huffed at them to step aside. "She's his wife, you blithering idiots," he shook his fist at the guards, forcing them to reluctantly step aside, "Why would you stop her but allow the maid in?" Danggu ducked behind Gaeun to narrowly dodge the old man's swinging fist.

"The Assistant Gwanju," said one of the guards, "He said that the Lady Gaeun is to be placed under house-arrest until the Jang family is sentenced to a suitable punishment."

"I'm what?"

For the first time in all the fifteen years she had known Master Heo, the old man spoke in favour of her. "This is preposterous!" He exclaimed, making the guards cower slightly, "She is the Lady of the Jang household and you cannot treat her with such disrespect. That little worm Jin Mu cannot say or do as he pleases on Songrim grounds. Are you two imbeciles for listening to him? Do Songrim mages serve Cheonbukwan as well and I wasn't aware of it? Get out of my sight before I decide to unscrew your ears from those useless heads of yours!"

The walk down the hallway was uncomfortably silent and Gaeun continued to observe as Master Heo and Danggu did their best to incite a positive response from Wook. She had never seen him look so defeated before and it troubled her. Earlier, she had left him after drying his tears and assuring him that everything would fall into place, believing that he'd be back to his optimistic self.

Now, he looked more miserable than ever. Even Seo Yul's carefully chosen words did nothing and Wook continued to stare at the floor vacantly.

Defeated, the young heirs had no choice but to retreat with Master Heo, who promised to speak with Jin Mu and sort everything out.

As Yul paused to speak with Mu Deok at the gates, Gaeun moved towards Wook. "You haven't eaten anything," she said, nodding at the food Mu Deok had brought him hours ago, "nor have you spoken a word to anyone since this afternoon. What is worrying you?"

When Wook quietly reached for her hand, Gaeun lowered her eyes to observe the way he brushed his thumb over her knuckles. "How is it," he murmured so that nobody but she could hear, "that I am struck by misfortune every time I have hurt you?"

Gaeun was quick to pull away from him, face contorting as if she had been struck before she covered it up with impassiveness. "What are you trying to say?"

Slowly and tauntingly, he met her gaze. Gaeun wanted to laud his audacity. Even when she had done nothing but support him, Wook had still found a way to accuse her. "You are hurting," she said to him, sounding nothing but patient, "and that is why I forgive you for what you said. But if you ever accuse me of causing you intentional harm, Jang Wook, I won't be so lenient again. I will forgive your selfishness but I will never condone unkindness."

Mu Deok interrupted them before Wook could even form an apology in his mind. "I cannot tolerate this any longer," the maid hissed, "How long will this pity party last?" When Wook refused to turn around, she raised her voice, "You received a powerful torrent of energy, and it surged within you. What could take decades was accomplished by you in mere weeks! If you keep training—"

"I will not." Wook narrowed his eyes at her and replied flatly, "Forget it. I will not do it."

"Have Park Jin's few words dispirited you?" She demanded angrily, "So all this was just an act of stupidity. No wonder you look so hopeless. You are just too weak!"

Gaeun could only observe as the fight escalated.

"Yes, I am," Wook scoffed arrogantly, "I am weak and I am not going to do anything. So just shut up and don't bother me." He turned away, avoiding looking at Gaeun and crossed his arms.

Furious at his attitude, Mu Deok snapped, "I do not need a pupil who will not do anything."

"Then do not be my master," Wook responded equally harshly, "Stay as the lowly maid you are. Annoy me again and I will not hesitate in selling you off."

The maid stumbled back at the fierce threat. For a moment, her shaky eyes flickered towards Gaeun who seemed just as taken aback. With a frustrated huff followed by a flurry of curses, Mu Deok stormed out of the room.

Gaeun decided to leave as well before the guards decided to humiliate her further by dragging her out of Songrim. Unfortunately, her feet couldn't carry her further than four steps away from Wook. His behaviour was bothering her. Spying over her shoulder, she found him slumped in the chair beside the bed, exhausted. Somehow, the longer she looked at him, the faster her rage dissipated.

