Page 37 of Gumiho Kiss
“Aunt, watch out!”she cried.
But the call came too late.By the time her aunt had turned, the man wielding the blade had already stabbed her stomach.
Aunt fell to the ground, blood pouring from the open wound.The cutthroat grabbed at her clothes, searching for valuables even as she struggled to stay conscious.
Rage flooded Chin Sun’s heart, lining her vision red and sending energy through her limbs.She charged at the thug and slammed his body into the dirt with a strength she hadn’t known she possessed.
He let out a cry of alarm and tried to get back up, but she ripped his knife from his hands, then drove it straight into his chest.
He fell backward, red seeping into his jeogori and a look of shock all over his face.
Chin Sun dropped the dagger and turned to her aunt.She was still on the ground, but she’d pulled herself into a sitting position.Her pallor was ghostly pale, her gaze unfocused.The scent of blood was overwhelming.
“Sungmo!”
The older woman’s eyes locked with Chin Sun’s, then widened in fear.“M-monster.”She scooted back, then yelped in pain.“Don’t come any closer.”
“Aunt, it’s me, Chin Sun.What are you—I need to get you help.Can you stand?”She moved to touch her sungmo’s shoulder, but Aunt flinched away.
That was when Chin Sun noticed the claws on her hands.Long and thin—like an animal’s.Nausea rose in her gut.“W-what is this?Aunt?What’s happened to me?”
A dreadful sort of resignation settled over Aunt’s features.“I should have known.The night we found you—I should have known then.If only I hadn’t been so happy to find a baby, I would have realized you were just like the dying monster I saved you from.”
“Monster?Sungmo, you’re frightening me.”She reached out again, but Aunt slapped her hand away.
“Don’t touch me!Do you still not understand?I’m not your aunt.You’re not even human.And now I’m going to die and your horrible face will be the last thing I see.”
Hot tears dripped down Chin Sun’s cheeks.She couldn’t process everything, but she knew she didn’t want Aunt to die.“I’m going to get you help.”She stumbled to her feet.“Just stay there, and I’ll be right back.”
Water blurring her vision, Chin Sun sprinted back into town, not stopping until she reached her house.She banged on the gate, crying for someone to let her in.When Uncle appeared on the other side, she fell into his arms, sobbing.Between breaths, she told him where Aunt was—how they’d been attacked.
The two of them hurried back to Aunt, but by the time they reached her, she was already gone.Chin Sun had been too slow to save her.
Footsteps interrupted the downward spiral of her thoughts.It was Uncle and Kim Min Joon coming back over.Chin Sun took in a sharp breath, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall anytime she thought about what happened to Aunt.She’d never told anyone all the details from that day, and she never would.
“Was that Young Master Kang?”Uncle asked.
Chin Sun shared what Kang Dol Sam had told her, making sure to mention the people’s change in sentiment toward Gwishin so Kim Min Joon would hear.When she mentioned the magistrate’s call for a manhunt, the inspector’s expression darkened before he excused himself on “official business.”
Relief blossomed in Chin Sun’s chest as she watched him march out of the gate in the direction of the magistrate’s office.If anyone could stop Magistrate Hong from this madness, it was Min Joon.
“Chin Sun-ah?”Uncle stood in front of her with a concerned look.“You’ve had a long day.In fact, we both have.”Uncle took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before nodding to Mr.Park behind her.“Let’s all go home.”
As they made their way out, Chin Sun peered into the eyes of those she passed, wondering if they all were as hostile toward Gwishin as Young Master Kang claimed.
It’s not true, she wanted to tell them.Gwishin didn’t hurt the innocent.The real danger was gone.
But such words had to remain buried inside her, never to see the light of day.The people weren’t ready for the truth.She could hardly believe it herself.No one would have taken her seriously if she’d admitted a goblin was responsible for the scholar’s murder.Maybe in a smaller village where the old lore was more than fairytales but not here in Sokju.The people were too wise, too advanced, to believe such nonsense.
She needed to focus on the bigger problem.This was the second time a goblin had shown up and tried to steal her fox bead.A scholar had died, and without her powers to protect her, she’d nearly died, too.
She glanced at Mr.Park with a renewed sense of determination.The longer he had her fox bead, the greater the risk for the people of Sokju.And even if they’d abandoned her, she refused to abandon them.
An idea began to form in her mind.He’d offered to train her, which meant they’d have to go somewhere private to avoid being seen.A small smile spread over her face.
How wonderful.
Chapter14
