Placing a hand tight over her haetae, Kira plotted.

37.

At dawn, the guards woke the tired trio. They were dragged from the dungeons, their wrists tied in front with a long chain linking them together.

Queen Ja-young peered into Kira's face and gasped in surprise.

"Your eye, it looks so much better. How can that be?"

Kira raised cautious fingers to her face. The swelling had subsided and the blinding pain was gone. All that was left was a dull ache. Her left eye was not entirely healed, but she could open it and see. She gave silent thanks to her tiger spirit, who must have come, even for a short time during the night, to help her.

"It's my tiger spirit," she replied. "That's why I've always been a fast healer."

"Thank the heavens," the queen said. "I am so proud of you both."

Queen Ja-young leaned her forehead against Taejo's, caressing his face with her fingertips. She then stroked Kira gently on her uninjured cheek.

"Taejo, Kira, always remember that you are descended from the Ko clan of Guru. The blood of a hundred warrior kings runs through both of your veins. Do not doubt yourselves, and you will never truly fail," she said.

The guards yanked the queen away, forcing the other two to fall in line behind her. They pa.s.sed through drafty tunnels and into the palace compound. White-garbed servants stopped in shock at their approach, only hurrying back to work at the threats of the Yamato soldiers.

The guards forced the trio into the dark city streets. The frigid winter winds of the first month of the year a.s.sailed them with painful intensity. Kira's clothes were still damp, and the cold soaked through to her bones.

As their procession pa.s.sed through the streets, it seemed as if all the citizens of Hansong were a.s.sembled. They bowed and wept at the sight of their queen and crown prince in chains. For the entire walk to the southern cliffs, growing numbers of men and women, young and old, followed behind.

The royals climbed the rough-hewn steps of the mountain. At the very top, Kira could see the pointed roof of the paG.o.da structure. Many a night she'd sat there, exploring the stars and the heavens with Taejo and Brother Woojin. Many a day she'd picnicked with her mother on the mountain plateau. But the happy memories were marred by the vision of the court ladies and her mother jumping to their deaths.

Shin was waiting for them, seated in an elaborate open sedan chair. He hid his shock at the sight of all the people with a cruel smile.

"It appears we have a huge audience for the demise of the last of the late King Yuri's line," Shin said to the citizens.

Kira found Ito's stocky form standing at the farthest corner of the cliff, right above the southern walls. His fiendish eyes and broad smile enraged her. It was all she could do not to hurl herself at him.

"Bring the prisoners forward," Shin said.

The queen walked proudly to the edge of the cliff, Taejo and Kira close behind her. The guards unchained them but left their wrists bound. Behind them, the skies were lightening with the first rays of the rising sun.

Kira pressed her hands to her chest, feeling the outline of her haetae.

"We must give our audience a worthy performance," Shin said.

With a wave of his hand, six Yamato archers marched into place. They pointed their bows at the three prisoners and waited. Kira's gut wrenched with the realization that she had failed to keep the prince safe. She would die having broken her vow to her father. She glared at Lord Ito. The Yamato was five horse lengths away to her right. He wore her pouch around his neck. Suddenly, Kira knew what to do. She would sacrifice herself to save Taejo and her aunt, but she would not die alone.

Shin sauntered over to the queen. He leaned close to her and traced one long fingernail down the side of her face.

"What a pity to waste such beauty on the river G.o.ds," he said. "You could have been my queen." He continued to caress the side of her face. "But once again, you will have the pleasure of watching as those you love are killed."

"No!" Queen Ja-young screamed as Shin jerked her away from the others.

Taejo tried to throw himself at Shin, but the guards shoved him, sending him precariously near the edge of the cliff. Kira grabbed hold of his sleeve and took advantage of the distraction to slide them both away from the cliff.

She noticed something strange-the crowd of citizens had moved closer, so that they were in arm's reach of the Yamato soldiers. And their mood was ugly.

Queen Ja-young fell to her knees, beating her bound fists against Shin's abdomen. Kira saw her aunt glance desperately at her and Taejo before raising her hands in a pleading gesture.

"Please don't make me live without them. Don't leave me alone," she begged. She grasped at Shin's shimmering black silk robes. "Don't do this to me! Please, I will do anything!"

Kira looked away from the naked l.u.s.t on Lord Shin's face as he pulled the weeping queen to her feet. The queen staggered, bringing them both closer to the cliff's edge.