"You said you wouldn't turn me away."

Limply tilting his head towards her, Wook asked, "What, pray tell, are your demands now, wife?"

She almost smiled at his mockery of her speech. Before he could protest, Gaeun seated herself on his lap, almost as if he was her possession. Wook froze momentarily before she felt his palm flatten against the small of her back. "Gaeun—"

"There's this person I really care about," Gaeun clasped his free hand lovingly and held it over her knee, "and I don't know how to comfort him. Especially when he's being crueller than usual."

Wook pressed the bridge of his nose against her jaw and sighed in defeat. He really could never refuse her. "Maybe allow him to give up?" He breathed.

Pursing her lips as if thinking over it, Gaeun replied, "No. No, I don't think it's right that he gives up. I would say something nice—maybe praise him for doing so well in such a short time. But instead I want to tell him that he owes it to me. Because I have endured for him and so he should endure for me."

"And what if he endures only to end up with fruitless results?"

"He won't. It is his destiny to be more. He only needs to make the right choice."

Wook pressed closer to her, desperate for comfort. "That seems quite burdensome, considering how he has nothing left. How do you know that giving up isn't the right choice for him?"

A flurry of footsteps sounded and the two craned their necks to find a spear-bearing guard at the door. The guard blushed a violent crimson at the sight of them and spun around. "Forgive me for intruding," he coughed and cleared his throat with his back to them, "But the Assistant Gwanju has demanded Lady Gaeun's presence in the councilroom."

"I doubt he's in any position to demand anything of me," Gaeun murmured and then screwed her eyes shut in exasperation, "This better not be about my magic."

"What?" Wook raised a brow, throwing a stray glance at the guard who seemed to grow more uncomfortable by the second. Lowering his voice, he asked, "You used your magic in Songrim?"

"It's not the first time."

"No, but this is different." He picked at her soot-stained fingers, "What did you do?"

Gaeun bit the inside of her cheek and blurted, "They tried to stop me from seeing you."

The guard coughed again, making Gaeun crane her neck over her shoulder. "The Assistant Gwanju is waiting, my Lady," he reminded her, still with his back turned.

With a resigned sigh, she stood up only to jerk back a little when Wook latched onto her arm. He lingered over her elbow before dragging his fingers down to intertwine their hands. "Lord Park will not let anything happen to you," he told her, tilting his head at her, "He may be upset with me but he will still protect you. Him and Master Heo."

"Alright," she managed a small smile, "And if they are unable to, I will petition to be your cellmate."

Gaeun thought she managed to catch a ghost of a smile on Wook's face. The glimmer of satisfaction she felt vanished instantly when he pressed his lips against the inside of her wrist. "Won't you let me give up?" He mumbled against her skin.

They ignored the scandalized whimper the guard let out and hardly paid attention to him as he took three large steps out of the room. Gaeun felt her cheeks burn. She was mad at him just a few hours ago and now he was making her heart melt out of her ribcage.

"I would've," she said, gently pulling out of his grasp, "had destiny and fate not led you to your Master, as if they conspired about it for eons. However, my opinion of you will not change should you choose to give up."

Wook heaved a sigh, staring at the tip of his shoes.

"I would still love you all the same."

His head snapped up and he sat motionless as Gaeun's thumb caressed his cheek. Wook's gaze bore straight into hers and for once, Gaeun couldn't even guess what he was thinking. Perhaps she should've added 'as a friend' to save face. But the farce had gone on long enough and Gaeun was tired. Were he to reject her, she'd step back gracefully.

If only her mouth and heart had remembered that the timing was off.

Whatever trance Wook had been caught in was broken when the blasted guard meddled again with another cough. "My Lady—"

"You seem to have taken ill, apprentice mage," Gaeun spoke sharply, the annoyance on her face showing as she turned towards him, "Seeing how you keep coughing insufferably. Might I suggest a visit to Sejukwon?"

