Like a woman still half asleep, she stumbled down the hall to the communal room where they shared meals. As Suzume shuffled into the room she spotted a large pot in the center of the room with a stack of bowls next to it. Suzume plopped down beside it before grabbing a bowl, which she filled mechanically. The idea of food made her stomach turn. But maybe food would give her the energy to face Kaito. Maybe I could postpone, saying I need time to recover. She shook her head, then she'd have to admit she had gone too far the day before.
"Suzume!" Rin shouted in her ear.
Suzume nearly leaped out of her skin as she dropped her bowl of soup over the front of herself, burning her skin with hot broth. "Why are you shouting?" Suzume snapped as she shook off the soup from her clothes.
Rin tilted her head to the side, a single brow quirked in confusion. "I must have called your name a dozen times. Something bothering you?"
"I'm just sleepy is all. This place is too cold. When are we going to leave anyway?"
"Once Kaito thinks you’re ready," Rin said with a smile, which she quickly hid behind the teacup that she sipped from.
"Then we should be leaving tomorrow," Suzume said. "After I beat him in our fight he cannot say I'm not strong enough."
"But if you lose, we may never leave this place."
"Do you think I'm going to lose?" Suzume tried to sound offended but she couldn't quite manage it. Rin was close to Kaito, maybe she could convince him to call off the fight. But that meant admitting to Rin she wasn't up to the challenge.
"If you want, I can talk to him for you."
Suzume glared back at her. "I can handle the dragon. It will be over in a few minutes I'm sure," Suzume said, using her words more to convince herself than the kitsune.
Rin only smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "Of course."
"He probably won't show up. He was just messing with me." The words wouldn't stop coming, she kept talking as if someone had taken a cork out of her.
"Oh, is that so?" said a drawl from behind her.
Suzume felt a chill run down her spine. She turned slowly, cursing internally. Kaito leaned against the doorway, looking well-rested and amused.
"It's not too late to give in," Suzume said, flinging her false bravado like a weapon.
"You don't really think you can win, do you?" He barked a laugh.
Don't let him get into your head. That's what he wants.
"I know I will."
Kaito laughed. "The same way you beat Tsuki yesterday?"
She stood and pretended to be cleaning up her breakfast bowl, though she hadn't eaten a bite. More of it had gotten on her clothes than in her stomach. With hands balled into fists at her side, she marched toward the door.
"I have to get changed," she said as she brushed past Kaito.
"It's not too late to admit I was right," Kaito said to her retreating back. "I won't even make you sleep in my room. All you have to say is: Kaito you are so strong and handsome, please protect me."
This was her chance, she just had to swallow her pride, admit she wasn't strong enough, and this would all go away. Do you want to get yourself hurt or worse let him make an even bigger fool of you? They're just a few words, say them and this all goes away.
She couldn't make the vile words pass her lips. Instead Suzume forced a laugh as she turned to face him. "Now you're trying to get out of it? I'm ready for our fight. I can't wait to see your face once I knock you onto your backside."
"So, you want to be on top of me?"
A blush flooded her face without warning and she covered her face with her hands. Two can play at this game.
She looked up and down, and in the same tone she had used to dismiss countless suitors she said, "You couldn't handle me."
"Once we're alone we'll have to see." There was a hunger in his eyes she hadn't seen before, almost predatory, and lacking its usual teasing tone.
Suzume's mouth opened and closed a few times, but she couldn't form a coherent sentence. Surely he meant it as a joke. Her heart thumped in her chest, loud enough she was surprised no one else could hear it.
"Well you'll never get that chance," she snapped before turning and running out of the room before she embarrassed herself further.
Heart slamming into her ribcage, she did a quick change before grabbing her staff and heading to the courtyard where Tsuki and Akira were waiting. Tsuki leaned on the wooden staff, head tilted back as he watched the clouds pass overhead, not a care in the world. Suzume's own staff, strapped across her back, felt like it weighed a million pounds and each step she took was grinding her into the ground until she felt there would be nothing left of her but dust.
