That elderly escort at Angie's wedding had to be Craft, and he and the shadow had sneaked into the hotel and recovered the jang bong and the flower girl from Courtney and then somehow turned her over to Reddy who escorted her to safety in Belize.

I said to Reddy, "It ain't magic, but it sure was a clever move. However, you my father, have yet to face the wrath of one Angie Rapier for not showing up to give her away at her wedding."

Reddy took a boxers pose and feigned slipping a punch.

Reddy and I hugged and I thought, that's one flaw in my character I have overcome, thanks to an a.s.sist from Dr. Matte. Once again I thought, maybe there is something to this "like father, like daughter" stuff. I'm not fully into the role of a.s.sa.s.sin; however, Dr. Sincere Park is still out there.

Comet and Shy enveloped Reddy, demanding attention, so we trekked up into the Berkeley hills on our favorite trails behind my house and returned thirty minutes later after treats at the Beastro.

Reddy said, "Let's test out my new battery."

"I a.s.sume you are referring to Michaela's new battery," I replied, all the while thinking, oh d.a.m.n, he's figured out how to get even more range out of the wasp projectiles. That meant that if and when the CIA found out what he had created, Reddy was going to have to di di out of here for parts unknown. I probably wouldn't see him for months.

Incheon: Three Kingdoms Conference (17 August 2015).

At Skeleton Lake later that summer, we received an e-mail from Sister Cerice and Winter Blossom: Anyung hashim nika! The forgery claim, first set forth by Dr. Sincere Park, is discredited and a small but important group of Korean women, the Wonhwa, are closer to being recognized for their contributions to spiritual leadership, the arts, and other cultural advances on the peninsula. Legitimacy of the two diaries is established much to the chagrin of the Pak Dojang leaders, including the last Park offspring of Dr. Evel Park, his second son Sincere, who was noticeably missing from the conference. Best Regards, Sister Cerice.

P.S. The details of the creation and lives of the Wonhwa, spiritual leaders of the hwarang, are coming to life on the decoded pages of Princess Deokman's diaries. This is a valued contribution and we are grateful as well as hopeful to continue adding to the legacy of women in the development of the peninsula. Chungsik sends greetings and says to tell you that the jang bong and the two diaries are safely on display at our museum where we have started a Wonwha exhibit thanks to a contribution from the Curfew Foundation.

"The spirit of the Wonwha is strengthened and we welcome you." Winter Blossom THE END.

Author's Notes.

There is an extensive fissure in knowledge concerning Korea's Three Kingdoms Era, perhaps most notable in the oldest dynasty, the Silla. Whole histories have been lost in wars. The shift in society from Buddhist to Confucian values also biased the historical ma.n.u.scripts of dynastic history. History was written by each succeeding dynasty, meaning it was subject to recall and to the biases of each ruler whose intent was to write history so as to validate their family right to successorship. For most kings, successor meant a male heir. Monks and other male scholars were selected to write the recorded histories in accordance with these needs and demands of their rulers.

The two diaries of Princess Deokman/ Queen Seondeok are the fictional creation of the author of this novel. To the best of my knowledge records kept by female shamans of ancient times have never been uncovered at Gyeorgju or elsewhere. It is as if women such as the Wonhwa existed only in a footnote, as if these women never contributed to the spiritual and social development of the peninsula.

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