Gilded (The Gilded Series, Book One)

by Christina Farley

  “Your names and parents’ contact information,” he demands.

  After we give our information, I attempt to smooth things over. “I wasn’t trying to steal anything. I just wanted to try on the dress.” Sort of.

  “This isn’t a shopping mall,” he barks, passing our names over to another policeman, who calls in the report. Then he stares at us. “We believe terrorists may have set a sound bomb that shattered all the glass cases in the museum. Unfortunately your little prank happened at the same time. Let me see the dress you’ve damaged.”

  He scrutinizes it, scratching the side of his head with his pencil. “I do not see any damage, Chung Su,” he says to the museum curator.

  “I am sure once the historians take a look at it,” the curator says, “they will find the damage. You do know, Miss Lee, your father will receive a nice bill for repairs.”

  I glance down at Yuhwa’s dress, thinking about how angry Dad will be; but I’m distracted by the transformation in the dress. It had been soggy, muddy, and shredded; but now it’s in perfect shape.

  “Looks fine to me,” I tell them. “In fact, I think the color is brighter.”

  Something moves in the shadows by the door. I peer around the chief as a cloaked figure ducks unobtrusively between two policemen and scurries outside.

  The chief’s eyes narrow as he follows my gaze. “Who else was involved?” he asks.

  “No one. Just me.”

  He jerks his head toward Marc. “What about him? He was screaming your name into the grate in the floor.”

  Oh, Marc. You crazy boy.

  “He was trying to stop me from trying on the dress, but I wouldn’t listen. He’s innocent.”

  “That is yet to be decided,” the chief says.

  I look at Marc and press my lips together to keep the tears from forming. “Thank you,” I whisper to him, because I see everything clearly now. I wouldn’t have found my way back without him. He sacrificed himself to get me here and now he’s being arrested.

  The chief clears his throat, and I push away all thoughts of Godzilla monsters, running through mythical forests, and being torn to shreds by a ferocious tiger.

  “Take them to the police station in separate cars,” he says.

  The curator points at me. “She’ll need to take that dress off.”

  “And wear what?” I interrupt.

  “Your clothes, of course,” the chief says.

  They’re probably floating around in the void outside time with my luck. “I don’t know where they are.”

  The chief gives me a measured look. “Are you always this difficult?”

  You have no idea.

  The chief pulls at the cuffs of his sleeves and clears his throat. Then he motions to one of his men, saying, “Find something this girl can change into.” Then one of the workers runs up to us holding my jeans and hoodie. “I found this on the mannequin that held the princess’s dress.”

  The chief rolls his eyes, muttering something about kids and pranks, and orders one of his men and a museum worker to escort me to the back room to change. I suppress a snicker. Haemosu has a sense of humor.

  Once alone, I lean against the wall and let out a long breath.

  What will Dad think about this? Somehow I must get him to believe we are in danger and need to leave the country. I lift the dress over my head and wiggle out of it, but something slices the skin along my ribs. What was that? A red cut now runs across my side.

  “What is taking so long?” the museum worker asks from behind the door.

  “Just a second!” I say as I snatch my hoodie and pat it against my ribs to stop the bleeding. “It’s stuck.”

  I twist the dress inside out to inspect it. A patch has been sewn into the side, and poking out of it is a thin, golden hairpin. I tug on it carefully. The material will need to be cut for me to retrieve the whole pin. Why would someone go to such trouble to sew a hairpin into a dress?

  “Miss Lee,” the policeman says, knocking on the door. “Hurry up.”

  “Almost ready,” I say, staring at the pin, because all I can think about is Grandfather’s tale of how Princess Yuhwa escaped. How she had taken her hairpin and cut her way out of the dragon’s chariot. Is this the same pin? Had she secretly stowed it inside her dress for future use?

  I tap my fingers on the blue material. There’s something about this pin that screams “Take me!” It’s a very, very bad idea. But I jam my finger in the tiny space where the pin has ripped it open and tug, hoping they won’t look inside the dress for damages. The material tears, and a two-prong pin falls onto the tile floor. I lightly touch the pink-blossom design at its end, my heart beating faster than a hummingbird’s wings.