"Ready?" Tsuki asked as Suzume approached.
She wanted to shout 'no'. But all she could manage was a feeble, "Yes."
There was no extra time to prepare beyond stretching and chanting over and over in her head. You can do this. Kaito swept into the courtyard, looking like he had won already, and Rin followed after him. It looked like they would have an audience to their fight. That's why he said what he did before. He's trying to get into your head. Just ignore him.
Not wanting to believe the alternative, she latched onto the idea. It kindled the fire inside her, giving her the motivation she needed to fight through the pain to victory.
She opened her mouth, prepared to make a threat and posture a bit to pump herself up further, when Kaito beat her to it and said, "I hope you're prepared for our second wedding night, my bride."
He grinned at her and her stomach did somersaults. It brought back memories of the time when she had thought Kaito was her ticket back to her place in the world instead of the teasing, infuriating, handsome bastard standing in front of her.
"I am not your bride," Suzume snarled back at him. "And when I win you'll never mention that again."
"Wedding night?" Tsuki asked with a raised brow.
"Only if, when, I win... well, I'll tell you when we're alone." The slow smile and the creeping gaze over her body pricked the flames along her skin. There was no way she was letting him win. The last traces of fear were transmuted into resolve. She would teach him for messing with her mind.
Kaito laughed as he took the staff from Tsuki. Suzume assumed the stance Tsuki had taught her, facing the dragon. Today instead of fatigued muscles, her muscles were too stiff. She felt like a porcelain bowl, just the right strike would leave her in pieces on the ground. Don't think like that. You can beat him. It didn't matter that she hadn't even once beaten Tsuki while sparring. Or that Kaito was certain not to go easy on her.
"Ready?" Kaito asked, his position was desirous, he held the staff loose at his side, his shoulders hunched. He looked more like he was prepared for a casual stroll.
That was fine with her. If he wasn't going to take her seriously that would make winning that much easier.
"I cannot wait to see your face when I knock you out," she snarled.
"I hope you're ready for what comes tonight behind closed doors."
Her face felt like it was on fire, and maybe it was, the sparks were running up and down her arms, in response to her anger. And in that moment of hesitation created by that final verbal jab, Kaito rushed toward her. She lifted her staff to parry but he merely glided over the top of her, landing behind her, where he smacked her across the rear with his staff. It was nothing more than a quick pat, like he was chastising a naughty dog. The fire in her gut churned as embarrassment gave way to anger. He wanted to make this into a game to make her look weak, but she wouldn't let him. She spun around, swinging her staff toward him, flames trailing in its wake. A spark of her flame caught the edge of his robe, and burned along the edge of his sleeve. With a quick pat on the flames they were extinguished, he smirked in her direction as if to say 'is that all you got?'
Suzume gripped her staff tighter, the flames running up and down it. Across from her, Kaito encased his staff in ice. Now when their staffs collided, their spiritual energies sparked against one another, fire and ice ex
ploding into steam. Water rolled down her hands dripping onto the ground, and was flung in all directions as they spun around one another, jabbing and dodging. His power unfurled from within him, and the ice in the air burned her lungs. Flames shot from her fingertips and licked along her arms. He did not let out all of his power, but what little he did her own power reacted to it, encasing her in flames as a living moving barrier against his ice. She pushed back, swinging at him and Kaito jumped backward outside the reach of her staff. He's avoiding my fire so he doesn't get burned.
"Oh feisty, I like that in a lover."
"Over my dead body." She rushed toward him. Distantly she heard Tsuki shouting to her, probably some suggestion but she was blind to everything but beating Kaito. She was burning with it, literally. Flames raced all over her body, churning in her gut, to where she thought she would burn from the inside out.
She swung the staff back and came down hard, preparing to knock into his head. But before her staff could come down on him, he grabbed a hold of the flaming staff. Where his hand touched it smoked and the flames climbed along his flesh like a forest fire. The ice crept over the burns, and held her fire at bay somewhere along his elbow.
