"Khyber had a deal with the Dark Spirits, Rafael: His soul would be released, in exchange for the souls of his brothers and the Changeling Soul. He broke his word. So, the Dark Spirits placed a new curse upon him: He will not be free of the life bond. Instead, he will enter into it with another..."
I finally looked up, tears streaking my left cheek. "Me, Raf. They chose me. As long as I live...Khyber can't be killed."
Rafael had faded to a dark smear in my vision. Hell, I didn't want to see him. I couldn't bear to see the look in his eyes. Disgust? Pity? Anger? He'd unwittingly created the buffer that would protect his number one enemy from harm.
All I knew for sure was that he left, because the door slammed particularly hard. I waited a good long while, but when the candles began to flicker, I left Eve without him.
I stared out the subway window, numb to the lively throng of the living around me. My stop was East Seoul Bus Terminal.
I watched many slush-bellied buses groan past, mucky from their trek over the pass to Seorak San, before I saw her: an odd, otherworldly girl, fallen from the stars. People gave her a wide berth and they didn't know why. They didn't want to meet her eyes.
She waited for the cross light to turn, and then walked jerkily toward me. The knot of unease loosened from my heart with each enclosing step. I ran anxiously to overcome that final distance between us, and we fell into each other's arms in relief, faces harsh and worn under the cold light of day.
"Thank you," Raina said simply.
I tried to smile, but it felt too foreign on my face. "Hey. I expect you to do the same for me one day."
"Okay." It was hard for her to remember how to smile, too, and that made me feel better. "As long as you get kidnapped by giant pandas or something. You know. Anything that will flee in terror at the sight of a dragon."
"Now, don't go rubbing that in Miguel's face, now. He and Daniella are going to feel so left out."
"You never know." Raina looked thoughtful. "Miguel might secretly change into a sloth every solar eclipse. And Daniella might really be an-"
"Owl," I said, fully confident. We laughed quietly and hunched our heads together as we walked back to the subway underground.
"Is she gone?"
I didn't need to ask who. "Yes. I saw her move on myself. Mari's at peace now, Raina."
She nestled more comfortably against my shoulder, but her questions weren't finished.
"Do you feel that, Citlalli?"
I couldn't feel much anymore, except the pale sunlight streaming through a quick break in the skies, which hurt my eye. See, that was the third part of my soul. It wasn't Citlalli the Aztec Warrior, brightest Star in the East: Now there only existed Wolf, Demon-and Pain.
But I humored her. "What is it, O Mighty Water Dragon?"
"I can taste it on the air." Raina smiled. "Spring is coming."
Epilogue: Home
We stood in the elevator and waited for the other to press the button. What a pair of lovely old ladies we made. Raina's body, kissed near to death by the fanged lips of vampyre lovers, had collapsed twice on the way over here. I teetered blindly on her arm, resisting the urge to scratch the bandages over my eye. But there was nowhere more important to go than here.
" 'Lalli, do you think you could sleep on the couch again?"
I glared at Raina with my good eye.
"Because I'm not going to leave my bed for a long, long time."
"You better make room for me. We never watched the end of My Name is Kim Sam Soon, you know."
She looked touched. "You didn't finish it without me?"
My throat clogged. Raina snuggled closer. "Hey. Are you okay?"
What was meant to be an offhand chuckle came out as a half-strangled sob. I probably sounded on the verge of breaking down. The terrors and wonders of Eve. Una, kidnapped by a fox who'd gotten the best of me three times now. The uneasy fealty of the pack. Khyber, plotting God-knows-what, somewhere out there. Demon, plotting Devil-knows-what, right in here.
Rafael gone.
I draped one arm over Raina's shoulder. "I'm okay. Supernatural boys suck, don't they?"
She smiled warily. "Way more trouble than they're worth."
"So from now on, we are going to live nice, normal lives, dating nice, normal boys. No more spirit world. No more Khybers, or Donovans, or Rafaels... The most awful thing that should ever happen to us is finding out our boyfriends have been two-timing us at the PC Bang with the new exchange students from Singapore."
Raina thought about it. "And then can I turn into a water dragon and drop them in the East Sea? Pretty please?"
I grinned. "As long as Wolf gets to chase them to the beach first."
We limped out at our floor and rang the door buzzer. There was a moment of about two minutes' silence in which my stomach flip-flopped, and my eye got all moist, again. Then Mami swung open the door.
She took one look at my gauze-wrapped eye and immediately opened her mouth, in what surely would have been a verbal tidal wave of seismic proportions, had she not caught sight of the strange young woman holding fast to my side like a long-lost petal from springtime, in danger of floating away.
