“I’m sorry, Nara,” Kira said. She was so tired. She didn’t want to argue. There was no point. Nothing could change now.
Nara fanned herself again. “I have seen visions of the future again and they have stayed the same. Even with your loss, my visions have not changed! Why do you think that is?”
“I don’t know,” Kira said.
“Because you are still the Dragon Musado. If you were truly powerless, then I would have foreseen a new vision, a new future. It would have meant that you were somehow weakened. But I have seen no such visions. Therefore, nothing of significance has changed.”
It was not that Kira didn’t believe her friend. She wanted to believe her, but it was difficult to believe in the face of the impending doom that gripped her. The whispers of the Demon Lord that had filled her with her worthlessness throughout the long night.
Nara rose to her feet in a fluid motion. “You’ve been hiding in this room, shutting people out for too long. It is time for you to listen.”
She returned a few minutes later with Brother Woojin.
“Sunim, I don’t know what to do anymore,” Kira said.
Brother Woojin sat staring at her, his kind eyes steadying her.
“I have faith, for you are still here, my child,” he replied.
“I am no longer the Dragon Musado, as I don’t have any of the treasures. I am useless.”
He shook his head and reached out to clasp her hands between his. “You have always been too hard on yourself. Your tiger spirit is not dead, my child. It is still within you. But now it is helping you in a different way.”
Kira shook her head. “I have failed. You cannot count on me anymore.”
“Stop that at once!” This was the first time that Brother Woojin had ever yelled at her in anger. “You are the Musado! That cannot be taken away from you! Shaman Won was right to be disappointed in me. He was right to say that I was looking to the prince as our hero. And I am ashamed of it. But I can see clearly now. The prince is important, yes, but not as important as you. You will be legend. Even without your tiger spirit, can you not see that you are the source of power? The Demon Lord may have the Dragon King’s treasures, but he cannot use them without you. He needs you to win this battle. As long as you stay out of his hands, we have a chance of winning!”
The quiet between them grew as Kira pondered his words. It was true that the daimyo could not use the treasures without her. He himself had indicated that. It was why they kept trying to take her alive. There was still something she might be able to do.
“He doesn’t have all the treasures,” Kira said quietly. “I hid the jade belt in a safe place.”
The monk put his hands together as if in prayer. “Then we must make sure that he never gets his hands on you or the belt. And we will be saved.”
“But it’s not enough,” she said, her expression grim. “He and the daimyo must be destroyed. That I know for certain.”
“And who will destroy them if you believe you are not the Musado?” he asked.
She sat up straight and looked him directly in the eyes. “I may not be the Musado anymore, but, believe me, I will destroy them or die trying.”
19
“Come with us,” Kyoung said. “And bring your weapons.”
Kira dragged herself to her feet and followed her brothers out of her house. They took her through the narrow city streets to what was the local magistrate’s compound. Kyoung had taken it over as the command center for his men. He took them to a large walled-in courtyard and asked not to be disturbed.
A part of Kira had been hoping Jaewon would be there. She felt a strong sense of disappointment when he wasn’t.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
“You’ve been moping around in your room for too long. We leave for Nosong in a matter of days. I can’t afford to have my strongest fighter go soft,” Kyoung said. “It’s time to see if you are still our father’s daughter.”
His words infuriated her. She was not in the mood for practice, and now she was too angry to be effective.
They fought with wooden staffs, spears, and swords, and then practiced archery.
At first, her mind played tricks on her, telling her that she was no good. Her shooting was off and she was careless and easily distracted. The more she tried, the angrier she got, until she threw down her bow and arrow in frustration.
Kyoung stopped her. “Giving up so soon?”
“I can’t do this right now!” Kira’s anger took her to the verge of tears. “I’m not who I was before.”