"This is what I've been waiting for," he said. "You will do anything I want now."

"I'll do anything! Please, please, please," the queen sobbed, shaking and twisting in his grasp. They now stood only steps away from the precipice.

"Yes, of course," he said. "You will be mine."

She nodded. "I will be yours."

Shin smiled as he pressed her body to his. "I have wanted you from the moment I saw you. How I loathed Yuri. He didn't deserve you. I would make you the most powerful queen in the entire world. As long as you're mine, you will have everything you've ever wanted."

"Your Majesty, there is only one request I would make of you," the queen whispered. She leaned closer to him, as if to kiss him.

"What would you ask of me, my queen?" Shin ran his hands through her hair. His attention was solely on her.

"I wish you to die screaming!" The queen threw her tied hands over Shin's neck. She chanced only one last backward glance at her son before flinging her entire body against Shin and sending them both sideways over the cliff.

"Mother!" Taejo cried out.

Shin's screams ceased abruptly.

Taejo broke free of the stunned guards and ran to the edge. Racing after him, Kira hooked her fingers into his belt, holding him back. She caught sight of the fluttering robes waving in the water below before she dragged him away from the edge. She felt the pain of her aunt's sacrifice even as she sought to use it for an opportunity to escape.

Suddenly an angry mob charged the archers that stood before them. The crowd rushed forward and pushed the Yamato guards over the cliff. Kira glanced at Ito for a split second, wishing she could kill him, but her aunt had sacrificed herself to save Taejo. The prince was her first priority. Without hesitation, she gripped Taejo by the sleeve and ran for the stairs.

Kira saw Ito pointing at them and shouting at the guards just as a rock flew through the air and struck the Yamato lord in the face. The force of the blow threw him off-balance, causing him to fall from the mountain onto the southern wall below, where he lay dazed.

She kept ahold of Taejo as she ran. The crowds made a pathway, hiding them from the guards.

At the bottom, she led Taejo into a narrow alley. Kira kicked over a ceramic urn, knocking it down with a loud crash. She used a fragment from the urn and cut their bindings.

Taejo collapsed onto the ground in a daze. She pulled him up and shook him.

"Taejo, we have to go now to help Kwan," she said.

He nodded, his young face unnaturally grim. "Let's go."

They moved swiftly, following the back streets of the city. As they reached the end of another alleyway, a thundering approach sent them crouching against the walls. In the opening ahead, Yamato soldiers marched in attack formation, along with mounted officers shouting their orders.

Kira looked at Taejo and whispered, "They're here."

The soldiers rushed past her, their numbers never ending. The Iron Army was laying siege to the city. Kira bit at her nails, waiting for the last of the soldiers to pa.s.s. If the northern gates were not opened in time, then Captain Pak and everyone else would ride headlong into certain death. Jaewon's face flashed in front of her eyes. Kira took in a harsh breath and tensed. She would not let that happen.

38.

They cut through the side streets, taking shortcuts that would keep them well ahead of the Yamato battalion. Kira urged Taejo to run faster, even as he began to wheeze from the effort. Soon they reached a main thoroughfare from which the tall sentry towers of the northern gate were clearly visible.

Yamato voices brought Taejo and Kira to a grinding halt as they faced four guards with their swords drawn. Neither Taejo nor Kira were armed. Kira swiftly canva.s.sed the area, seeking anything that could be used as a weapon.

An old man ambled out of a nearby doorway, leaning on a thick walking stick. He looked around with great interest.

Kira bowed to him. "I'm truly sorry, grandfather, but I need to borrow your cane for a moment."

Before he could protest, Kira s.n.a.t.c.hed it away and smashed the heavy k.n.o.b end into the closest soldier's face, knocking him out. She kicked his sword toward Taejo. Two soldiers rushed at Kira. In a flurry of movement, Kira pounded at the knees, crotches, and necks of both men before crashing her stick into one soldier's chin and whipping it back into the face of the other, rendering them both unconscious with one move.

She picked up a sword and whirled to face the last soldier just as he charged Taejo. The enemy was much larger. But Taejo was faster and unenc.u.mbered by heavy armor.

"Use your taekkyon training!" Kira shouted.

Taejo crouched down and aimed a low roundhouse kick at the soldier's knees, causing him to fall backward.

Kira jumped forward, knocking the sword from the man's hands and clouting his head with the pommel of her sword.

"Nice job! Let's go!" Kira said. She threw the cane back to the old man, thanking him as she ran. The old man caught his stick and waved it high in the air after them.