"Raina?" Her voice floated away in high-pitched espanol: Has God answered my prayers? Has my long-lost child truly come back to me?
"Mami." Raina held out her arms, tears glistening upon the surface of her lake-black eyes. Mami went to her with a desperate wail, a mother's fear spilling out of her in great, messy bursts until there was no more left to give. At some point, she put a hand on my shoulder, and I felt proud at the warm glow I saw in her eyes.
"Ileana?" A creak in the stairs of our apartment. "Ileana, what's wrong?"
The gentle security shattered. Wolf was on edge in an instant. I looked over Mami's shoulder and saw an unfamiliar Korean man duck down the steps, straightening his tie and tucking in a crisp, white button-up shirt. His eyes were as black as pitch and crackled with the thunder of power. Wolf growled at the sight of him.
"Raina. There's someone I'd like you to meet." Mami straightened to stand side-by-side with the stranger. "This is your father."
End of Part II.
To be continued in...
YEAR OF THE DRAGON.
Acknowledgements.
As always, I'd like to thank God for blessing me with invaluable family and friends and the opportunity to write.
To the Heffner clan: Mom, your support from miles away always felt like it was right next door. Dad, every one of those carefully mailed newspaper articles delighted and inspired. Craig, YOU are the media and your influence knows no bounds! I again bow my head in thanks. Aunt Nancy, Aunt Belle, Uncle Johnny-thank you so much for all of your amazing support, even with so much going on in your lives! I am truly grateful.
To Greg: Well, my pillar of strength, what can I say? You have been unflagging in your support from Day 1, and I still think you have a future as a podcaster.
To Ogonna: As always, your criticism and feedback hit the nail on the head time and time again! Thank you. By the way, Costco runs just aren't as much fun anymore.
To the faculty at Western Washington University, Mary Gallagher, and other editors at Window magazine: a round of applause! Thank you for your support of students who pursue creative writing and four memorable years as an undergrad.
To all of my e-book readers, fellow supportive co-workers, fans: THANK YOU. Your enthusiasm for the first Changeling Sisters book was the golden affirmation for a project that had never before seen the light of day. You are all incredible and I wish you all the best on your own writing projects. Until next time, kamsahamnida. Go well!
The Changeling Sisters Series.
Year of the Wolf.
Year of the Tiger.
Year of the Dragon (Forthcoming).
Glossary.
Korean Phrases Disclaimer: Romanization of Hangeul characters is approximate.
A.
Agusshi - A man who looks old enough to be married. Younger people may refer to a next-door neighbor as "Ajusshi," or "Uncle/Mister," as a term of respect.
"Aigo!" - Expression of surprise or shock Ajumma - A woman who looks old enough to be married. Younger people may refer to a next-door neighbor as "Ajumma," or "Auntie," as a term of respect.
"Annyeong." - An informal "Hello"
Appa - An intimate form of "father"
B.
Bibim naengmyeon - A spicy noodle dish C.
Chima - A skirt Cockatrice - Chicken dragon. In the old days, they towed the carriages of great rulers. In Eve, they can fly someone to any location three times.
D.
Dokkaebi - Goblin H.
"Hajima!" - "Don't!"
Harabeoji - Grandfather Hwatu - A popular card game I.
Isseumnida - A formal "exists" copula J.
Juin-nim - Leader K.
"Kamsahamnida." - "Thank you."
"Kunbae!" - "Cheers!"
Kwang - Light cards used for scoring in hwatu N.
Namsadang - An entertainment troupe who will perform acrobatics, dancing, singing, and comedy.
P.
Pungmul Nori - The Spinning Hat Dance, a performance of the namsadang S.
Saeng-il - Birthday Sannakji - A live octopus dish Sajang - Boss Sunsaeng-nim - Teacher T.
Tangshin - You Ttangjaeju - Talents held on the ground U.
Umma - An intimate form of "mother"
Y.
Yeobo - A term of affection used between husband and wife Yonggam - Bravery Yul - Animal cards used for scoring in hwatu Spanish Phrases Abuela - Grandmother Abuelo - Grandfather "Ay, nimodos." - "Ah, well."
"Mija" - "My daughter"
Tibetan Phrases Om Mani Padme Hum - A Tibetan Buddhist prayer Origin of Myths The Tiger and the Bear - Based on the Korean creation myth, "The Legend of Tangun," in which a bear and a tiger pray to the Lord of Heaven to become human. Only the bear is able to complete the task. She becomes Ungnyeo, wife of the Lord of Heaven and mother of Tangun, who founded the first Korean kingdom.
end.