"N—no," he stammered, fiddling with his collar, "It's just—the Assistant Gwanju—"

"—be damned," Gaeun finished the sentence for him, looking past the look of horror on the guard's face. "Well?" She snapped cattily, making him stumble to lead the way.

The lack of response from Wook was frustrating Gaeun. She wanted to be patient but she had set her own nerves on fire. On purpose. She had expected him to leap to the opportunity and reject her; maybe humiliate her, even. Laugh at her and announce that he had won the game. But as she trailed after the guard to leave, Gaeun heard Wook grumble about her "old-man-speech".

She let out a breath of relief, preferring his grumbling over any form of rejection. Gaeun would worry about her outburst once she was done dealing with Jin Mu.

♕♕

"This isn't the councilroom."

Gaeun had been led to the backyards of Songrim. Jin Mu was nowhere in sight. Instead, there was a group of armed mages wearing Cheonbukwan robes who were waiting for her. She spotted a few familiar faces in the group, including Jin Mu's right-hand man, Gilju, and the ridiculously tall, mute man.

"Min Gaeun," Gilju sauntered forward with authority, "You have been placed under house arrest by the Gwanju's order. We are to make sure that you are sent straight to the Jang household."

Unable to help the sardonic laugh that bubbled in her throat, Gaeun managed to stare down at him, "The Assistant Gwanju has no right to dole out punishment for me. Speak to me as if we are equals once more, Gilju, and I will have you gelded."

While he seethed, Gaeun thought she spotted the mute man smiling to himself. He stepped around his superior and gestured towards the exit courteously.

Gaeun wanted to argue; she wanted to demand to be taken to Lord Park and Master Heo instead where she could negotiate with the council about Wook's punishment. But using magic had begun to take its toll on her again. The short walk from the room to the yard had her breathing and heaving hard.

"Just one of you will do," Gaeun said, firmly, "I don't need an entire brigand to escort me home like a cheap criminal."

"The Gwanju—"

"I don't give a shit about Jin Mu," she cut Gilju off arrogantly before pointing her chin at the mute man, "You seem to be the only decent one amongst the hooligans. Do as your Master instructed you and ensure that I don't fall off my path home."

Gilju burst into a furious scarlet but kept his mouth shut. He lowered his voice and furtively whispered something to the mute man before aggressively shoving him forward. The man nearly tripped and shot a vengeful look over his shoulder, catching himself before he could be reprimanded.

Before anybody could say anything to her, Gaeun turned around and left. She headed for the compound gates, knowing that the mute man was following her. Though his presence made her feel uneasy, Gaeun couldn't feel even an ounce of magic from him.

She paid him no heed as she walked ten feet ahead of him. All Gaeun could think of in the silence was the comfort of her bed. However, she knew once she was in the safety of her fourposter, the heavy quiet would force her to think of Wook and their predicament and her unnecessary word vomit. Might as well enjoy the peace, she thought as she spared a glance behind her.

The man maintained a respectful distance all the way to the Jang household. Once they arrived, Madam Kim and Servant Lee stopped trying to vigorously shoo away the soldiers posted around the entrance and hurried over to her.

"My Lady!" Kim Dojoo grasped her hands, leading her to the veranda, "They told me that you were to be held captive at home. When I returned, these soldiers had already surrounded the compound, saying that nobody could leave. Are you alright, my Lady? You look sickly—who are you?" Kim Dojoo gestured at the mute man who had trailed after them. He spun around, observing the household before looking at her vacantly.

"Don't pay any attention to him, Madam Kim. He's just one of Jin Mu's clowns," Gaeun massaged the junction between her neck and shoulder, "I feel fatigued. I think I shall retire for the night and see what can be done about Wook's situation in the morning. Though," she lowered her tone, "something tells me the boys and Mu Deok are already scheming about it."

Madam Kim seemed to have a hundred questions rolling off her tongue but was cut short by Servant Lee screeching at the mute man.

"Keep your eyes to yourself, you shameless giant!" Servant Lee pretended to throw a punch his way while he simply blinked, "Staring so unabashedly at our Lady—why I ought to—Get out of here before I thrash you black and blue!"

