The Legend of Akikumo

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The Legend of Akikumo Page 17

by Dani Hoots


  “Well we know that the okami are disappearing and going extinct. It won’t be long now before your beloved okami joins their same fate!”

  I stepped forward and punched Hikaru straight in the jaw. I only got one good hit in before the other kitsune grabbed me and held me back.

  Hikaru wiped the blood off his chin. He looked at it, then licked it off of his finger. “You will pay for that.”

  He punched me right in the stomach as the other kitsune laughed. This was pure torture, and I couldn’t do anything about it.

  I just hoped Akikumo would finish up his meeting soon so we could leave this wretched place.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Present Day—Hida Mountains

  MY EYES FLICKERED OPEN to find the moon peeking through the clouds above me. It was strange how much brighter the moon could appear when it shone through the clouds.

  I heard whispers and turned to find Yamato kneeling beside me, chanting prayers. Then it hit me—what happened.

  I had gone one on one with a raiju. Somehow, using that katana, I was able to stop him. It was as if my flames combined with its power. I felt pretty powerful with it, but it had used up so much of my ki I had passed out. Typical.

  And now Yamato thought I was dying again and praying for my safety. It had been so long since someone cared about my safety. Probably no one since Akikumo.

  Tears ran down my face. He was gone. My best friend was gone. After all this time—after so many years thinking he would come back for me, I was wrong.

  I placed my hand down and felt something on the ground. I grabbed it and held it up in the moonlight. It was Akikumo’s magatama. How was this even possible? How could it have been here?

  A gentle wind whispered through the area, and I took a deep breath. I could almost smell the sandalwood and jasmine that Akikumo always wore. I looked back up at the stars that shone where the clouds from raiju had now parted.

  “I am here. I will always be watching you, Ketsue-chan. Just look up.”

  More tears ran down my face, and I couldn’t help but sob. That was why I never felt that he was gone—it was because he was always above me, watching.

  Yamato opened his eyes and hugged me. “Thank the kami you are all right.”

  “Am I? My best friend is gone. I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t want to go back to the shrine with those other kitsune. I only stayed because I thought Aki-chan was coming back when really he was trying to set me free.”

  Yamato held me tight and didn’t say a word while I wept. The sun peeked through the mountaintops when I finally calmed down. It was a new dawn. I took another deep breath and nodded.

  “We should go find where our stuff is.”

  “And then what?” Yamato asked.

  I shrugged. “I suppose we should just head back. You need to get back to school, don’t you?”

  He hesitated. “What if... what if I didn’t go back? What if we picked up where Akikumo-sama left off? We could travel Japan, looking for yokai who need help, and ask the gods what they need us to do.”

  I laughed but realized he wasn’t joking. “Are you serious? You are just a human.”

  “That can see yokai.”

  “That won’t live as long as me, not to mention you aren’t as invincible as I am.”

  He shrugged. “We will figure it out on the way. Besides, you saw I can use this katana.”

  Yamato pulled the katana out of the sheath, and for a moment I saw Akikumo and Yamiyo in him. It wasn’t possible, was it? For them to be reborn like this? I shook my head to push back the thought.

  “Your father would be pissed. Not to mention Ichika-sama.”

  “We will write them a letter on the way.”

  I laughed. “Fine, I’ll bite. On the way to where?”

  He smiled. “To our freedom.”

  I busted up laughing. There was no way this would work. But the more I laughed, the more I noticed another waft of sandalwood and jasmine. Perhaps it was possible and that was where I needed to be.

  And perhaps that was why Inari wanted me to go with Yamato. They knew the outcome.

  “Well then, lead the way.”

  He turned and put the katana back. “Well of course I would lead the way. There was no way we would get far with your sense of direction.”

  “Baka!” I wrapped my arms around his stomach and lifted him off the ground, making him scream like a little girl. We both left as we went through the torii gate, leaving the last of Akikumo’s home behind.

  Chapter Thirty

  Summer 1854 (Edo Period)—Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto

  “AKI-CHAN!” I CALLED out as I wandered the hallways of the shrine. My side and stomach all hurt, and I could tell I looked a bit disheveled. I took a deep breath, searching for his unique scent, but found nothing. “Aki-chan!”

  I rounded a corner to find Inari sitting on the floor, writing in a journal. They had long black hair that was let loose. Their kimono was designed with red butterflies on a black fabric. Since it was summer, they didn’t seem to be wearing many layers like kami normally did. They turned and smiled, their features both feminine and masculine. I bowed.

  “I am sorry for having disturbed you, Inari-sama.”

  “That is quite all right. I actually have a message for you from Akikumo-sama.”

  “Oh?”

  They nodded and handed me a letter. I opened and read it.

  Dearest Ketsue-chan,

  We have been together for a very long time, and I think I have been holding you back from your full potential. This place has everything you need to become a full-fledged kitsune. I hope that someday we will meet again, but I am afraid I am growing weak with the growth of the humans spreading more and more into the wilderness. I will never give up on them though, and I believe there is still good in them and that they will never truly forget us.

  I ask that you will one day forgive me for leaving you behind. But I just couldn’t tell you in person. I guess I am weak when it comes to you.

  I will always have a place for you in my heart. Promise me you will be a good fox and become the strongest kitsune that has ever gained all nine of her tails.

  I am proud of you,

  -Aki-chan.

  Tears streamed down my face as I collapsed to the ground. Inari bent down and held me as I cried. I stayed like that for what felt like hours, and Inari never left my side.

  Thank You

  Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed The Legend of Akikumo! Please think about leaving a review wherever you read books! Below are some links to places where a review really helps an author!

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  Acknowledgements

  I want to thank everyone who made this novel possible. A big thank you to my editor Anne at Victory Editing for helping with this project. Thank you to Biserka Design for the amazing covers for this book! I love it a lot! Arigatou gozaimashita to Mr. and Mrs. Carruthers for answering my questions about Japan and Japanese word usages. It helped a lot! Thank you to Ari as well as I bugged her about Japanese questions as well. Thank you to my cat Zane for being in my face to help edit. Any mistakes are his fault. Thank you to my favorite werewolf, Kaleb, for coming up with the name Akikumo. I better be your favorite fox. And, lastly, thank you to my husband and parents who are always supporting me.

  About the Author

  Dani Hoots is a science fiction, fantasy, romance, and young adult author who loves anything with a story. She has a B.S. in Anthropology, a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning, a Certificate in Novel Writing from Arizona State University, and a BS in Herbal Science from Bastyr University.

  Currently she is working on a YA urban fantasy series called Daughter of Hades, a YA urban fantasy series called The
Wonderland Chronicles, a historic fantasy vampire series called A World of Vampires, and a YA sci-fi series called Sanshlian Series. She has also started up an indie publishing company called FoxTales Press. She also works with Anthill Studios in creating comics through Antik Comics.

  Her hobbies include reading, watching anime, cooking, studying different languages, wire walking, hula hoop, and working with plants. She is also an herbalist and sells her concoctions on FoxCraft Apothecary. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and visits Seattle often.

  Feel free to email her with any questions you might have!

  [email protected]

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  Also by Dani Hoots

  A World of Vampires

  Hooh-Strah-Dooh

  Daughter of Hades

  Endangered

  Engaged

  Entangled

  Enchanted (Coming Soon)

  Sanshlian Series

  The Quest

  The Return

  The Journey

  The Last of the Gargoyles

  The Chained

  The Wonderland Chronicles

  Trapped in Wonderland

  Captured in Wonderland (Coming Soon)

  Standalone

  A Falling Starr

  The Legend of Akikumo (Coming Soon)

 

 

 


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