"You can't survive my flames, give up," she said through gritted teeth.
"You rely too much on your fire." He yanked her staff from her grip. And threw it across the clearing. It skidded along before colliding against a torii arch just out of reach.
"That's not fair!" She shouted.
"Who said this was a fair fight?" He swiped at her with his staff.
Suzume leaped out of the way, just in time for a freezing cold staff to graze over the top of her head. The flames dancing along her scalp melted the ice and water dripped into her hair.
If that was how it was going to be, then she wouldn't hold back. While Kaito was coming back from his swing, she launched herself at his middle, using her flaming body as a weapon. The shock sent him tumbling backward and he landed on his back with Suzume straddling his chest. With flaming fingers, she reeled back prepared to slap him with a fiery hand. Maybe if she gave him a perfect scorched handprint he'd know not to play with her the way he had. He writhed beneath her, bucking up and she rode him like the rolling waves trying to hold on. She fell forward and growled, their faces were mere inches apart.
"I was going to wait to have you in this position tonight," he purred in her ear.
The words put her off kilter for a moment and then he pushed back hard, shoving her off him. She flew backward, landing hard on her back, and in a second Kaito was on top of her pinning her to the ground and holding her wrists beneath him. His ice smothered her fire as fast as she could make it, and the unfurling of his full power prevented her from even trying to move.
"What shall we do tonight, my bride?" He grinned down at her.
"You think this is over?" She said through gritted teeth.
"It is. I just won."
Tsuki was coming toward them to call the fight. Suzume arched her back, trying and failing to get out from beneath him. Maybe it had been inevitable from the start.
"You cheated," she snarled.
"I really wanted to win," he whispered into her ear before pulling back a few inches to look her in the eye. It was over. He had her pinned. But his gaze lingered a little too long, and the air between them felt suddenly charged with something more than the tension of a fight. Feeling his muscles in his legs tense that were straddling her hips, and his hands on her wrists, his threats no longer felt empty, and what he had said this morning felt less like a threat and more like a promise.
3
Why did I open my big mouth? All I had to do was admit I was tired. Was that so hard? Was it too late to try and run away? Trying to escape down the mountain in the dead of night probably wasn't the smartest idea. She was just as likely to break her neck or fall to her death. Kaito wouldn't try to actually claim his prize, would he? It had to be a joke.
Why am I wasting time even considering it? This is exactly why he had chosen this 'prize', it wasn't so much about getting her alone as it was him trying to get a rise out of her, she was certain. And yet she continued to stare at the sliding door which led into the communal room. The laughter of the others filtered out to her, Kaito's laugh rising above the rest, taunting her. After their fight and her spectacular failure, she'd hidden away in her room too ashamed to face him.
Hunger turned out to be a stronger foe, and the grumbling of her stomach had driven her from her room in search of food. Foolishly, she had hoped no one would be around. But judging from the volume of their voices, they'd broken into the sake again. Suzume smoothed down her hair tucking frayed strands behind her ear. If only there was a mirror to check her appearance. She must have looked disheveled after their fight. Not being able to take a proper bath in ages didn't help either. Suzume lifted up her arm to check if she smelled. She crinkled her nose. There was nothing she could do about it now. Just open the door.
Suzume stared at the closed door. The thin layer of rice paper, which she could poke a hole through with her pointer finger, was no great obstacle. But right now, it felt like climbing a mountain.
"Are you going to enter?" A deep voice rumbled behind her.
Suzume leaped in the air, spinning in place. Her shoulders knocked against the door frame as she clutched at the front of her haori. A dark figure remained in the shadows, two swords one on each hip, his face was emotionless like a mask carved from ivory.
"You're back." Suzume squawked. How can he move so silently?
The swordsman did not deem her comment worth. Of course he was back, why else would he be here?
"Did you find anything out about the missing gods?"
He stared at her without reply. His unblinking gaze was unsettling and Suzume suddenly lost her appetite.