  After I’ve changed I tuck the pin inside my hoodie’s front pocket. I step into the hall and hand the dress to the museum worker, who promptly starts lecturing me on all the wrongs that I’ve committed today.

  I can’t stop shaking during the ride to the station as I relive my horrifying experience in Haemosu’s world in my head. My brilliant idea to steal the amulet, enter the Spirit World, and wound Haemosu with the Blue Dragon bow had been the stupidest idea ever. No wonder I can’t keep up with my classes. I’m a complete moron.

  I stare at the bracelet. All five dragons’ eyes are red now except one. How many days will I have until Haemosu comes for me? When the final eye turns red, will he force me to enter the queen’s palace? Will I be able to escape? Or will I be helpless against its pull?

  I wish I knew how to solve this mess I’ve made of everything.

  When we pull into the police station’s parking lot, my thoughts turn to Dad. He’ll be through-the-roof furious. I bury my face in my hands. Monsters are one thing. Parents are a whole other level.

  They fine me for tampering with valuable museum artifacts. Apparently the police have determined that the explosion was caused by terrorists, so they never thought I (or Haemosu, though they’d never believe that) was the culprit.

  The holding cell reminds me of a giant hamster cage minus the cool wheel and soft, fluffy bedding. I grab the cell bars, cold and hard against my palms, and peer out, hoping to catch a glimpse of Marc. I haven’t seen him since we left the museum except for a brief glimpse when we passed each other in the puke-green concrete block hallway. I want to talk to him, because I don’t know if I’ll have another chance.

  And then there’s the thought that Haemosu could waltz in here at any moment and cause havoc. I lean against the cell bars. It had been so much easier when his power was limited to daylight.

  “Jae Hwa!” Dad says as the policeman brings him to my cell.

  “Hey,” I mutter, and focus on the concrete floor. Counting cracks is far more appealing than dealing with Dad when he’s furious.

  “Are you okay? The police told me there were terrorists at the museum,” he says as the policeman unlocks my cell. “I nearly had a heart attack.”

  Dad worried about me? I can’t remember him ever indicating that before. I’ve always been the tough one. Since Mom died.

  He pulls me into a fierce hug, and for a moment everything feels like it used to be before we moved, before she died. When I didn’t have monsters chasing me or curses haunting me.

  “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, too,” he whispers into my ear.

  As soon as he lets go and we head out to the car, the full weight of the curse bears down on me once more. I’d thought I could fix everything. That I could save all of us. How wrong I’ve been.

  Back at the apartment I pace the room, wearing out the carpet between the futon and the TV, and ready to pull out my hair. For the entire ride home I’ve been trying to convince Dad of Haemosu’s existence. I even show him my bracelet.

  “Don’t you see it’s happening all over again?” I say. “What happened to Sun is happening to me, and you’re just pretending it all away!”

  Dad whitens. “Don’t bring Sun into this.”

  “Dad,” I say, “you can’t pretend it away. It�
��s real.”

  “This is all Eun’s fault. She’s filled your mind with lies.” Dad sags onto the couch and buries his face in his hands.

  Just hearing Komo’s name shoots tears to my eyes. “I wish we’d never come to Korea.” Yet even as I spit out those words, I know how untrue they are. Grandfather, Komo, Marc, and Michelle’s faces flash through my mind. And that feeling of being connected to something bigger than myself. Somewhere along the way, I’ve come to love it here.

  “Jae Hwa,” Dad says, “moving back to the U.S. is out of the question. You need to stop this obsession and concentrate on being here. And I was right about that boy. He’s a bad influence on you.”

  “What? You mean Marc?”

  “Yes. He’s encouraging all of your impulsive ideas, isn’t he? I’ve already spoken to his parents and told them that I strictly forbid you to speak to him.”

  “Dad!” I can’t even see straight, I’m so angry. “You called his parents? None of what happened is his fault! This was all my idea. He was trying to help me!”

