The Last Fallen Star

by Graci Kim

  All Korean words used in this book have been transliterated according to the Revised Romanization of Korean system.

  Copyright © 2021 by Graci Kim

  Introduction copyright © 2021 by Rick Riordan

  All rights reserved. Published by Disney • Hyperion, an imprint of Buena Vista Books, Inc. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. For information address Disney • Hyperion, 77 West 66th Street, New York, New York 10023.

  First Edition, May 2021

  Stock images: watercolor 61613686, sun 89398255, moon 1471622636/Shutterstock

  Designed by Joann Hill

  Cover artwork © 2021 by Vivienne To

  Cover design by Joann Hill

  ISBN 978-1-368-06128-5

  LCCN 2020027527 (ebook)

  LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020027527

  Follow @ReadRiordan

  Visit www.DisneyBooks.com

  To my eomma and appa, whose love is the reason I exist.

  To my sisters, Ally and Joya, whose love is the reason this story exists.

  And most of all, to my Spudman, whose love (and patience) is the reason this book exists.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Introduction

  1 My Family of Healing Witches

  2 Saturday Is Temple Day

  3 Even Witches Go to School

  4 How to Open an Enchanted Safe

  5 Time to Get Initiated, Witches

  6 The Tiger Is Out of the Bag

  7 Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

  8 Noah Noh and the Dojang

  9 Um, Mago Halmi, Is That You?

  10 The Dark Sun and Dark Moon

  11 The Cheollima and His Cookies

  12 Don’t Forget to Smile

  13 Where Does the Bearded Man Buy His Suits?

  14 The Best Boba Teas in Town

  15 Potato Sacks and Truth Bombs

  16 Of Course There’s a Prophecy

  17 Why Is There Always a Catch?

  18 It’s Time to (Rescue) Party

  19 Anyone Hungry for Seoulful Tacos?

  20 Halmeoni’s Soul Animal Is a Magpie

  21 Make Way for the Bionic Girl

  22 Taming of the Inmyeonjo

  23 Are Family Reunions Always This Awkward?

  24 Let’s Get Down to Business

  25 Dokkaebi Rules of Engagement

  26 The Dokkaebi Takes His Bite

  27 Ticktock, Ticktock Goes the Heart

  28 Nuh-uh, She Didn’t!

  29 Get Your Battle Gear on, Fambam!

  30 The End Is Also the Beginning

  Epilogue

  Glossary

  About the Authors

  THAT WAS MY FIRST THOUGHT WHEN reading The Last Fallen Star. Graci Kim does such an amazing job of blending Korean mythology into the modern world, I am now wondering how I ever lived without knowing all this cool information. Turns out, right under our noses in Los Angeles, there is an entire society of Korean witches with deep connections to the Godrealm. I am so glad LA finally has something to brag about besides being the entrance to Hades’s Underworld.

  Which of the six gifted witch clans would you choose to be in? Each one is amazing, with its own patron god and special powers. I’d love to be Miru—the protectors—because their patron is the Water Dragon Goddess, but there’s no way I could be that fast and strong. I’m big into reading and history, so the Horangi clan is appealing, but as you’ll soon see, this clan of scholars doesn’t have the best reputation right now. In fact, they’ve been exiled from the other five clans. Bummer.

  I guess my next choice would be the Gumiho. I’ve always liked the Nine-Tailed Fox Goddess. Being able to cast illusions could be really helpful. On those mornings when you’re in a rush and don’t have time to get dressed, just cast an illusion on yourself and look however you want! Their motto is Beauty and Influence. I think they’d get along really well with Aphrodite’s kids!

  The hero of our story, Riley Oh, isn’t sure where she belongs. Her family is in the Gom clan—the great magical healers—and Riley would love to get confirmed as a healing witch when she turns thirteen, like her sister, Hattie, is about to do. Unfortunately, Riley is a saram—a person born with no magic at all. She was adopted, and her biological parents weren’t witches. Riley’s adopted parents are awesome, however, and she gets along great with her sister. Still, it’s super hard being the only one in the family without magic.