The heavy gates were directly before them. A crowd of Yamato soldiers stood shouting up at the towers.

"Oh no! Kwan!" Taejo gasped, pointing to the gate tower.

Kwan fought with several swordsmen on the narrow walkway above the gated wall. The men on the archery tower above could not get a view of the action on the gate, as the elaborate paG.o.da roof blocked their sight. It was the bowmen below who were the real threat. Kira charged forward, slashing her sword across the hamstrings of five archers and creating immediate chaos. She moved into the offensive, skewering one bowman while back-kicking another into three others. But the soldiers gaped in astonishment at something coming from behind her.

Hundreds of Hansong citizens, armed with swords, spears, axes, pitchforks, shovels, sticks, and lit torches, advanced upon the gates. She ran to them when she saw Taejo speaking to the crowd.

"Thank you, my people!" he said. "We must open these gates so my uncle, the Guru king, can enter and drive out our enemies!"

The citizens roared in agreement, shaking their makeshift weapons in the air. Taejo faced the Yamato soldiers, his face grim and determined.

"For Hansong!" he cried. Holding his sword up, he raced forward. Kira stayed close to him. Within seconds, the horde was on top of the soldiers, fighting with a lack of skill that they compensated for with their fury and greater numbers.

From above, she heard Kwan's voice calling to them. He pointed to the gate just as she parried a vicious blow from another swordsman.

"Noona, cover me!" Taejo raced for the unmanned gate crank, Kira at his heels.

The people overtook the soldiers on the ground and were trying to reach the sentries in their towers. Bowmen flanking the gate above turned their bows to the crowd and began to shoot. Kira desperately wished she had her bow. Grabbing a shield, she held it over Taejo's head as they ran.

The entranceway was blocked-first by wooden doors, and then by a heavy iron gate. A group of urchins stood off to the side, pelting the bowmen with rocks. Kira seized a boy and pointed at the gateway. "Go and get those doors open!" she yelled.

The boys were running toward the first set of doors when a new sound caught her attention. A mounted Yamato company was approaching the main thoroughfare.

With no time to waste, Kira and Taejo ran to the ma.s.sive iron crank. Several arrows flew in their direction, one hitting and bouncing off the spoke near Taejo's hands.

From outside the city walls, Kira heard battle cries.

"They're here!" Kira yelled. Throwing down her shield and sword, she heaved at the wheel of the crank with all her might, helping Taejo pull open the gate. Behind them, the Yamato battalion had reached the square and began wreaking carnage on the poorly armed citizens. She concentrated all her energy on the wheel, but the movement was slow. The ma.s.sive gate would normally take four men to maneuver. As strong as Kira was, she couldn't turn it quickly enough, and the Yamatos were drawing nearer.

"Push harder!" Taejo screamed.

She took in a deep breath and called out to her tiger spirit. Help me now, she asked. Give me a little more of your strength. She felt a fresh burst of energy and the familiar warmth of her tiger spirit. Pushing hard, the wheel suddenly caught momentum and began to move faster, until it came to a grinding halt and Kira locked it in place.

Kwan appeared at her side. "Good work," he said. "Let's go." He threw Kira a sword and they charged forward, brother and sister, shoulder to shoulder.

"Wait for me!" Taejo shouted.

A deafening noise erupted as Captain Pak and his army burst through the open gateway. The few surviving citizens ran for their lives, desperately trying to avoid the hooves of the incoming army and the swords of their oppressors. Pak's forces charged the Yamato battalion, attacking with mult.i.tipped long spears and axes, making short work of the enemy and heading into the city.

Kira and Taejo both gave a huge sigh of relief. But Kwan raced after Captain Pak's forces.

The streets were littered with the dead. They weren't just soldiers. They were ordinary people who had sacrificed themselves for their prince.

For Hansong.

Innocent lives taken.

Like her mother.

Her head shot up. Her mother's soul was still trapped in the shadow realm.

You must destroy the one who cursed her. Lady Mina's voice echoed through her mind. She needed to find the shaman and kill him.

Pak's men were now in control of the gate and patrolling the perimeter. Dragging Taejo over to a nearby building, she pulled him inside, where several families were hunched over in the rear of the room.

The men rose to their feet at their entrance and bowed, loud excited chatter breaking out.

"This is your prince, keep him safe," Kira ordered. Turning to Taejo she said, "Stay here!"