  “Exactly. He was helping you. Stealing valuable dresses and getting yourself thrown in jail is hardly helping,” Dad says.

  I’m actually at a loss for words.

  His BlackBerry chimes. When he pulls it out I see he’s got Sun’s broken necklace in his hand. How long has he been holding it?

  I can’t help but wonder if some part of him believes me.

  “It’s your principal.” He rubs his forehead. “I need to take this,” he says, and moves to his bedroom and closes the door.

  I stalk into my bedroom and kick my door shut. The wall shudders, but I don’t feel any better. I set Princess Yuhwa’s pin on my desk, pick up the dragon bow, and send a string of arrows into my bull’s-eye. But Haemosu’s face still leers into sight, taunting me.

  How do I stop him?

  Dad knocks and opens the door. “I just got off the phone with your principal,” he says. “The police called the school. You’re suspended for three days. You’re lucky. You could have been deported.”

  “I don’t care.” I pull the arrows from the target and prepare to shoot again.

  “The good news is, you’re allowed to return to school if you agree to see the counselor.”

  “That’s fabulous. Yay, me.”

  “You’ve got to work with me, Jae.”

  “Right. Just like you’re listening to me.”

  Silence. Dad shakes his head and leans against the doorframe.

  “Do you have Grandfather’s phone number?” I ask. “I need to talk to him.”

  “I told you—”

  “Dad,” I change to my pleading voice. The one he can never resist. “I need it. Will you do this one thing for me? If I promise to see the counselor?”

  He sighs and then reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell. He writes down the number on a slip of paper and passes it to me.

  “I hope talking to him will—will help.”

  I stare at the numbers, blurring from tears threatening to fall. “Thanks, Dad.” I know he still doesn’t believe me, but this is how he shows that he cares.

  “It’s been a long day,” he says. “Let’s give all this a rest for now. We’ll talk more about this tomorrow.”

  The door clicks closed. His last word hangs with the silence that follows.

  Tomorrow.

  I don’t know if I’ll see it. Outside my window, the sun dips below the sky, scratching the apartment buildings with its golden rays. How long will it take for Haemosu to lick his wounds from his fight with Haechi and come after me? He’ll be ripping, flipping furious.

  Run or sit. Flee or wait. Then it hits me.

  Tonight.

  I must get Dad and Haraboji out of the country before morning. Because tomorrow might be too late.

  My heart jumbles in a twisted mess as I search the Web for flights that leave Seoul first thing in the morning. My fingers suspend over the keyboard as I realize I don’t have a credit card. Then I think of Grandfather and the slip of paper in my hand. Could he help me? I punch in his number.

  “Nae,” a deep voice answers in Korean.

  “Haraboji?” I say.

  “Jae Hwa! Your father told me about your arrest. You should have waited for me.”

  I pick up my backpack. “After what happened to Komo, I couldn’t stand losing you, too.”

  “You put yourself and your friend in danger. It was a terrible, terrible idea.”

  Yeah, that pretty much sums up my fiasco. “I’m sorry, Haraboji. I ruined everything. There’s no way we can steal the amulet now with the museum closed until who knows when, as well as the added security. There’s only one thing left to do. Escape.”

  Grandfather is silent on the other end so I continue, “Haemosu promised to hurt everyone I loved, which is why you and Dad need to leave the country.”

  “Your father will not do this. You know that.”

  “What if I force him to?” I stuff a change of clothes and some of my snack stash into my pack. “If I leave the country, Haemosu can’t follow me since he’ll have no power once we pass the border.”

  “Your plan might work. But I am worried that Haemosu’s power is growing and stretching farther than even our family.”

  I stop my packing. “What do you mean?”

  “After our encounter with Haemosu last night, I talked with the Guardians of Shinshi. This is the first time in our family’s recorded history that Haemosu has fought in our world at night. We think Haemosu has found another source of power. He must be stopped before his power continues to increase.”

