Chapter Twenty-One Sunny
Chapter Twenty-One
Sunny
“Stormy?” Haesan says as he steps through the doors of Jeoseung Palace’s throne room. “Why are you in the Kingdom of Underworld? Come to think of it, why was I summoned here?”
I can’t help myself. I take off in a run and launch myself at the in’eo. The mountainous merman doesn’t so much as stumble and wraps his arms tightly around me. His chuckle starts quiet, then grows into a full belly laugh as he spins me around in the air.
“You’re alive.” He carefully sets me back on my feet. “Gods, I can’t believe it.”
“Yeah, me neither.” I grin. “How are you, Gang Haesan?”
His smiling face suddenly crumples. “Hana . . . She’s dead.”
I haven’t forgotten about Hana, my cadet roommate, but I’d buried the memory of her tragic death deep inside me.
After Santorini, I couldn’t bear to carry more grief.
But for Haesan, who had been at the Kingdom of Sky all this time, Hana died, and I disappeared, then a war broke out in the span of days.
“I know,” I croak. “I’m so sorry.”
I wonder if the former King of Mountains made himself useful from the dungeon and took care of Shim Duna, his spy and Hana’s murderous twin sister.
He had been furious when I told him that she divulged the truth of his “illness” to me.
But with time and distance, I feel a twinge of regret for indirectly sentencing her to death.
“Hana was the sweetest person I knew.” Haesan clears his throat, glancing away. “I . . . uh . . . the suhoshin cadet training is in shambles. It’s no wonder with Captain Seo gone.”
I let him change the subject. “I can imagine.”
“And you won’t believe the rumors flying around.” He leans closer.
“What rumors?” I lower my voice.
“About Duna being a spy for the King of Mountains.” He peeks at me from beneath his lashes. “And some nonsense about the coming of the end of days.”
Like a long-forgotten dream, images of a weeping female standing in the midst of white fire flicker in my mind.
Am I somehow involved in the prophecy of the End of Days?
I grit my teeth and avoid the hell out of the sudden question.
Besides, the Amheuk is the one hell-bent on destroying the worlds, not me.
Now all I have to do is break the news to Haesan that the apocalypse is not some nonsense . . .
“At any rate”—the merman shakes his head, setting his golden barbels swaying—“who has time for rumors now that the Kingdom of Sky and the Kingdom of Mountains are at war?”
“And that brings us to why we invited you to Jeoseung Palace.” The King of Underworld smoothly interjects himself into the conversation.
Haesan starts, his eyes flying to the king’s onyx crown. “Forgive me for my insolence, Your Majesty. I should have paid you my respects first.”
“You’re fine.” I flap my hand, then remember it’s not my place to forgive the in’eo. The King of Underworld seems cool, but I can’t forget he is also scary powerful. “Right, Your Majesty?”
“Right.” He smiles distractedly. “But about why he is here . . .”
“Oh yes.” I turn to Haesan. “Do you want the good news first? Or the bad news?”
“Bad news. Always the bad news first.” He gulps. “Unless it’s really bad . . . Never mind. I want the bad news first.”
“The Amheuk has breached the Realm of Four Kingdoms.” I’m getting sick of repeating that gods-awful sentence.
“Gah.” Haesan draws back, clawing at the air like he wants to climb up a tree and hide. “What possible good news could follow that?”
“Well, we’re planning to fight back.” I pop up to the balls of my feet. “So . . . yay.”
“I need to sit down.” The in’eo sways on his feet, and I’m tempted to yell, Timber. I’d forgotten how big he was. “I have to throw up.”
“Don’t,” the King of Underworld commands in a deep, rumbling voice.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Haesan straightens and comes to attention, his nausea royally intimidated out of him. He blows out a long breath. “Okay, Stormy. I’m ready to hear what part I have to play in this.”
“You need to get me an audience with the Queen of Water and help me convince her to send troops to the Kingdom of Mountains.” I watch for signs of renewed nausea from him. “There is no time to waste on a war between the kingdoms. The Realm of Four Kingdoms has to unite to fight the Amheuk.”
“And you assume because I’m from the Kingdom of Water that I know the queen?” He side-eyes me.
Fair point. What was I thinking?
I hide my cringe with a scowl and cross my arms. “Well, do you?”
“I do, in fact.” He grins, and I’m too relieved to be annoyed at him. “My aunt is the jimil sanggung to the Queen of Water. But still, you shouldn’t assume things. You just lucked out this time.”
“Sure. Anything you say.” I cup my forehead, limp with relief. Besides, I am due some good fucking luck. “Okay. We need to leave now.”
“There is one small problem . . .” Haesan raises a finger. “You can’t breathe underwater.”
“The Kingdom of Water is . . . underwater?” My jaw drops.