The mute man rubbed the back of his neck gingerly and grinned boyishly at them. He signed something that nobody but Gaeun could understand. 'Your Lady. Only thing look. Worthy. In this hut.' She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the mistakes in his sign language rather than his audacity.

"I'm going to assume that you are bidding us goodnight," she said to him. His grin didn't lessen, as if he knew she was lying. "You best be on your way."

He bowed and left from the same gateway they had entered from.

"If Servant Rae is still awake," she told Madam Kim as they slipped out of their shoes and entered the main building, "Could you ask her to make me some tea before I go to bed? Today has been overly stressful."

"Right away, my Lady."

Sleep didn't come easy to Gaeun that night. She tossed and turned, limbs aching, as her mind refused to let her rest. Why had the mute man made such a mistake while signing when it was the only way he communicated? Was it a slip of hand/fingers? Something about him nagged Gaeun and no matter how many hours she thought about him or the strangely familiar way he had rubbed the back of his neck, she couldn't pinpoint the exact reason.

How could rubbing your neck feel familiar? She thought, shifting to lay on her left side fitfully, It's a basic action. You're just trying to find something to put your heart at ease.

Gaeun unwillingly thought of Yifan and how his mere presence in Daeho had formed a cloud of vicious smog around her, effectively suffocating her. She knew, in her heart of hearts, that he would've never abandoned her had he been given the chance. Yifan cared for and looked after Gaeun out of love and respect for Ren. His strong morals made him take his oaths too seriously. And what oath could be more serious when it came to protecting your betrothed's beloved? Even as partners, their first duty was to one another—one that could be added to Gaeun's many failures.

Burying her cheek into her pillow, Gaeun thought of Wook and the hopelessness on his face. It broke her heart still. She had been so used to seeing him fall only to get back up again that she never thought he'd want to let go. It's only human to want to give up, she clenched her fist around her sheets, Perhaps I should have let him.

But then where would that leave their marriage? Would he let her stay with him till the end of their lives?

Mu Deok woke Gaeun up who hadn't realized that she remained asleep past sunrise. Not that it mattered. She felt even more exhausted than before.

"What is it?" Gaeun asked, massaging her temple that seemed hellbent on blinding her with a headache.

"We're breaking Jang Wook out of the secret chamber," Mu Deok was rummaging around the room, looking for Wook's belongings, "Jin Mu has called for a duel between him and the Crown Prince. Given his current skills, Jang Wook will surely be killed. I will hide him in a village across the river."

Gaeun pulled herself to her feet, "What do you need?"

A quarter of an hour later, the two had snuck out of the household and were trudging through the forest towards the tiny port. Jin Mu's guards didn't seem to be taking their job seriously as they had spotted a few dozing off at their post. Mu Deok kept peeping back, slightly concerned about the state Gaeun was in, as she filled her in on the plan.

A small ferry was docked on the wooden port, its owner carrying boxes of cargo over to it using a ramp. Wook and the boys arrived after they did. Frowning deeply, Wook passed by Mu Deok and made straight for Gaeun, leaving his friends to speak with his maid.

"Wook, I—"

He pressed the back of his palm on her forehead first and then her cheek. "What are you doing here? Have you seen the condition you're in?" Gaeun shrunk back at his reprimanding tone. "You look like you might fall over any moment."

"I infused energy into your coat in case it gets cold for you," Gaeun replied instead, signalling at the larger-than-necessary knapsack Mu Deok was carrying on her back, "I've also kept a spare set of clothes—I didn't have enough time. Don't fool around, alright? You're not going on vacation. Lay low until the situation lightens. Come home safe and..." She trailed off, reaching for the binding beads around his forearm, and spotted the jade ring around his finger. "You're wearing it."

Wook laid his palm under hers and asked quietly, "Did you mean what you said?"

"What?"

"Earlier. Did you mean what you said?" At her silence, Wook raised his hand and pulled out the double-pronged pin from her hair. Without another word, he split it in half, handing her the plain pin while he kept the ornamental crane side. "I will have it fixed once I return," he told her, pocketing it on the inside of the folds of his collar.

