Kira withdrew, ready to leave.

"I heard you were here, but I didn't think I'd get to see you! Wa!" He stood entranced by the mere sight of her. "I heard you killed a demon in Hansong market a few days ago. A live demon! They say he was as big as a bear with red eyes that could burn you from the inside. Is that true? Is that why you left the city? Are you on the hunt?" he asked.

Kira gazed at him blankly.

"Aish, Seung! I'm dying of thirst and this is really salty. Did you forget my tea again?" the baduk player cut in.

Seung smacked himself in the face. "Forgive me, young master! I'll go right away!" With a quick bow to Kira, Seung dashed for the door.

"I'm sorry about that," the baduk player said. "He doesn't mean any harm."

Kira smiled. "It's all right. He didn't offend me," she said.

"I'm relieved." He smiled back. "Although I'm surprised to find that you're not as fearsome as your reputation makes you out to be."

Kira sniffed. "Your eyesight is clearly lacking. I wondered why you weren't cowering in my presence."

Jaewon laughed.

"Well, to be honest, I don't know what I was expecting! Maybe a two-headed monster that breathed fire or some other frightening creature. But all I see is a very pretty young girl-a very tall, but pretty young girl," he said.

She reddened at his words. "Eh, I knew your eyesight was bad."

He shook his head, looking down at Jindo and scratching the dog's ears. "No, just soft in the head. My grandfather used to say I had tofu for brains."

"Ah," she said. "That explains everything!"

Although she knew she should return to the inn, she didn't want to leave. She'd never felt so comfortable with another person outside of her family and Brother Woojin.

"So where do you hail from?" she asked.

"Forgive me. I am Kim Jaewon of Geumgwan clan of Kaya," he said. "But my family is from a small mountain village. I guess my ancestors preferred farming to politics."

Kira was surprised. Geumgwan was the ruling city-state of the Kaya confederacy, and a Geumgwan Kim would be descended from the n.o.bility. Why would a n.o.ble have to worry about sleeping in a stable?

"Did you leave because of the Yamato invasion?" she asked.

He shook his head. "We left home four years ago, but I've heard many have had to evacuate."

"So you're with your family?" she asked.

"No," Jaewon answered, his face shuttered. Kira could sense pain and sadness behind his curt response. It made her curious to know more about him.

The stable door creaked open, and Seung hurried in with a tea tray. Placing the tray on a bench, he poured two cups of tea.

"Here you go, young master," he said as he handed over the small brown teacup. He then brought over a cup of tea for Kira.

"Young mistress Kang, please let me offer you a cup of tea," Seung said.

Pleased, Kira took the cup and sipped the hot barley tea. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," he said with a broad smile. "I'm so delighted to meet you. There is so much I would like to ask. For example, is it true that you're the only person in the world who can actually see demons?" he asked.

Jaewon let out a loud hiss. "Seung! Don't bother her with your stupid questions!"

"It's not stupid! I really want to know! Everyone says she has unnatural powers and even killed a demon when she was only seven years old! They say she might even be a k.u.m-"

"Ya!" Jaewon rose to his feet and slapped Seung lightly on the head. "Be quiet! Stop spouting nonsense and making people feel bad!"

Seung covered the top of his head with his hands and apologized. "Sorry, sorry! Please forgive me. It's just that I was so excited to meet you is all," he said.

Kira was more amused than offended at Seung's contrite expression.

"You know, some people think that I'm actually a demon. Aren't you afraid of me?" she asked.

Seung frowned, his eyebrows knitting together into a puzzled expression. "No. You don't look like a demon."

"Well, that would be the point. Demons can only exist in our world by taking possession of a human body. You wouldn't be able to tell if someone was possessed."

Seung leaned forward excitedly. "But you can, right?"

"I've always been able to sense them. Something about the way they smell and look. I don't know how to explain it." Kira shrugged. "It's a curse I have been blessed with."

Seung's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline. "How can you say that? It is not a curse. It is a gift from the G.o.ds, and you mustn't disrespect it." He spoke with an earnestness that Kira found endearing. She had a feeling that he was the type of person who didn't speak ill of anyone.

"I'll let you in on a secret," she said. "You can kill an imp because it crosses over in its physical form. But you can't kill a full demon. You can only behead the body it possessed and send the demon back to the underworld. If you are ever attacked by one, aim for the neck-it's the only chance you'll have of surviving."

"If I ever get attacked by a demon, I'd much rather have you by my side," Seung said with a shudder.

Kira grinned. "It probably would be safer for you."

Seung tugged at Jaewon's sleeve. "Perhaps we should go whichever way young mistress is going."

"Just eat your dinner already." Jaewon shook him off.

"I'm frightened now."

"That's your own fault for being so nosy."

Seung frowned and scratched his head. "I don't see how it's all my fault. She's the one that's telling us about demons. So really it's her fault."

Kira bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Why is it that you sound more like a South Seas man than Kim Jaewon?" she asked.

Seung's wistful smile transformed his plain face.

