Page 79 of Gumiho Kiss
“Of course.Unlikesomepeople, I knew better than to come alone,” she said dryly.
“I can’t tell if you’re angry with me right now.”
“Oh, I’m always angry with you.But”—
A sultry tone slipped into her voice, and she leaned forward until their facecloths were nearly touching.
—“when all this is over and we don’t need these masks anymore, I’ll be happy to show you just how ...angry...you’ve made me.Until then, follow me.”
Hyun Soo sputtered, a dizzying current racing through him.Was she implying what he thought she was?
Before he could form a reply, Chin Sun bolted into the rain, and it was all he could do just to keep up.
With unmitigated confidence, she zigzagged through the camp toward the main gate.She acted as if she had an extra sense as she moved, ducking around corners before he’d even heard footsteps or signaling for him to wait just in time to avoid a passing guard.Once, he even thought she sniffed the air, but the moment was over too quickly to be sure, then they were off again, following some invisible route only Chin Sun seemed to know.
In the madness of their retreat, Hyun Soo only caught snippets of what the soldiers themselves were doing, but it seemed most were dealing with the aftereffects of the explosion rather than continuing their search for the mysterious intruder.The damage Hyun Soo had done with the fire cart was extensive, and he was relieved to spy broken weapons amongst the rubble.He’d blown up the right building, after all.
When they finally reached the main gate, Hyun Soo deflated at the sight of the ten swordsmen from earlier.But Chin Sun didn’t seem to mind.She darted forward, so rapidly Hyun Soo almost couldn’t make out her movements, and cut down three of them in seconds.
Hyun Soo eyed his companion with a mixture of disbelief and admiration.Since when was she that fast?
The remaining men lifted their swords, nervous but ready to defend themselves.The rain continued to fall, seeping through Hyun Soo’s hanbok and chilling him to his core.They needed to get this done quickly; otherwise, more soldiers were bound to notice them and join the fight.
“Think you can handle that one?”Chin Sun nodded at the swordsman on the far left, a lanky fellow who was swiping his hwando back and forth in a challenge.
Hyun Soo balked, unable to keep a hint of skepticism from his voice.“And what, leave the rest to you?”
Chin Sun gave him a wink that pulled at his insides.“If you can keep up, I suppose we could split them.”She skated over to the nearest swordsman and swung her blade, nearly cleaving the man in two with each successive strike.
Hyun Soo blinked a few times, marveling at her impossible strength, then approached the swordsman she’d suggested as the others crowded around Chin Sun.With a single twist of his sword, he knocked his opponent’s weapon away, then leaped forward and pierced the man’s chest.By the time he’d turned to attack the next one, only Chin Sun was left standing, her eyes glistening with satisfaction.
“Have you been practicing since the last time I saw you?”he asked.
She inclined her head to the no-longer-guarded gate.“We can talk about it later,” she said cryptically.
The pair hurtled through the gate, blurry pine trees visible in the distance.They were going to make it.The rain began to ease up, a splinter of the pearly moon coming into view.
“I think I see Kim Min Joon.”Chin Sun pointed at a vague shape in the woods, so small Hyun Soo could barely see it.
“Not so fast,” rasped a deep voice that prickled the back of Hyun Soo’s neck.A hint of familiarity stole through him.Where had he heard that voice before?
He and Chin Sun swung toward the source, only to find Commander Song a few paces to their right.Someone was just behind him, and the commander sidestepped to allow the second man to come forward.
Kang Dol Sam.
Chapter29
The Murderer
Chin Sun hardly noticed her former fiancé.How could she when the enemy she feared most was only a few paces away?The human guise he wore now was masterful, but she’d known the truth the moment she’d gotten a good glimpse of his sword.
How had the goblin found her here?
She turned to Hyun Soo, who stood stiffly, except he wasn’t paying attention to the real threat.He was too busy watching the decoy, the one the goblin wanted them to focus on.
Chin Sun swiveled back to the shapeshifter.He looked exactly like a high-ranking soldier, his hat and hanbok of noticeably better quality than that of the other troops’.A quiver of arrows was slung over his shoulder, with a bow attached to his front.Even the way he carried himself was perfect, like a man used to being in charge.
It was a flawless facade, if not for the beautiful hwando in his hand.The symbol upon it seemed to almost glow in the darkness, taunting her.