“I don’t understand why you are so surprised.” He frowns. “You would think it is rather obvious. It is the Kingdom of Water.”
“I guess when you put it that way,” I grumble.
“To be fair, the kingdom itself is beneath a watertight dome,” Haesan allows. “But we have to traverse by water to get to the Kingdom of Water and the Dragon Palace.”
“I can assist with that problem.” The King of Underworld raises his index finger in all his nerdy glory. “I invented an apparatus that allows you to breathe underwater. It never failed me when I used to visit Bora—That is, I’ve tested it numerous times to great success.”
“If it’s good enough for a king, then it’s good enough for me.” I follow him to his cluttered desk. I have no idea how he can find anything there, though.
“I know it’s here somewhere.” When the king can’t find the apparatus on his desk, he haphazardly opens drawers that are filled to the brim with what appears to be junk. “But I haven’t used it since . . .”
“Did you find it?” I ask, leaning over to peek inside the drawers.
“Not yet.” He straightens and taps his chin with his finger. “Ah yes.”
The king drags out an overflowing chest from beneath his desk. Good gods. He will never find it in there.
“There you are.” He greets what appears to be a wooden clothespin like an old friend. Then he holds it up in the air with a triumphant grin. “This is what you need.”
“It is?” I expected something . . . bigger. Something that can hold or make oxygen.
“I thought you needed to breathe underwater.” The king’s brows knit in confusion.
“I do. Is . . . that supposed to help with that?” I point at what I am now certain is a clothespin.
“Absolutely.” The King of Underworld reaches out and pinches my nose with it. “There.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I promptly remove the offending clothespin and tuck it into my jeans pocket. “I’ll put it on when I get there. If you can point us toward the portal, we’ll be on our way.”
The corners of the king’s mouth droop. “So there is no time for you to show me your fox—”
“Your Majesty.” The Judge of Tenth Hell storms into the throne room with two males and two females in tow. “I have gathered the generals.”
“Very well.” The king glances at me and sighs forlornly.
I consider taking my gumiho form because I feel bad for him.
But then, he draws his shoulders back and says with dignity that belies the puppy dog face he was making a minute ago, “Gyun, this is Gang Haesan. He will arrange an audience with the Queen of Water for Sunny. Please escort them to the portal and have the keeper let them through to the Kingdom of Water.”
Gyun takes stock of Haesan before he nods. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Who is that?” the in’eo asks me from the corner of his mouth.
“He’s the Judge of Tenth Hell,” I say, also out of the corner of my mouth.
“Of course he is.” Haesan almost sounds cheerful. He might be going into shock.
“Sunny.” The king turns to me. “Once the Kingdom of Sky is subdued, will you arrange for Bora . . . I mean . . . the Queen of Water and me to meet with the King of Mountains?”
“I . . .” Ethan. Suddenly, I can’t breathe.
“You do know the King of Mountains, do you not?” The King of Underworld cocks his head to the side. “It seems unlikely that anyone would risk their life to help someone they don’t even know.”
“I do know him.” Even if I can’t return to the Kingdom of Mountains, the Sentinels will know what to do. “The King of Mountains will meet with you and the Queen of Water gladly.”
I can only hope that the Queen of Sky will be cooperative once the war ends. We need all four kingdoms united, not just three. I knead the back of my neck. One thing at a time.
“Ready?” Gyun arches a thick eyebrow at me.
“Yes.” I tug on Haesan’s sleeve. “Let’s go.”
“With your leave, Your Majesty.” The Judge of Tenth Hell bows to the King of Underworld.
“Thank you for everything, Your Majesty.” I bow low from my waist, and Haesan mimics me at my side.
“Till we meet again,” the king says to me with a courtly bow.
“Come with me.” Gyun rushes us out of the throne room. Then he reaches out for Haesan and me, his hands hovering behind our backs. “If I may.”
I nod, and Haesan shrugs. The judge wraps his arms around each of us, and we’re standing outside the Jeoseung Palace. I squint, surprised to see the sun out.
Morning has dawned in the capital of the Kingdom of Underworld. Another day apart from Ethan. I push aside my longing. Moping because I miss him isn’t going to help Ethan. I have to send him reinforcements so he can end a war he never asked for—a war he tried so hard to stop.
“This city looks peculiar,” Haesan murmurs. “But not in a bad way.”
“Thank you.” The Judge of Tenth Hell looks amused.
I put a hand on the judge’s arm. “Were you able to reach Mun?”
“Yes.” Gyun nods. “He will escort Cheyun to the Jeoseung Palace to confer with the generals.”
“Good, thank you.” But I gasp, gripping his arm tighter. “Will you please let Minju know where I’ve gone?”