"Because I'm a country b.u.mpkin from Kaya and he's the chief's son!" Seung said. "Oh, how I miss my home! Do you know that we are famous for our green tea, which grows wild all along our mountains? The finest in all the land, I daresay! In fact, merchants from Cathay cross the sea to purchase our teas." He let out a deep sigh. "But it has been more than four years since we've been home. I miss my mother's cold noodle soup and her steamed dumplings."

"Oh no! He's talking about food; now he'll never stop!" Jaewon said. He glanced at Kira, his eyes crinkling with good humor. "You see what I have to put up with all the time? It's a miracle I've not gone deaf yet."

He gave his friend a little shove. "Ya! All your chattering is driving me crazy. And you are boring our guest to death. Be quiet and eat your dinner already."

"I talk a lot because you hardly talk at all," Seung grumbled. "Just because you can go days without saying a word doesn't mean that's normal. Why, you're not even a monk or anything, but one would think you took a vow of silence. A person needs to have conversations once in a while in order to feel human, you know."

Jaewon looked at Kira and rolled his eyes.

For all his harsh words, Kira could see the depth of affection between the two friends as they continued to bicker back and forth. Their banter reminded her of Taejo and her obligations.

"I hate to interrupt, but I have to go," she said. "Perhaps I'll see you in the morning?"

Jaewon shook his head with regret. "We won't be here in the morning," he said. "But I hope that fate will let us cross paths again in the near future."

Kira bowed and dropped her eyes to hide her disappointment.

"I'll wish you a safe journey then," she said.

Outside, she sighed, sad that she might never see them again. For the first time in her life, she'd felt a bond with someone she might have called friend. But who would befriend a demon slayer? She shook the thought away. Her only value lay in her ability to protect the prince. What did it matter if she had no friends?

10.

Early the next morning, Kira woke to an urgent knock. She jumped up and noted Taejo still asleep under his covers. Only then did she open the door to greet her brother.

"Lord Shin is gone! He left in the middle of the night with his men," he said in a low voice.

Kira's immediate reaction was relief, followed quickly by suspicion.

"What happened?" she asked.

"He left a message that the king has been badly wounded and that he had to return home immediately," Kwan said. "But if a message came from Hansong, we did not receive it."

Kira tensed up at his words. From behind she heard a thump and realized Taejo was awake.

"My father's injured?" Taejo bolted up. "We must go home!"

Kira exchanged glances with her brother. Everything about this was wrong, all wrong.

"No, sorry, only Lord Shin was to return," Kwan said.

"But why did he leave without me?" Taejo asked.

Kira wanted to know the same thing. Why did Lord Shin sneak away in the middle of the night? It was suspicious.

Taejo glared at Kwan and stormed out of the room, shouting for Captain Pak.

"Oppa, what does the captain think?" Kira asked. She only called him big brother in private.

Kwan shrugged. "He hasn't said anything, but he doesn't need to. It's pretty clear Shin planned this. He was the one who insisted his men be put on guard duty. We didn't know they were gone until the relief found their post empty."

"That sheep-faced, son of a leper wh.o.r.e!" Kira's gut churned. "He's the traitor. We have to warn our uncle, even if he doesn't believe us!"

Her brother snorted at her outburst. "The captain has already sent one of his men to Hansong. We need to leave now."

Kwan and Kira rushed downstairs. Taejo was arguing with Captain Pak and Brother Woojin.

"Why can't you take me home now?" Taejo asked.

"My orders are to deliver you safely to Stone Temple," Captain Pak said.

Taejo rushed over to Kira at her approach, his young face pale and serious.

"Lord Shin said my father is injured; we have to go home!" he insisted.

Kira shook her head. "We don't know why Lord Shin left. His actions have made him untrustworthy. Any information from him is also suspect."

"But we don't know for sure if my father is hurt or not," Taejo said. "We should go home and find out!"

"The safest course for us right now is to follow your father's orders as soon as possible." Kira gave him a sharp look when he tried to protest. "Go on up and get ready."

Taejo heaved a heavy sigh and returned to his room.

"What I don't understand is why Lord Shin would take the dogs and the packmaster with him," the captain wondered aloud.

Kira stilled at his words.

"Perhaps he felt safer traveling with the dogs," Brother Woojin responded.

No, that's not it at all, Kira thought. Something about the dogs being gone was troubling her.

"Where's Jindo?" Kira asked.

"He's in the stables," the captain said. "I doubt anyone could ever force Jindo away from his master."

A dull ache throbbed at the base of Kira's skull. "Captain, we need to change our route," Kira said. "It may no longer be safe to go to Stone Temple."

"But the king is to send word there," the captain protested.

"Kira's right," Kwan said. "We have to a.s.sume our plan has been compromised. We need an alternate route that takes us near the temple, but far enough away to avoid it in case we spot trouble."

As Kwan and the captain charted their course, Kira went to pack her bag. The sooner they got away, the better.

They rode in two lines, with several guards riding in the front and back of the prince. Taejo sat hunched over in his saddle, looking younger than his twelve years.