Page 19 of King Foretold
“Hmm.” She purses her lips. “I liked that table. We should get another one.”
“Minju.” I rub a hand down my face. On days like this, a simple, straight answer would be nice. “What. Are. The runes.For?”
“The words of power make your body stronger,” she explains, finally zeroing in on the issue. “You might be afraid of summoning the Yeoiju because you believe you’re too fragile to contain its power. I can think of no other explanation as to why you’ve failed every single attempt to manifest the light of the Yeoiju.”
“Failedis a strong word.” I don’t much likeevery singleeither. “I feel like I managed a little spark here and there ...”
“No.” Minju cocks her head like a confused puppy. “You failed every single—”
“Will you stop saying that?” I can do without any more reminders of my inadequacies. “For the record, I am not afraid. And I don’t think I’mfragile. I’m a gumiho. I’m already strong enough, even in my human form.”
“That may very well be true, but yoursubconsciousis holding you back.” Minju pulls her lips to one side. “I believe it has to do with the unresolved trauma of your near-death experience at Heaven Lake.”
I flinch. “But I didn’t die.”
“You almost did,” Minju counters.
I didn’t die. I disappeared. I became light until there was no me.
“But I didn’t.” I give my head a sharp shake. “I came back.”
“Exactly.” She nods. “Youalmostdied, and you had to fight to come back. Hence, the trauma. You’re afraid of experiencing that again. You might also be afraid of not being able to come back this time.”
“Do you want a nickel for your psychoanalysis, Lucy?” I pout and cross my arms like a petulant child. But when Minju makes a face that tells me she doesnotget thePeanutsreference, I straighten in my chair with my mouth gaping. This is tragic. Everyone needs Charlie Brown to help them through a rainy day. “Never mind. You’re wrong, though. I’m not afraid of the Yeoiju. But Iamworried that I won’t be able to master its powers in time. I don’t know. Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
“You hold the Yeoiju,” Minju says with an amused smile. “You are the only onecut out for this.”
“Then why can’t I wield the damn thing?” I plow my fingers through my hair. “We’re running out of time.”
“Your powers have already started to evolve. You can see life forces with your bare eyes.” She reaches for my hand and grips it tight. “When you’re not held back by your fears, you are already drawing from the powers of the Yeoiju. You are ... limitless.”
“I ... I don’t know. I just ... I’m really relieved we’re close to forging the sword of light.” A touch of pleading creeps into my voice. “We might not even need the Yeoiju. I can just stab Daeseong with the sword—because I’m definitely cut out for stabbing things—then we can go on with our lives.”
Minju releases my hand and draws a knife from the folds of her hanbok. I jump to my feet and scramble to put my chair between us. I forgot the historian is also cut out for stabbing things. Namely, me.
“Sunny, come here.” It doesn’t help that she beckons me with her sharp knife. “I want to show you something.”
She tugs my chair close to her and pats the seat. I inch forward and warily lower myself onto it. She takes my hand and places it on top of her thigh. “Open your hand.”
I look down to find my hand clenched into a tight fist on her lap. I slowly unfurl it, watching the historian with narrow-eyed suspicion.
“I’m going to stab you in the hand.” Minju grabs my wrist when I try to jerk away. I’m strong enough to break free, but I take a deep breath and relax. “I’m going totry, but I won’t succeed.”
“Why? Because you’re going to change your mind midswing and stab me in the heart instead? Like last time?” Sarcasm is my friend, especially when I’m nervous.
“Remember you have your hand on my thigh. If I stab through you, I’ll stab myself.” Minju ignores my jab. “We’re in this together. Do you trust me?”
“I guess.” I squirm in my seat, but I do. “I trust you.”
The blade moves so fast that all I see is a flash of metal before Minju slams it down on top of my hand. I don’t even cringe because I already know. The knife didn’t so much as nick my hand.
“Ouch,” I say out of principle. Shedidtry to stick a knife in me. Again.
And it does kind of hurt. I peer down at the small bruise blossoming in the middle of my hand where the point of the knife hit my skin. The magic armor the runes cast over me seems to work like a bulletproof vest. I feel the impact of the blow even if I don’t bleed from it. Even so, it’s extraordinary.
“Do you feel invincible?” Minju asks with a teasing smile.
“A little.” I go for a careless shrug.
