The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea(38)

“We visited the Goddess of Women and Children,” I blurt out. “I brought her the wish of a young woman who was with child. The goddess saw the girl, saw how she suffered, and didn’t care. She laughed. The girl was crying, her child was dying, and the goddess was laughing. She has no love, no sympathy for humans.” I shake my head. “It’s hopeless. My task is hopeless. And it made me realize … maybe I’m not the Sea God’s true bride. Maybe I’m not the one who can save him.”

When Mask doesn’t say anything, I add quietly, “Why is it all up to me?”

“Is it?”

“The myth says only a bride of the Sea God can save him. If that’s not my fate, then what is?”

I wait for Mask to say something wise, but then she shrugs. “Tell me this, Mina. If there was no myth of the Sea God’s bride, what would you do? Would you give up? What if someone told you your fate was to sit around all day and eat dumplings?”

“That sounds like a wonderful fate!” Dai says from somewhere over the side of the boat.

Mask leans forward. “What if someone told you your fate was to climb up the highest waterfall and jump off? Or to hurt the person you love most in the world? Or worse, to hurt the person who loves you most in the world? Fate is a tricky thing. It’s not for you, or me, or even the gods, to question what it is … or is not.” She takes my hand, and though she can’t see the Red String of Fate, her thumb brushes along the ribbon. Slowly, she lifts her face and looks across the lake. I follow the direction of her gaze.

Shin waits for me on the shore.

“Don’t chase fate, Mina. Let fate chase you.”

I turn back to see Mask has disappeared. I peer over the edge of the boat. Dai and Miki are nowhere to be seen.

The boat slowly changes direction and heads toward the shore.



* * *



Shin wades between the shallow reeds, grabbing the boat by the nose and dragging it from the water. I hop out as it reaches the shore, patting down the skirt of my dress.

Turning, I meet Shin’s gaze. The Red String of Fate flutters in the air between us.

I study him to see if I notice any godlike qualities. I think of the gods I’ve met so far. He’s taller than the Sea God. He’s less frightening than the fox goddess. And he’s honorable, unlike the Goddess of Women and Children. Every action he’s taken has been to protect either his house or the city, even the stealing of my soul.

A tall, not very frightening, honorable god without a soul. How did my fate get entangled with his?

“Did you find what you were looking for?” I ask.

“Not quite. We lost the thieves’ trail in the mountains east of the city.” He studies me just as carefully. “You didn’t attempt to leave the house.”

“I promised I wouldn’t.” I promised I wouldn’t leave the grounds of Lotus House if we granted the girl her wish. Even though her wish was never fulfilled, he still kept his end of the bargain.

“I didn’t find the thieves, but I found this.” He pulls a strip of cloth from his jacket.

Taking it from him, I smooth my fingers over a red, gold, and black stitching of a tiger depicted in a powerful leap with its claws extended.

I hand it back, lifting my gaze to his. “Tiger House.”

Shin nods grimly. “When I visited Lord Bom last week, he denied having sent the thieves. Lord Bom was a great military tactician in his lifetime, and leaving behind such an obvious token seems either careless or … deliberate. Regardless, I can’t ignore it.”

“You said no one has ever attempted to steal the soul of a bride before. Why do you think they are now?”

“The only reason I can think of is they mean to harm the Sea God through you, not knowing you’re no longer tied to him. I couldn’t risk the chance they might succeed. It’s why I gave the order for you to remain at the house—should there be an attack, my guards would be better suited to defend you.”

I know that he only takes precautions for the Sea God’s sake first, and now himself. But still, I have a fleeting, reckless thought: What if he should wish to protect me for no one’s sake but my own?

“Of course,” he says slowly, his brow furrowing, “it’s possible the night they came to steal your soul, their intention was to restore the Red String of Fate…”

“And by doing so, kill me and the Sea God in turn?” I crinkle my nose. “I’d rather go without such help. My soul is safely where it belongs, inside of me.”

When Shin turns away, I wince at my careless words. After all, he has claimed that he has no soul.

But when he glances back, his expression isn’t pained but thoughtful. “Walk with me?”

We head around the bridge toward the far side of the lake, where most of the house activity is located. Servants unload baskets of rice and vegetables from boats tied to the docks. I look for Mask and Dai on the lake, but they’re nowhere in sight.

Though Shin and I walk in silence, it’s a companionable sort. I feel more myself than I have all week—because of my talk with Mask, but also because Shin is here. The Red String of Fate, though a friendly glimmer at the corner of my eye, was also a constant reminder of his absence. Something about him makes me feel braver, like I can be the person he believes me to be.