Her heart beat incessantly as hope swelled in her chest. Maybe she was reading too much into it? But he had broken off the hairpin. Only lovers kept broken halves of a pin, joining them when they were reunited after the period of separation. It was unheard of in Daeho but common in Yeol.

What was Wook playing at?

"I will come home soon, Gaeun," he stepped closer, gently tilting her chin up so that she looked at him, "To you."

The lump in her throat made it difficult to speak. He liked her back. He had to.

"Wook, do you—"

"Yes."

"What?" Gaeun was going to ask whether Wook knew that Mu Deok had plans of training him. "Wait, what was the 'yes' for?"

"Enjoy your time away from me," He said instead as Mu Deok approached them, "while you can." An old memory stirred in Gaeun's mind. They were sixteen, perhaps seventeen, and Wook had said the same thing when she had told him that she was leaving forever. Back then Gaeun had wished for one last kind word from him, believing that she'd never see him again.

Danggu and Yul bid him and Mu Deok farewell as the two climbed onto the ferry. Gaeun was vaguely aware of Danggu patting her back comfortingly, reassuring her that Wook would be fine. Just as the ferry pushed off the dock, Gaeun stumbled to its edge.

"Jang Wook," she cupped her mouth and called, making him stand and lean against the mast, "The day the carriage took me back to Yeol, were you there?"

He gripped the mast and nodded, yelling back as the ferry sailed further away, "Yes. I was."

Danggu couldn't help his curiosity and asked Gaeun, "What do you mean? What carriage?"

Out of breath and with blood roaring through her veins, she watched as the ferry disappeared down the river. "He likes me," she said, slowly turning to look at Yul and Danggu, "Wook likes me."

Brows furrowed in confusion, Yul asked, "Isn't he supposed to?" while Danggu punched her shoulder, exclaiming "I told you!" with enthusiasm. With a shake of his head, Yul continued, "We'll take you home, Gaeun. Jin Mu was serious about the house arrest punishment. We'll say that our leader wanted to speak with you and that's why we escorted you to Songrim. They won't check."

"I'll do the lying," Danggu nodded, "We all know how terrible Yul is with fibs."

Gaeun let out a faint chuckle before peering over her shoulder, towards the river. "He'll be okay," she murmured to herself.

♕♕

She hadn't expected a storm. The skies had been clear when she had retired for the night. The thunder and lightning, however, had jolted her out of sleep.

Right away, Gaeun knew something was wrong. The rains were unnatural. Her chest felt like it was being crushed. Through the panic, her bare feet hit the wet floor. Her nightgown dampened quickly under the heavy downpour, clinging to her like a set of manacles.

Something's wrong. Something is very, very wrong.

The long tendrils of panic and paranoia coiled around her lungs. Where was she going? Her body was moving on its own, answering the miserable plea for help. Who was calling? Where was Jooyong? Jooyong would know what to do. He would know because Gaeun was hearing the cry through their connection. Someone was screaming out to them. All of them.

The Warrior. The Bird. The Dragon. Something is wrong.

"My Lady!?"

Gaeun had cut her feet on thorns. She had no idea how far into the forest she had run. The rains worsened and so did the misery. Who was calling?

"My Lady, you need to stop!"

The cries were unbearable. She needed them to stop. She needed to help them. The act was far too violent for the likes of them. The idea of being ripped and torn out of your body—it was cruel and painful.

Madam Kim had her arms around Gaeun as she struggled to run forward. "Let go," Gaeun begged as more arms held her down, "Let go! They need our help—Jooyong—Jooyong—"

When she woke once more, it was dusk. The skies had cleared. She was back in her and Wook's bed. The congestion of fear in her chest was gone.

Sluggishly, Gaeun pushed herself to sit up. Her long hair was damp, hinting that she had indeed run off into the storm like a mad woman. To her immense surprise, Haneul and Seok sat beside one perturbed Yifan.