  Then Hattie has a brilliant idea. They will cast a spell during Hattie’s initiation that will let Riley share half of Hattie’s power! Sure, the spell is forbidden. They’ll have to steal it from their parents’ safe. They’ll also have to perform the spell in front of the Council of Elders and the entire congregation of the five clans on temple day, but what could possibly go wrong?

  Um…you can probably guess how that turns out.

  Riley discovers that her past is a whole lot more complicated than she realized. By trying to share Hattie’s power, she unleashes an avalanche of unintended consequences, and brings secrets to light that were meant to stay buried forever. If she is going to save her family, the witch community, and the entire mortal realm, she had better discover her true powers quickly, and figure out who she can trust among the mortals, witches, and gods.

  I have to admit, I fell down on the job while I was reviewing Graci’s manuscript. I started reading and immediately got hooked. I was halfway through the book before I remembered, “Oh, right, I’m supposed to be editing this.” Then I went back and looked for stuff to edit, and I just got hooked into the story again. That’s how good it is.

  You’re going to fall in love with this world right away. Riley’s best friend, Emmett, is the kind of guy you want on your team. He loves baking and bringing you treats. He likes to dress up pets in strange costumes. He claims he is allergic to emotions, which just made me want to give him a big hug! He totally needs to meet Nico di Angelo and share a batch of cookies. Hattie is the best big sister, and she and Riley have the sweetest sibling relationship even though they’re so different. The families in the witch clans are all so messy and loving and complicated—just like real families! And did I mention the food? Oh. My. Gods. Tornado fries. Bulgogi tacos. Gimchi salsa. Miniature donuts. Sign me up.

  Speaking of eating, I ate this book way too fast. That’s one of the bad things about getting an early look, because I devour the book and am ready for a sequel before the first volume is even published. Burp!

  Well, at least I get to share The Last Fallen Star with you! I know you’ll love it. When you’re finished, let’s get together and compare notes on which clans we like best and where we’re going to eat a magical lunch next time we’re in LA!

  SO HERE’S THE THING.

  There are only two days left until my sister’s initiation ceremony. In two sleeps, Hattie will turn thirteen, and she will have to prove to the entire congregation of gifted clans in Los Angeles that she has what it takes to become a witch. A healing witch. A real Gom.

  And she’s gonna be amazeballs, of course. I mean, it’s her birthright. Healing magic flows in her blood, as it flows through our parents’ blood, because we, the Gom clan, are descendants of the Cave Bear Goddess—the patron goddess of service and sacrifice.

  Well, except me.

  Sigh. Yep. My own thirteenth birthday is only a month away, but unlike my eomma (that’s my mom) or my appa (that’s my dad) or my sister, I’m a normal, non-gifted person without a lick of magic. I’m a saram.


  I was adopted. And don’t get me wrong. My parents try super hard to make me feel part of the gifted community, and I love them so much for it. But the truth is, the harder they try, the more I realize how much of an outsider I really am. I’m different.

  Hence why I’m here, sitting behind the reception desk of the Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic that my parents run, doing mind-numbing data entry instead of practicing healing spells like my sister.

  The bells chime on the clinic’s door, and I jolt up in my chair as an old, dark-haired man limps in. He looks like he could be Korean, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him at temple.

  “Welcome to the clinic!” I say. “How can I help you?”

  “Good morning,” he says, wincing as he wobbles up to the desk. “My name is Robert Choi. I’ve just moved here from New York, and I was told to ask for a James or Eunha Oh. I think I’ve sprained my ankle.”

  He slides his wrists together, and the water in his Gi—the cylindrical glass charm on his bracelet—sloshes a little as it rubs against his skin. An image of two suns and two moons appears on his right wrist with the motion, and the symbol glows green.

  Ah, he’s a Tokki—an infusing witch. All witches get the same gifted mark on their wrists when they do magic, but it reveals itself in different colors depending on which clan they belong to. The mark is also how we can tell which patients are gifted and which are saram. If they’re saram, we have to make sure they don’t know we heal with magic. The infusers make special memory-erasing potions for that.