"I just remembered I forgot something in my room. You go in ahead of me." She jabbed her thumb in the direction where she intended to make her exit, when the door slid open behind her.
"You've decided to join us then, my bride." Kaito purred behind her. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest, preventing any escape.
Her reaction was automatic, she shoved her elbow back into his ribs. Fire rose along her body, clashing with his ice. Kaito spun her around and she had to brace herself against his chest, placing both hands against his pectoral muscles. Though they sparked Kaito was not bothered by it, and instead pulled her closer despite her wiggling away from him and arching her neck backward to get away.
"That eager for our wedding night?" He looked down at her as if he would swoop in for a kiss.
Suzume dodged the almost kiss, dipping below his arms and out of his grasp. "You owe me a rematch! You cheated!" she said once she was free, pointing her finger in his direction.
Kaito placed his hands on his hips, and flashed her that damned smirk. "How could I have cheated when there were no rules?"
Suzume sputtered, unable to come up with a valid counter-argument.
"You don't need worry. I'll be gentle."
Suzume flushed. "It's not going to happen."
"Rin, give her the outfit I picked out for her." Kaito gestured for the kitsune to step forward. In her arms was a fold of blue fabric, in gradient shades of blue starting at the darkest midnight to an almost sky blue. It was embroidered with silver thread along the hems and a pattern that appeared to be the moon and stars.
Though she'd never say so out loud, the fabric was beautiful. She reached for it without thinking, but before Rin could hand it to Suzume however, Noaki snatched it out of her hands. Holding it up, he turned to Kaito.
"Where did you find this?" he asked, his voice sharp. It was the most emotion she had seen out of him since she'd broken Kazue's spell upon him.
Kaito frowned slightly at the swordsman. "It was packed away with a bunch of other kimonos-" he gestured dismissively with his hand.
"These were the goddess of the moon's." His hands bunched around the fabric.
; "She can't use them the way she is now." Kaito had already turned away from Noaki, dismissing his protests and returning his attention to Suzume.
Noaki swung a punch toward Kaito which he dodged, but just barely. Another inch and Kaito would have been on his back. He turned to Noaki, anger boiling in his gaze.
"Have you forgotten your place?" Kaito snarled at him.
Noaki's jaw clenched. "Have you forgotten yours?"
The two of them stared at one another, the rise of their spiritual energy stole the breath from Suzume's lungs and she gasped for breath, while her fire sparked to her defense.
Akira inserted herself between them, hands up in a peace-making gesture. "If these belonged to my mother, I would rather you didn't involve them in your games."
Kaito looked from Noaki to Akira then with a shrug he said, "Have it your way then." Then turning toward Suzume he said, "It doesn't matter what she wears because she won't be wearing it for long."
The tension eased and Suzume found she could breathe once again. "It doesn't matter because I am not coming to your room tonight!"
Kaito continued to ignore her and to Rin said, "Can you find something more suitable for my bride to wear? Maybe something red like her temper." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye before pivoting on his foot, and like a king commanding his kingdom he strolled out of the room.
Suzume stared at his retreating back with more than a few choice words on the tip of her tongue. Noaki had not moved from his spot and was cradling the kimono over his arm, one hand hovering over it, not touching. Akira was watching over him, with a frown on her face.
"Isn't anyone going to stop him?" Suzume swept her arm toward the door. "Now he's stealing from the gods?"
"You did make a bet with him," Rin replied, and there was the ghost of a smile on her face.
Suzume shot her a death look. The kitsune was no help. "I don't care what he says, I'm not going." Suzume snarled at her before marching out.
Out on the veranda that connected the different wings of the palace, there was no barrier to stop the wind. The cold mountain air blew off the mountaintop, cutting right through the thin layers she wore, and her bare feet on the wooden floor felt more like walking on ice. There were no silk slippers here on this desolate mountain palace, just moldy linens, rotting wood, and Noaki who forbade them from touching everything. But it was better than being out there, where yokai lurked and the next day was uncertain. The week they'd spent here had made it feel almost like home.
The Sea Stone Page 2