The Black Blossom: A Young Adult Romantic Fantasy (The Healer Series Book 2)

by C. J. Anaya

  It was a necessary risk at this point. If for some reason I was discovered missing, I would take my punishment upon my return. I couldn’t allow Akane and her men left unaware of the emperor’s discovery.

  Lives would be lost if I failed.

  I slipped out of my window, grateful for the direction it faced and the lack of soldiers within the area. Sneaking out of the window in broad daylight was in no way ideal, but desperate times called for measures unthinkable, and climbing out of my window at this time of day was most definitely that.

  Once I alighted on the grassy ground, I waited for any signs or sounds of patrols around the area, but after a few moments of silence I was able to skirt my way around the back toward the gardens. The opening to the forest and then subsequent road ahead resided toward the back of the garden.

  The door was never guarded because no one knew about it except me. It was something I had crafted on my own for a truly grave emergency, and today was the first time I felt that such an emergency warranted its use.

  Snaking my way along the hedges was easy enough. Hardly anyone ever entered these gardens unless accompanying me. I dodged behind hanging clusters of cherry blossoms and did my best to keep hidden as I finally weaved my way past the large pond, trees, abundant flowers, and statues. Once I reached the area I was looking for, I took a small pin from hair and pricked my finger, producing a few drops of blood.

  I rubbed the blood along the large green leaves that covered the entire back wall. The leaves immediately responded to the energy within my blood by pulling in on themselves and separating from the rest of the wall, creating a small opening that I could squeeze through.

  Kami blood was a powerful tool I used in communicating with all forms of intelligent life, including all plant life, and even though I was only half kami, my particular blood was recognized by the vegetation within this garden.

  Once I passed through, I waited for the hedges and leaves to knit back together before turning my back on the palace and continuing on down the path toward the ruins. My first hope was that someone, either Akane, Musubi or possibly a member of the rebels, was stationed there—someone I might warn immediately.

  It took me fifteen minutes on foot to reach the ruins, though I ran as fast as my legs would permit. Doubled over, I fought to catch my breath, all the while listening for any sound of approach from Akane or Musubi.

  I breathed in deeply and searched the area, but knew it was useless. My lessons with Musubi weren’t scheduled for another two hours, and there was no reason to suspect Akane would be here this time. She didn’t always meet me before my lessons.

  I stared past the ruins toward the shrine honoring the god of love and marriage, the Shinto temple rising up behind it and the forest eagerly waiting to swallow me within its depths.

  There was nothing else to be done. I couldn’t wait for Musubi to join me at the ruins. I was going to have to access those memories I’d stolen and navigate my way through the forest toward the insurgents’ main base of operations.

  And I was going to have to do it by myself.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The forest of Yanbaru had never before bothered me, but this particular forest was different. The forest of Mimasaka was vast in depth and width, by far the largest part of the kingdom of Kagami, and host to several woodland animals both large and small.

  There had also been rumors that unnatural, magical creatures existed within these woods, creatures that didn’t take kindly to outside interference or unwanted trespassers.

  The rebels had chosen wisely in their desire to remain hidden and undiscovered. Even seasoned soldiers balked at the idea of delving too far past the outer boundaries of the forest.

  I didn’t fear the legends and stories, but I did fear the large animals that I knew existed within these woods. It wouldn’t do to be mistaken for unsuspecting prey. That would cut my noble escapade short. Another problem I faced had to do with the distance I needed to travel. There was simply no way of knowing if I would be able to navigate the forest with time to spare. If I had found a way to steal an imperial horse, this would have made my situation much easier, but I was going to have to travel through the forest on foot with no guarantee that the pathway before me would be clear. There was no guarantee I’d even find a path.

  Squaring my shoulders, I headed toward the shrine. A flash of memory hit me, and I thought of the white cherry blossom Musubi had given me the first time I came here. Though I had avoided the area most of my life, my first memories of the shrine were some I would always treasure. I quickly made my way past the Holy Cherry Tree, and sprinted toward the temple, drawing my kimono up around my knees to avoid tripping over the hemline. I rounded the front and headed to the right, rushing into the forest before I had a chance to change my mind. The canopy of trees was like a thick blanket covering the sky, shutting out most of the light, and leaving the leafy forest bed shaded and chilled.

  I kept running, determined to move as fast as possible, hoping to rely on my body’s ability to heal itself in order to replenish and rejuvenate my cramping muscles as my journey progressed. I continued to use the memories I’d obtained like an internal beacon. Whenever my direction went off the correct path, my mind would send new images to guide me back to where I needed to be.

  The terrain was rocky at best and nigh impossible to cover when tree roots and foliage became the only thing covering the forest floor. It was necessary for me to slow my pace and watch my footing to avoid tripping and spraining an ankle. It would have healed to be sure, but every second would make a difference between arriving at the camp in time or arriving amidst a bloody battle.

  After tripping over my own clothing for the millionth time, I finally decided I’d had enough and stopped long enough to struggle out of it, throwing it to the forest floor and hurrying forward, clad in nothing but my black, form-fitting undergarments.

  It was amazing the difference that made.