  I know what you’re thinking: Why would you keep such an awesome skill secret from the world? Well, Appa says if the saram found out about the gifted clans, that would bring grave danger to our community. People don’t like what they can’t understand. It scares them, and scared people do foolish things. I guess that makes sense.

  “You’ve come to the right place,” I say, smiling brightly. “James and Eunha are my parents. And sorry to hear about your ankle, Mr. Choi. Appa has just finished up with a patient, and there’s a free slot for you now if you’d like it.”

  “Ah, you must be Hattie.” He nods knowingly at me. “I hear you have an initiation ceremony coming up. I hope you are well prepared.”

  I shake my head. “Hattie’s actually my sister. I’m not…Well, I can’t…” I trail off, and Mr. Choi frowns.

  “That’s odd. They said the Ohs only had one daughter.”

  Oof. The comment spears right through my chest, but I stay silent and put on a well-rehearsed fake smile. What I’d really like to do right now is take out my Gi bracelet (if I had one) and heal his ankle right here and now, to prove how much of an Oh I really am. Or at least stand up for myself and tell him I’m part of this family, too. That’s what Hattie would do if she were in my place.

  But I’m not my sister. I’m not brave like she is. I prefer to keep my head down and stay out of trouble. Trust me, it’s easier this way.

  A warm hand squeezes my shoulder, and I look back to see Appa standing behind me. I didn’t hear him come to reception. “This is Riley, most definitely our daughter, and the most dedicated Gom I know.” Appa beams at me, and then extends his hand to Mr. Choi. “Welcome to our humble clinic, Robert. And welcome to LA. Come with me, and let’s get that ankle looked at.”

  Appa leads the hobbling Mr. Choi down the hallway, and a stinging heat builds behind my eyes. Sigh. Yet another day in the life of Riley Oh—the wannabe witch living in an exclusive gifted world.

  “Riley!” Hattie runs up to the reception desk, puts her elbows on it, and rests her chin on her palms. Her rounded cheeks are pink, and her hair is damp with sweat. “Please come save me. Eomma is driving me up the wall. She’s making me repeat the incantations a billion times, and I don’t know what they mean anymore. I mean, honestly, what are words, even?”

  “She just wants you to do well at the initiation.”

  Hattie rolls her eyes, but she knows I’m right.

  A successful initiation ceremony is the most important rite of passage in a witch’s life. She’s got to perform three spells that satisfy the elders in the gifted clans council, and then say her vows in front of the whole congregation at temple. That’s hundreds of people from five different clans, not to mention our patron goddess, who will be watching from the Godrealm.

  Then, and only then, will Hattie get to wear her Gi around her wrist without adult supervision. Without it, she can’t do any magic. So yeah, basically, it’s a big deal. I mean, no pressure or anything.

  Hattie fiddles with the earth-filled charm that’s attached to a gold chain around her wrist. Eomma usually keeps my sister’s Gi in her enchanted safe, and Hattie only gets to wear it when she’s practicing spells with our parents. “Okay, but can you come with me anyway? Eomma’s all cranky and flustered, and I need moral support. Please?”

  I make a serious face and pretend to be preoccupied with the patient database. “I’m kinda busy.”

  “Pretty pleeease?” She gets all up in my face and makes big puppy-dog eyes at me. “You can have my favorite sweater. And I’ll do all your chores for a week. Come on, Rye, have a heart!”

  I hold off as long as I can before laughing. “Okay, okay, you twisted my arm.” I push her sweaty mug away. “Just wanted to see you beg. Looks good on you.”

  “You’ll pay for that!” She slaps me on my shoulder but grins, and then drags me out of my chair and down the hallway to Eomma’s consultation room.

  Eomma is inside, pacing back and forth while holding the family spellbook up to her nose. Her glasses are foggy, and her black perm is bouncing like a halo around her head. “Hattie, there you are! Now come back and practice the wound-closing incantation again.” She points her finger at a Korean word in her spellbook. “And remember this time that the p is aspirated, so don’t be shy—put your whole diaphragm into it. Puh! Puh! See? Like this—puh!”

