Page 96 of Reign of the Talon
I do not know if she will shrink away as I slip my hands out from underneath hers and attempt to pull her into a hug. Yet I try anyway, with a pounding heart. Eunbi stiffens and draws away.
My arms fall to my sides. Oh.Oh.
“I died,” Eunbi says simply, pulling her knees to her chest.
I know, I mouth, because the words won’t come out, won’t take form on my tongue.I’m so—I’m so sorry…
Eunbi frowns, shuttered face opening just a crack to reveal confusion. “You didn’t kill me,” she says. “But you didn’t save me, either. And when I saw you…” Her lips wobble. “You didn’t look like my sister. And then Rui started…burning you. I don’t understand. They tried to explain it. Hana told us—she’s in Jeoseung now, too. She said there’s something evil inside of you. I’ve seen all these people, coming down to Jeoseung, sayingyoudid it.” She blinks rapidly. “Were you really there? Underneath the cherry blossom tree? I felt you…in here.” Eunbi taps her heart with a small hand. “And if you were, then I meant what I said. I-I’m somadat you.”
Words stir restlessly in my chest. I need to be able to communicate with my sister. Again, I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Tears of frustration beginning to blur my vision, I slam my fist against the earth.How is this helping to heal me?I want to scream to the mindscape.How?
And almost as if it has listened to me, almost as if it has heard my pleas… Eunbi’s eyes snap to the smoky letters hovering before me as they rearrange themselves and shift to mirror the words I want to say to her.
I’m sorry, Eunbi, the letters read.I kept so much from you.
I do not know how this is possible, but it suddenly occurs to me thatnothingis impossible in this strange realm, this land of the mind where imagination reigns. I take a deep breath, focusing on the letters. Morphing them into the words I’d like to say next.
Hana is right. Something was in my head, controlling me. A Prophecy. Do you know what a parasite is, Eunbi?
She shakes her head, frowning.
The ticks in the barley field, I try to explain.How Eomma would pat you down to make sure you hadn’t got any, because they latch on to your skin and don’t let go. It’s like that. The Dokkaebi thought they had found a way to get it out. Kang hoped that if he brought you that night, I’d be shocked, giving Rui enough time to get rid of the Prophecy. I didn’t know you would be there. Neither did Rui.
Although for so long, I thought he had.
“Oh,” Eunbi whispers in a small voice.
And it almost worked. I’m sorry—I’m so sorry you had to see that, little sister, but it almost worked. But then a man I’d—I’d hurt in the past… He wanted revenge. He used you to get it.
My little sister trembles. “What did you do to him?”
I do not want to admit this. A cold sweat breaks out on my neck, icy with dread.
“What did you do to him, Lina?” whispers Eunbi again.
Trembling, I make the letters appear, even as I know the disgust and shock my baby sister will feel.I killed his wife.Eunbi flinches, but I make myself go on.The bad man who murdered the Talons said I had to, or he’d hurt you. But I could have found another way. I was just too scared to search for one.
As I’d suspected, Eunbi blanches, face leeching of color. “You never told me what you did for the Talons,” she whispers. “You only ever said you took care of Yoonho’s business and went on…on hunts. I didn’t really think about what that might mean. Lina, what did you do? Are you…” Her mouth works. “Are you a killer?”
I bow my head, fighting back a sob.Yes.
There is a long, long silence. When I look up, Eunbi is crying—crying angrily, glaring at me through teary eyes. “I hate you,” she gasps out. “I hate you, I hate you,I hate you!”
I know. That’s… I understand.
My sister, whom I’ve raised since she was four. Whom I sent to safety, in the Yaepak Mountains. Whom I fought for, whom I killed for, whom I bled for. Whom I love.
Whom hates me.
“You were supposed to protect me!” she screams. “You were alwayssupposed to protect me! You said you would, and you didn’t!”
Eunbi… If I can tell you why…
“I want to leave,” Eunbi sobs. “This was a mistake. I want to go back, I want to leave—”
And she does.
She disappears, as if she was never here at all—leaving me alone, trembling like a leaf, pressing a hand to my mouth.
