I also worry for Namgi, wondering if Kirin pulled him from the river in time. Has Dai fully recovered? And Cheong. There must be a way to return her to the world above.
I thought Lotus House very large, but the entire grounds of that house could fit into one quadrant of the Sea God’s palace. It takes me days to explore the eastern quadrant, where my room is located overlooking the garden. I never see anyone—no servants or guards—and yet the rooms are all swept clean, and the fires in their braziers blaze down every hall. I can’t tell if the invisible beings that run the palace are ghostly servants or something else entirely. At all times of the day, the tables in the kitchen are laid with food, the dumplings steaming as if just cooked, the fruits and vegetables dewy as if picked and washed only a moment before. Elaborate dresses appear in my wardrobe overnight. And if I need anything, I only have to speak the words aloud for the object of my desire to appear—a warm bath or slippers for my feet.
On the morning of my thirtieth day in the Spirit Realm, I find the Sea God in the garden, where he spends most of his time, watching paper boats in the pond. Not for the first time, I peer at the pond to see if the paper boat carrying my wish floats between the reeds, but it’s nowhere in sight. I wonder if the Goddess of Moon and Memory realizes that she owes me a debt. After all, though I relinquished my wish freely to her, she never fulfilled her part of the bargain.
“I have a request to make of you,” I say, as I sit beside the Sea God on the grassy bank. “My sister, Cheong, came down during the last storm. I’d like to visit her to see how she’s faring, but also speak with our ancestors, to discover if there’s a way for her to return to the world above.”
“In the last story you told, it was the Sea God who returned Shim Cheong to the world above. I’m afraid I don’t have such power. Otherwise I would send her back, to be reunited with her father.”
“And me? If I asked, would you return me to the world above?”
He says nothing, hunched over by the pond with his back to me. “I grant you permission to leave the palace. But you must return before sundown, at which time we will be wed. Otherwise you’ll become a spirit and lose your soul.”
* * *
I leave the pond, walking at first slowly through the garden, then faster, and faster still, until I’m running, up through the secret door, down the Sea God’s hall, and across the many courtyards. The great doors to the gate—which had been shut upon my entering the palace—are open. I slip through, sprinting down the stairs and heading toward the river. To the south lies Lotus House, and though I long to go there, I know if I do, I might never leave.
The river is calm, peaceful. Still, I keep my eyes away from the water as I cross over the bridge.
Star House is a tiered temple located at the base of the eastern mountains. I arrive at the height of morning, the sun shining brightly over a meadow run wild with royal azaleas.
Black-robed servants greet me in the main courtyard of the mountain temple, men and women with their heads cleanly shaven. One woman bows to me, indicating for me to follow her. She leads me down halls cut deep into the side of the mountain and up a long flight of stairs. The air becomes thinner the higher we go, and we emerge onto a platform that overlooks the valley from high above. Cheong and another young woman are seated on woven mats, a small table laid with tea and fruits in delicate porcelain bowls between them.
The young woman turns at our approach. She’s lovely, with a wide face, blushing cheeks, and bright eyes.
Hyeri.
She tilts her head to the side, studying me. “I know you.”
“We’ve met once before,” I say. “A year ago, the night you were to marry the Sea God.”
“I remember now.” She rises to her feet, coming to take my hands. Like Cheong, she’s a head taller than me. Her voice is warm and inviting. “You were my handmaiden. You helped me dress and braided my hair. You listened on a night when I needed, more than anything else, for someone to hear me.” She gently tugs me to the square table, pulling up a mat at the north side. “Come, please join us.”
When I’ve seated myself, Hyeri pours me a cup of steaming tea. I bring it to my nose, inhaling the subtle scent of crushed chrysanthemums.
“I’m glad you’re here, Mina,” Cheong says shyly. I reach out and take her hand, squeezing tightly.
“You seem well, Cheong,” I say, grateful to Hyeri. “I came here today not only to visit you, but also because I think there might be a way to return you to the world above.”