  Hattie drags her palms down her cheeks and gives me an exasperated look. I stifle a laugh. Eomma is in fine form today. She pulls off the plugged-into-a-power-socket and rest-is-for-the-weak! looks better than anyone I know.

  As Hattie reluctantly follows Eomma’s lead to aspirate her puhs, I study their two faces. And, for the billionth time, I wish I looked more like them.

  I’m told my biological parents were of Korean ethnicity, too. But that’s about where the similarities end. Where my Gom family are round, petite, and unblemished, I’m tall and freckled. I’m all pointy chin and high cheekbones, with more angles than curves. I’m the one people raise their eyebrows at when they look at our family photos.

  Before I know it, my eyes are burning and I quickly wipe them, embarrassed. Ugh. Classic me. This is what my best friend, Emmett, calls my “leaky-bladder eyeball problem.” You see, I have a slight issue controlling my tears. When I’m sad, I cry. When I’m angry, I cry. When I’m frustrated, I cry. I’m basically really talented at crying.

  Hattie says it’s a good thing—that I’m “in touch with my feelings” (more like drowning in them…). And Eomma and Appa say I’ll grow out of it. But let’s face it—compared to my confident-and-composed family, I’m flawed. It’s yet another piece of evidence that I’m not a true Oh. That I’m weak and don’t belong.

  Eomma has now prompted Hattie to practice her vows, and my sister reluctantly obeys. “I vow on the name of Mago Halmi, mother of the three realms, mother of the six goddesses, mother of mortalkind and all creation”—Hattie’s lisp is making an appearance, which only happens when she’s tired or stressed—“to carry out my sacred duty to heal those in need. To uphold the Gom clan motto of Service and Sacrifice…and…and…”

  She trails off, forgetting the words, and I finish the sentence for her. “And I understand that with my gift comes great responsibility—to my clan, to the gifted community, and to our ancestor, the Cave Bear Goddess, who blesses us with her divine power.” I might not have a Gi or magic running through my veins, but I know my stuff.

  Hattie gives me a grateful look. Thanks, she
mouths. She puts her hands on her hips. “See, Eomma? Riley is so much more ready for an initiation than I’ll ever be. Have you spoken to Auntie Okja about Rye being allowed to do one, too?”

  I stick my hand in my pocket and squeeze my onyx stone to calm my nerves. It’s shaped like a curved teardrop, and it’s the only thing my biological parents left me. Hattie thinks it might be a family heirloom or something, but I just like how hard and real it feels in my hand. It’s only a stone (and not nearly as cool as a Gi), but sometimes I carry it with me, because touching it reminds me that I came from somewhere, too.

  “Sorry, girls. Your appa and I have been trying to find a good time to tell you….” Eomma sighs. “Auntie Okja tried really hard, but the other elders just won’t budge.”

  I lower my eyes, mostly to hide the new trickle of disappointment forming on my eye line. My stupid leaky-bladder eyeballs fail me again. “Oh…that’s okay,” I say, even though that’s far from the truth. “Thank you for trying.”

  Hattie raises her eyebrows at me. “No, it’s not okay.” She turns to Eomma. “You and Appa are always pushing for more inclusivity in the gifted community. This is the perfect opportunity to make a statement, isn’t it?”

  Eomma looks sheepish. “You’re absolutely right. But change takes time. Some of the clans aren’t as progressive as we are. They’re arguing that, without a Gi, Riley wouldn’t be able to cast the spells anyway. And if the council can’t witness the spells during the initiation, they can’t make a fair assessment.”

  I shrink, but Hattie pushes back. “But that’s the whole point. Rye knows the words to all the healing spells, back to front. If the council just gave her a chance to prove herself, maybe the goddess would be convinced and grant Rye a Gi, too.” She rolls her eyes. “They’ve got it all backward.”

  “I understand, sweetheart. You know I do. But the other elders think it’s asking too much of the Godrealm to bless a saram with magic. That it would be impertinent of us. Disrespectful, even. Your auntie is only one voice among five.”