  Within an hour of traversing the forest with only the young soldier’s memories for guidance I came upon a wide, thunderous river. I stopped short as I reached the ledge of the embankment and looked down upon the thrashing rapids twenty feet below.

  I felt overwhelmed by this new development. I hadn’t realized I would be expected to cross a body of water, but the directions gave every indication that I needed to continue forward rather than skirting around to try and find a narrower place to cross.

  I decided to go down river for a few yards first. I had no way of knowing if the waters would grow calmer, but I was hopeful that might be the case. Swimming across the frothy, turbulent current would have been foolish and suicidal, and I had no way of climbing down the embankment unless it eventually leveled out downstream. As I continued along the bank, I spotted what looked to be a rope bridge attached to the round base of a tree on my side of the river, which then crossed over, connecting to another tree on the other side.

  Upon closer inspection, I noted the rope itself looked fairly reliable, but the wooden planks weaved into the flooring of the bridge were warped and cracked. If this was a bridge used for traveling, it had certainly seen better days. I hesitated for a moment, fearing the consequences if the wood proved to be as unreliable as it looked, but in the end I knew I had to cross. Lives depended upon my arrival, and I couldn’t remain on this side of the river, trapped by fear and uncertainty.

  A decision had to be made.

  I firmly grabbed both sides of the rope bridge and tentatively stepped onto the wooden planks. The bridge bobbed and dipped slightly as it compensated for my additional weight, but after a moment it straightened out and held firm with only a slight groan. I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding and slid my right foot forward. After a moment I shifted my weight forward upon it and lifted my left foot in the air, freezing as the bridge slightly swayed. The groaning noise came again, but I had to admit the bridge was quite sturdy despite its shabby appearance.

  I began stepping forward with a bit more
confidence, gradually increasing my speed with each board that supported my weight. Before long, I had traveled more than halfway across the bridge and felt certain I would reach my destination in time. I’d managed a few more confident steps when I heard a strange snapping sound to my right. I looked to one of the ropes attached to the plank of wood I was standing upon and noticed that several threads appeared to have unraveled.

  Before my brain could latch on to the precariousness of my situation, the supporting rope snapped and the plank beneath me gave way. I felt myself abruptly drop through the bridge’s underbelly, and only managed to prevent myself from catapulting into the tumultuous river below by grasping the wooden boards in front of me. With the lower half of my body dangling off the bridge and my arms gripping the small crevices between the planks, I wasn’t sure how I would manage to pull myself up.

  I took two deep, steadying breaths and then used what little upper body strength I possessed to pull myself further up and forward, but the minute I strained forward I heard another loud crack and then a snap. I looked to my right and saw that the board I clung to was beginning to fold under my weight. Freezing in place, I waited to see if it would hold and then tried to reach my left arm forward to grab the next plank ahead. The minute I shifted my weight I heard another sickening crack and felt the plank I was clinging to drop an inch or so as the supporting rope snapped almost completely in half.

  This could not be happening! How was I to rescue an army full of rebels if I couldn’t even manage to save myself from this rickety bridge?

  Amidst the roaring of the water and my own heartbeat pounding within my skull, I thought I heard someone calling my name. I squinted my eyes and looked to my left, across to the other side. There, standing on the riverbank, looking just as handsome and wonderful as ever stood Musubi with an awful, panicked expression on his face.

  I didn’t know how he had found me or what had brought him to this particular place, but I wasn’t about to waste time asking. I saw him cup his hands around his mouth and then his strong, comforting voice floated over to me.

  “Mikomi, do not attempt to move again. You will only make your situation worse. I will come to you.”

  I might have acknowledged his words with a nod of my head, but even that movement could have sent me toppling the rest of the way down. I didn’t fear the river, I was an excellent swimmer, but I did fear drowning. It had happened more than once when I was younger, and though my ki quickly and efficiently expelled any water that my lungs inhaled, the process was painfully frightening. My father had used it against me several times as a child.

  I felt the bridge sway a little as Musubi placed his feet on either side of the ropes, avoiding the planks altogether and walking along the cords weaved through the sides. That course of action would have been a wiser method for me to have employed, but how was I to know the boards would be so treacherous? My mission to save an army wasn’t exactly foolproof.

  My anxiety and fear lessened as Musubi closed the distance between us. Once he was towering above me, he bent his head forward and reached for me.

  “Give me your hand, and I will pull you to safety. Just try not to jerk as you do so.” I slowly raised my hand and felt his warmth surround me as he pulled me up through the broken planks and into his arms.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck as he pulled me closer to him. His breath warmed the side of my face as I felt him place a small kiss there. The contact was surprising, but I was too relieved to be in his arms, and more than grateful for the excuse to remain so close to him.

  “Thank the gods. I must have aged a thousand years when I spotted you on this damnable contraption. And then to watch you fall before I could get to you and warn you.”

  His arms held me tighter as I felt him shudder. I buried my face in his chest, reveling in his closeness. Honestly, I would have fallen through a thousand bridges to procure this kind of response from him.

  “Yes, if I had plummeted to my death you would have been made a widower without ever having truly been married.”