  What a mess. I’d hoped to use the Blue Dragon bow, but I needed that amulet to get into the Spirit World without Haemosu knowing. He’d never let me bring that bow into his land.

  “I know I failed you, Haraboji, but if we leave now and wait, the museum’s security will calm down. Maybe we can come back and steal it another time.”

  “You did not fail,” Grandfather says, his voice oddly tight. “In fact, I think your plan is a good one. We will try again.”

  “I’ve been looking online for flights that leave in the morning.”

  “No time for airports. You must travel by boat. It is the best and quickest method for leaving the country. Haemosu will not be expecting it.”

  “That might work.” I type in a new search query. My eye catches on an advertisement for a speedboat called the Beetle. “Have you ever heard of the Beetle? It’s supposed to be the fastest boat around.”

  “Of course.” Grandfather is silent for a moment. “It might work, Jae Hwa. But there is something I need to do. Can you take the train alone to Busan?”

  “Yes!”

  “Good. I will make some calls. I have connections.” His voice sounds out of breath, as if he’s walking quickly. “Go to Seoul Station. At the ticket booth, show them your passport, and I will make sure they have a ticket for you. Take the 9 p.m. KTX train to Busan. Are you writing this down? I will meet you in the Busan Station south terminal when you arrive. If we plan this correctly, you will be well on your way to Japan by dawn.”

  “Japan?” I check the Beetle’s itinerary. It heads directly to Fukuoka, Japan. My throat tightens as the reality sets in. “Okay. I can do this.”

  “And Jae?” he adds. “Bring the dragon bow.”

  I hang up and sit still for a moment, leaning my forehead into my tucked-in knees. How had he known I wanted to use the dragon’s bow? Then I think about leaving Dad and forcing him to come running after me. Sneaking off at night to downtown Seoul and leaving the country without his permission is even crazier than my usual schemes. This makes my museum prank look like child’s play. But what choice do I have?

  I find a piece of paper to scribble out a note, hoping Dad will read it and come after me.

  Went on a trip with Grandfather to Fukuoka, Japan. Call him if you need me.

  I place it on my desk next to Princess Yuhwa’s pin, which I then decide to stick into my ponytail. I don’t usually wear
hairpins, but somehow having a piece of her feels like part of her determination to escape him will be with me.

  As I zip up my backpack, the pictures of my friends taped to the wall gaze down at me—Michelle, who wouldn’t hesitate to join me if I had a fighting chance to save my family. Lily, who believes the best of everyone.

  I can’t just leave the country without telling them good-bye. I punch in Michelle’s number. It rings four times and I’m sure it’ll go to voice mail, but she answers.

  “You stood me up,” she says without a hello.

  “I know, and I’m sorry. Things have been complicated lately.”

  “I can’t do this anymore, Jae. I can’t just sit around and hope you’ll hang out. I can’t deal with your crazy moods.”

  “I wish I could explain—”

  “The moment I hooked you up with Marc, you vanished on me,” she interrupts. “You used me to get a boyfriend. That’s not what friends do.”

  “I’m in trouble,” I finally admit. “I’m leaving the country.”

  “What?”

  “I’m leaving right now.” I bite my lip, wishing I could tell her everything; but the less she knows, the safer she is. “I’ll call you when I can.”

  “What’s going on, Jae?”

  “I can’t say.” I finger the backpack straps. Maybe I shouldn’t have called her. “You’ve been a great friend. The best anyone could have. Tell Lily I said good-bye.”

  I hang up as she starts with a barrage of questions that I can’t answer. A sick emptiness fills my stomach. This is why I shouldn’t have made friends. This is why I should never have let anyone get close to me.

  My eyes fall on Marc’s picture, smiling with that grin of his and the hair that’s always falling into his eyes. I study the way his skin crinkles when he smiles. The dimple in his cheek. And his lips. I lightly touch mine.

  It’s a very bad idea, but I speed-dial his number. My heart quickens, thinking about the disaster that was my conversation with Michelle. It’s selfish, but I need to hear his voice one last time. Besides, after everything we’ve been through, he deserves to know.