A sad chattering noise escapes from the inmyeonjo’s throat. “I do not have a name.”

“Would you like one?”

Her eyes widen. “Yes. I would like that very much.”

I ponder what a fitting name for this formidable bird-woman might be. She watches me expectantly. And suddenly, it comes to me.

“What about Areum?”

“Ah-rihm.” She tests out the new word in her avian mouth.

“It’s a Korean name that means beautiful—like you.”

She bows her head in gratitude. Then, to my surprise, she begins to shrink. She retains her bird body and her human-like face, but she becomes the size of a dove. She flies up and perches on my shoulder.

“Riley Oh, I yield to you.”

“Wait, what?” I blurt out. “What do you mean, yield to me?”

The crowd lets out a loud exhale. I’d almost forgotten they were there.

“You did it!” Sora announces, clasping her hands together. “You demonstrated bravery and commitment to the task and even taught us a lesson along the way. You tamed the inmyeonjo!”

Whoa. My mind reels. Did I just domesticate Areum?

Sora beams proudly. “I now invite you, Riley Oh, to pledge your allegiance to the Horangi clan. Do you accept?”

I think hard about what I’m about to do. I succeeded in my initiation, but I did it using what I’d learned from my Gom upbringing. The scholars, on the other hand, had been more than happy to use violence to try to control the inmyeonjo. Am I prepared to leave the healers? Do I want to give my loyalty to the Horangi clan for the rest of my life?

Areum looks at me with complete openness, and something broken inside me puts itself back together. It’s like I’d thought earlier. I won’t have to rely on someone else to write my story if I’m brave enough to take the pen into my own hands.

I turn to Sora. “Yes, I do,” I confirm. With over a third of my sister’s heart shriveled, and the survival of the world at stake, retreating is not an option. I will take the best of both clans and complete this job.

“Congratulations, Riley. Welcome to the clan!” Sora exclaims.

And just like that, the crowd goes wild. It’s not as regal as an initiation at the gifted temple with all the elders and the entire congregation watching. I didn’t even get to wear a cool bear crown or dress. But still, I did it.

“Welcome home, Riley!” I hear from somewhere in the crowd.

“You’re a hero!” someone else shouts.

It’s kind of ironic, to be honest. Because now that I’ve formally become a Horangi scholar, I feel more Gom than ever before. Go figure.