Chapter 12: The Two Halves

Ra-on told him the truth lying on his back, with Ryeo-won's body still joined to his.

He did not recommend it.

"It's a tally," he said.

His voice came out thin and strange.

"Half a jade ring."

"The Gray Heron Hall cracks one in two for every contract and gives one half to the assassin."

"The client keeps the other."

Ryeo-won did not move.

He was still hard inside Ra-on, and he had stopped breathing.

"Pull out," Ra-on said.

"Please."

"I can't say this like this."

Ryeo-won withdrew carefully, gently, and sat back on his heels in the gray light.

Ra-on sat up.

He was naked, and he felt every inch of it.

He dragged the knife out of his pile of clothes and set it on the floor between them.

Then he knelt in front of Ryeo-won and pulled his hair off his neck with both hands.

He lifted his chin so his throat was bare.

"My name is Gil Ra-on," he said.

"The Hall calls me Magpie."

"They bought me when I was eight."

"I have killed forty-two people for them, and the forty-third was supposed to be you."

Ryeo-won said nothing.

"Madam Gwak gave me thirty days."

"I walked in your gate with four knives and a lie."

"I should have gone over your wall on the second night, and I stayed."

"Every day after that I told myself it was the work."

"I've been lying to you every hour since the gate, in every way except the ones that mattered."

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