  Musubi barked a short laugh, one filled with relief. He placed a light kiss on the tip of my nose and then rested his forehead against mine. “I’m just glad I reached you in time. If I hadn’t come when I did…”

  He broke off and looked at me as if he’d had some kind of epiphany. The stormy blue of his eyes became filled with such a strong look of yearning, I felt myself leaning forward, completely ensnared by the power of his desire. His heated gaze held mine for what seemed like an eternity, and then a loud snap quickly brought us back to the present.

  Musubi blinked twice and then seemed to get his bearings. “I may have rescued you from your fall, but we must still travel across the rest of this bridge. Wrap your legs around my waist, and I will take you back in the direction you came from.”

  I nodded and did what I was told. Squeezing my eyes shut, I took comfort in the warmth and strength of his body as he carefully negotiated his way across the other half of the bridge.

  “Going for a stroll, were we?”

  “Not exactly.” I lowered my feet to the grassy bank, lifted my head, and pulled back a little in order to see his face. His eyes were bright with amusement, and the corners of his mouth turned up, ready to deliver a smile I was sure I would never recover from. “How on earth did you find me?”

  “I was on my way to meet you for our training session. Was this some desperate attempt to get out of it?” He gave me a smirk. “Nearly getting yourself killed hardly seems reasonable when all you really had to do was let me know you were ready to quit.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Of course I wasn’t going to quit. Stop looking so hopeful.”

  He laughed as his smoldering eyes continued their hypnotic hold on me, pulling us closer until I was sure he was finally going to kiss me. I could sense him struggling with his emotions, wanting to hold me, to touch me, but fighting some inner turmoil that had no name, no face, and no way for me to push against it.

  His eyes hardened, and his emotions were suddenly blocked from me as he released me, stepping back and crossing his arms over his chest almost as if he were using them as a shield to lock his heart and feelings in place. His face stiffened for a moment, and then he looked angry. I felt wholly confused by the change in him.

  “Would you mind telling me why you are out here, traipsing about by yourself in such a dangerous part of the forest?”

  “This is the most dangerous part of the forest?”

  “If you’re in it, then yes! You can’t possibly think that any part of this forest is safe for a young, unaccompanied woman. Why on earth are you this far in to begin with?”

  And just like that my purpose, my entire rescue mission, came crashing down around me. I’d been so caught up with Musubi and the fact that my near death had dislodged that hardened wall about his heart that I had completely forgotten my reason for being out here in the first place.

  “I came to warn you and Akane. The emperor knows the location of your main camp. His troops are planning an attack this evening.”

  Musubi’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Impossible! None of our people would ever share such information. How in the world could the emperor have found out our location, and how would you have gleaned this knowledge?” He eyed me suspiciously.

  I realized I hadn’t thought this whole scenario through. It would look terribly suspicious for a woman, even a wealthy one, to know the emperor’s military secrets. I scrambled fast for something plausible to tell him.

  “I…I…am sometimes summoned to the palace to treat his servants and wounded soldiers. It is another reason why Akane wished for my help. She was aware that I would have access to this type of information.”

  With every word I spoke, Musubi’s face grew darker and his body more rigid. “Unbelievable. I cannot fathom how you or Akane could be so stupid as to put yourself in such a dangerous and precarious situation.”

  “I can take care of myself,” I stated stiffly.


  “You can barely cross a rope bridge without falling to your death,” he shouted. “How do you expect me to believe that you are capable of retrieving highly classified information from the most powerful kami in this empire without being caught, tortured, and killed?”

  “I’m here, aren’t I?” I shouted back. I advanced toward him, refusing to allow him to put more distance between us. “I’m standing right here, with information that will save hundreds if not thousands of men. Do not, for one second, label me as incapable just because I was unaware that a perfectly sound looking bridge had faulty flooring.”

  “You are too involved,” he shot back. “It is bad enough that you heal men considered seditious traitors to the empire, but you’re learning to fight as if you think you will ever see battle, and you’re actually spending time with the emperor and his soldiers. You are at the heart of this conflict.” He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me hard. “Can’t you see there is a chance you won’t survive it?”

  The tormented look in his eyes made me feel as if he was already emotionally preparing himself to lose me. Which was ridiculous. He didn’t even consider me his.

  Did he?

  I raised my hand and let my fingers softly trace the slight curve of his cheekbone. He drew in a sharp breath, but he didn’t pull away, and he didn’t let me go.

  “I know this is dangerous,” I said. “I know there is a chance I could be caught, I could be tortured, or I could be killed.” Musubi shook his head at that, readying himself to say something, but I placed a finger to his lips and held it there. “I know a number of things could go wrong, and the outcome could be fatal, but Musubi, a number of things have already gone right, and many people have already been saved.” I could feel my voice rise with the power and intensity of my own words. “The emperor is corrupt, drunk with his own power and greed. He cares nothing for his people, for this empire or even for his own family, and though this may be a losing battle, one that has no hope of ever ending in our favor, it is a battle I am willing to fight. So long as I have two hands for healing, two feet for moving and this heart continually beating, I will not stop fighting until Emperor Fukurokuju is no longer capable of hurting anyone ever again.”