"We heard the call as well," Haneul looked just as grave as the other two, if not more. "Your stewardess noticed you gone and called for the house servants to look for you. We brought you back just as you collapsed. Any word from Jooyong?"

"None." Gaeun cursed herself for the nth time for driving a wall between her and the Vermillion Dragon. "What was it, the call?"

She had always suspected Seok to house the Warrior, the Black Tortoise. She had been straightforward about her suspicions but Seok had always dodged her questions. The grim expression he wore now was all the confirmation she needed.

"Someone performed an unconsented soul transfer," he said, his dark eyes sharpening dangerously, "The call the three of us heard was from Baihu."

"We found his Vessel," Haneul leaned her elbow on the table, equally furious, "Or whatever remained of the child. Once the White Tiger was acquired, they disposed of the Vessel. We failed." She slammed her fist on the table, stirring up the wind inside the building, "We failed."

Yifan shared a look with Gaeun and she knew he was thinking the same thing. All these years and they hadn't even thought of suspecting Haneul of being the third Vessel. How dangerous it had been, all three of them under the same roof. And yet, they had faced failure. Their opponent clearly knew who they were dealing with.

"What now?" Gaeun asked, sliding down to sit with her comrades.

"Yifan will write to the Citadel. He will leave out information about me and Seok," Haneul ordered rather than informed, "Seok and I will look for leads. Cheonbukwan seems the most probable to be behind this. You will make contact with Jooyong at the earliest."

Seok seemed to tower over them with the power he exuded—he was a being of old magic, after all. And something told Gaeun he wasn't just a Vessel anymore. "Whoever has stolen Baihu has the power to hide from me," Seok said quietly, "The only clan in Daeho to have access to artifacts of unbridled power is Jinyuwon and Jin Mu is capable of entering the cave at his leisure, due to his bloodline. He is right in front of us but we cannot attack without solid proof. We cannot risk war."

"If there is someone who switched souls," Gaeun spoke up, "Then corpses are sure to show up. That could lead us to—"

"You wish to sit around, waiting for some poor bastard to die?" Yifan demanded.

She snapped in response, "Come up with a plan then, instead of sitting dumb. We cannot storm into Cheonbukwan out of mere suspicion. Jin Mu was clever enough to wrap Daeho's Royal family around his fingers—"

"Go Won," Haneul suddenly said, "Ask him. Tell him to spy on Jin Mu for us."

"He'd never agree."

"He will if you ask."

Seok interrupted before it turned into an argument, "We aren't short on time. Baihu's new host will need time to...Does anybody hear that?"

Gaeun's chest of drawers was rattling. It started off slow but grew aggressive as time passed. There was tapping on the window, as if someone was knocking, which made Yifan stand up. The tapping noise multiplied and started coming from every window in the room.

The drawer burst open at the same time as when Yifan opened the window.

"What—"

Hundreds of thousands of paper cranes flew into the room. The group leapt to their feet, Haneul's hand hovering over her fan. Gaeun, however, could only stare wide-eyed as the paper animals levitated out of her drawer.

Soon, they had filled the ceiling and the floor and ended up pouring into the hallways of the house. Gaeun could hear the servants outside exclaim in panic. But she couldn't bring herself to move even a muscle. Seok bent down to pick up a stray paper crane and held it up for her to see.

Slowly, she met Yifan's wistful eyes and watched his lips form the name responsible for the magic. Of course, it was her. It just had to be her.

"Ren."

♕♕

Merry Christmas, yall! And a Happy New Year!

This was long overdue but in my defense, i had (still have) finals going on. I have discovered that I hate doing research proposals, essays, and comparative studies but that is literally all they're making us do for our final exams. The cold doesn't help either. I can't function in this weather at all. Plus it's insane that I have to cook, do the dishes, cook, do the dishes again, cook again, do my laundry, sweep and mop the room every single day. (I was sick with viral too so that sucked)

My favourite bit in this chapter was Gaeun's take-no-shit attitude and the paper crane part!

thoughts? comments?