“I will be sure to tell her.” Gyun clasps his hand over mine in reassurance.
“Thank you.” Then I catch Haesan’s eyes, and he nods. “I think we’re ready to go.”
“Taking both of you at once, I can only teleport short distances.” The judge rubs the back of his head apologetically.
“I’ve heard the Judges of Ten Hells can do that.” Haesan looks at Gyun with something like awe. “Make as many stops as you need. It’ll be amazing no matter what.”
“We’re not here to get a tour of the Kingdom of Underworld.” I roll my eyes at the in’eo. “But do what you need to do, Gyun.”
The Judge of Tenth Hell wraps his arms around our waists, and I’m hit with the sensation of being sucked out of my own body.
Just as quickly, I feel solid ground under my feet again.
This time, we’re at the edge of a more traditional hanok village.
Before I can appreciate its quaint charm, we teleport again.
We stand in the middle of a black-sand desert, hot wind blowing in our faces. I blink and hold a hand up. “Give me one second. My brain needs to catch up.”
Haesan nods in agreement, looking green around the gills. He pats his body down from chest to thighs, then he stares down at his hands, flipping them over, back and forth.
“Okay, good.” He sighs. “I’m still here.”
“Teleporting works differently than moon shifting,” Gyun says sympathetically. “It’ll be easier if I carry you, but with two of you . . .”
“Don’t worry about it.” I take a deep breath. “Ready, Haesan?”
A choked gurgle escapes past his lips, but he manages to nod. I’m proud of the big softy.
“We’re almost there.” Gyun wraps his arms around our waists and tucks us extra close. I think he’s trying to make us feel less disembodied. “This will be the last jump.”
The in’eo nestles himself against the judge’s side, like he’s snuggling a teddy bear. I shrug and do the same.
Being pressed against Gyun does make the teleportation less disorienting, and in a blink, I’m back on solid ground. My throat constricts halfway through a sigh of relief when blazing heat blasts my face.
“What the fuck?” I rasp. We’re standing at the bottom of a volcano, complete with trails of sizzling lava sliding down its sides.
“Are we in . . . hell?” Haesan hugs his midriff.
“Gods no.” The judge snorts, then coughs to hide his amusement. “No, Haesan. We are nowhere near hell.”
“Yeah.” I laugh nervously. “You do not want to know what real hell is like.”
“Well, well, well.” A tall, willowy female sashays toward us in a skintight leather jumpsuit. “Fancy meeting you here, Gyun.”
“Keeper Bang.” The judge addresses her formally. “I have brought you two travelers. The king bids you to allow them passage to the Kingdom of Water.”
“Neither of them is a being of Underworld.” She crosses her arms, accentuating rather perfect breasts. “Do you have the appropriate documents with you?”
“They are both guests of the King of Underworld.” Gyun’s voice softens terrifyingly. “And time is of the essence.”
“It is not easy to prepare passage to the Kingdom of Water.” The keeper pouts in displeasure, then a cunning smile curls her lips. “And I am out of water. I can’t prepare a token to the Kingdom of Water without water.”
“Will this work?” Haesan cups his palms, and water swirls to the top.
“Are you going to claim to have run out of vials, too, Keeper Bang?” A muscle tics in Gyun’s jaw.
“As a matter of fact—” she begins snidely.
“Do not test me,” the judge says through gritted teeth.
“Oh fine.” Two glass vials each the size of my thumb appear in her hand, and she tips them into Haesan’s palms and fills them with water. “There was a time you would’ve grasped at any excuse for one more minute with me.”
“There was.”
Sadness flickers across the keeper’s face before it’s replaced by haughty disdain. “Excuse me while I go do my job.”
“So Gyun, you’re single now?” I quip to break the tension in the air.
“Yes.” A ghost of a smile touches the judge’s lips. “Why do you ask?”
“If we survive the apocalypse, I might have the perfect gal for you.” I wink, then abruptly sober. I miss Hailey so much.
Is she okay? Is everyone okay?
“How long do you think she’ll keep us waiting?” Haesan tips his chin toward the keeper, who has her back turned to us a few yards away.
“Not long,” the judge says. “She is good at her job once she puts her mind to it.”
As soon as the words leave his mouth, Keeper Bang walks back to us. “Come with me.”
“And I’ll take your leave here.” Gyun gives my arm a gentle squeeze. “Good luck, Sunny. You have more good in you than you believe. Trust yourself.”
What does he mean? How could he know? But the Judge of Tenth Hell is gone before I can ask him.
“Well, are you coming?” Keeper Bang asks over her shoulder as she climbs up the volcanic mountain.
“Sunny?” Haesan swallows.
“Coming,” I yell and tug on his arm. “Stop being a baby. It’s not like she’s going to push us into the volcano.”
Famous last words.