woman’s voice coming from behind me, cold and commanding, and all too familiar. “You saw nothing.”
“Yes, of c-c-course, of course.”
The door shut at once, and from beyond, I could hear the thudding of wood as the gatekeeper locked the entrance with a beam. The hope I’d felt blew out, throwing me into darkness.
“I was right,” the woman behind me spoke again. And this time I knew who it was. “You cannot be trusted.”
My wrist thrown aside, I whirled around to see Hyeyeon, her expression so stoic that I would not have guessed her thoughts if not for the upward tilt of her chin, the unfriendly glint in her eyes as she stared up at me. Now I noticed her civilian dress, the uniform of a damo when out tracking criminals. The pedestrians behind her, lingering in the shadow of an alley, were not commoners at all, but familiar faces, officers also disguised. Their brows knitted, staring at me as one would a traitor—with anger, mixed with jolts of disbelief.
“You are spying on Lady Kang.” My voice shook, the air around me suddenly wintry cold. “Why?”
“It is none of your business. Come, I’m taking you back to the bureau.”
“No. You must release me. One of Lady Kang’s servants was abducted, and I need to find her!”
Hyeyeon surveyed me with indifference, then flicked her chin forward, a gesture for me to walk. “You can go tell him yourself.”
“Whom?”
“Inspector Han,” she whispered, and I could hear the smile in her voice. “The one you would die for.”
* * *
There was stillness in the early morning hour. The air was cold and moist with dew.
Guards holding sharp-tipped spears stepped aside, opening the gates of the bureau. An officer shoved me forward, his push so strong my head snapped back as I stumbled into the police courtyard, nearly tripping over my feet. Servants and officers stopped what they were doing to stare, their gazes following me, along with their whispers. She tried to run home again? When will she learn? Blood oozed down the back of my head, soaking my collar as I returned their stares.
“Eoseo!” Hyeyeon said, her voice a sharp slap.
I quickened my steps as ordered, through the connecting gate and into the western courtyard. The Office of the Inspector looked immense, like a dragon whose belly had swelled from devouring its kill. I let out my breath slowly, the sound of wind whistling through the bamboo trees. “Calm down,” I whispered. Another deep breath, and I blew out through my lips. “Calm down.”
But my hands still trembled, still ached with the memory of Woorim’s hand in mine. She had disappeared, and with each passing minute, I was losing all chance of ever finding her.
Grabbing my collar, Hyeyeon dragged me up onto the veranda. We were alone, just the two of us, as the police officers had remained in the main courtyard. “Sir,” she spoke to the screened door. “I am here to report an incident.”
“Enter.”
She pushed aside the door, which rumbled as it went. And I realized there was only one way that I could escape in time, only one way to run back at once to Lady Kang for help—pretend to submit. I licked my blood-crusted lips and ducked my head.
“Kneel,” Hyeyeon ordered.
My knees buckled and slammed onto the ground with such a thud that Inspector Han glanced up, startled.
“What is it?” he asked.
“She was in front of Lady Kang’s residence, calling out her name.” Hyeyeon’s eyes strayed to my hands, clenched together. “She is on close terms with Lady Kang. I’m sure of it, sir.”
“Well?” His stare bore into me. “What do you say to that accusation?”
Accusation. Now I knew associating with Lady Kang was vile in the inspector’s eyes. I parted my lips, then closed them. At last I whispered, “It is true, sir.” I shot a glance at Hyeyeon before staring at the floor. A feverish hotness flared up my throat, leaving a sheen of sweat on my brow. “There is … there is something I must confess to you, sir.”
Inspector Han sat forward, one elbow on the low table before him. “Speak.”
I cast another look at Hyeyeon, then rocked back and forth, wringing my hands.
“Perhaps,” the inspector said, “you would like to speak to me in private, Seol?”
I bowed my head.
“You are dismissed, Hyeyeon. Return to your post. No one must enter or leave Kang’s residence without our knowing.”
“But, sir—” Hesitation strangled her voice, but she swallowed her protest and was soon gone.