“I am the heir.”
“That means nothing to me. You are not human.”
“Hikaru, be reasonable,” his uncle interjected, pleading with him. “Some men are made to be leaders and others—”
“You too, Uncle? I thought you were on my side.”
Hotaru jeered down at him; the look on his face was reminiscent of their father. “See, you cannot even keep our family’s support.”
“I know you’ve wanted this from the beginning. How long have you been plotting this?”
Hotaru shook his head. “I do not want to do this, believe me. I would rather you were capable of leading on your own. But since you give me no choice.” He flicked his hand.
Hikaru turned around to find two of his own men closing in on him. He spun around to face his brother. “You cannot do this. I am the elder.”
“Correction, you were the elder.”
21
So this is it, Kazue thought as her gaze skimmed over her new chambers. The Kaedemori clan was not so different than the Fujikawas’. The room even reminded her of the one from home, a painted screen in the corner with a forest motif, a futon with a reed curtain, a sitting room just beyond, and a private garden all to herself. Along with her own lady’s maids she had brought with her, she may as well be back at her father’s palace. But it wasn’t the same. The air felt different; her skin prickled with dark energy. This palace held secrets, and even when she should have been resting, she could not. She paced her chamber, fussing with this and that and sending her maids on useless errands.
She felt something like a spark of lightning. She turned in place but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Her maids bustled about the room, hurrying to unpack her things and prepare for the night’s festivities. I am imagining things. It’s probably because I’m nervous about starting over here.
After a month apart, she would be reunited with her husband. Would he expect to share her bed? Her father had been disappointed when the young lord left shortly after her wedding night, and more upset with Kazue that she was not pregnant. She rested her hand against her empty womb. Their child would rule over the combined clans of Fujikawa and Kaedemori, making them the largest and most powerful clan in the islands of Akatsuki. Without an heir, her father depended on Kazue to preserve his line. If only I had more time to get to know him before he ran away. He seemed kind, but seeing him again, she felt no attraction, no love. Perhaps it can grow. She had told herself the same lie over and over since the marriage was announced and she had given up on Kaito returning.
Kazue wandered over to the painted screen and ran her fingers along the hills in the picture. When she learned what Kaito was, she knew it would never last long. They were from different worlds and she had a responsibility to her clan, to protect her family. And yet, in her selfish heart she had hoped she could keep the Dragon. Perhaps she had been a fool to think he would want her the way she wanted him. She gave him her everything, her heart, her soul, her virginity. The day she married Lord Kaedemori she had prayed that Kaito would come and take her away to his palace beneath the sea, but that was a foolish dream. He was gone and he was not coming back.
“My lady, the banquet will be starting soon. Shall we change?” Aoi looked at her with large doe eyes. As servants went, she was faithful, but a bit naive. That was why she brought her, she did not want any of the scheming girls who tried to manipulate her to gain favor with her father.
“Give me a few more minutes.” She smiled at Aoi, knowing she would not deny her request. “The journey has left me tired. Why don’t you and the girls go into the garden?”
Aoi bowed. “Yes, my lady.”
They all departed, and when they were gone, Kazue went over to her trunk and pulled back the lid. She glanced both ways before digging to the bottom. Buried beneath layers of silk was her most prized possession. She removed a bundle and unwrapped the fabric around it. Inside, a mirror inset with pearls reflected the light coming from her brazier. It was the only gift the Dragon had given her. Her last link to him, she wished it was enchanted or gazing into would reveal his face; instead there was nothing but her own disappointed gaze staring back at her. Brushing her fingertip along the pearls, she counted them, wondering what he was doing now. She sighed.
Then she felt it again, the spark. Light footsteps fell on the tatami mats. She shoved the mirror beneath the folds of her kimono and turned to look over her shoulder at the intruder.
“Aoi, I told you to wait in the garden.” She knew it was not Aoi, but after keeping her powers a secret from childhood, she dared not reveal them now.
An old woman stepped into the light coming from the braziers. “My lady, it is I.”
She could have wept from relief. If anyone could explain this ominous aura, it would be the priestess. She did not even waste time wondering how the old woman had found her way into the palace. She seemed unconfined by walls or society; how she envied her.
“Teacher, I am so glad you’re here.” Kazue jumped up to greet her.
She embraced the old woman, clinging to the one thing that was hers in this strange place. “Why did you not tell me you were coming here?”
“I did not know I would be in this region for certain, child. But I am glad I came here. There is danger around.”
“I feel it too. What do you think it is?”
“I do not know for certain, but I came to warn you, be careful.”
She nodded her head. She had prepared herself for this; she was ready to face whatever monsters lurked in the night. “I will, teacher.”
“And there’s more, the Dragon is missing; none can find him. If he comes here for you, you must refuse him. Do you understand?”
Kazue recoiled. She pressed her hand to her chest. The Dragon come for her? That was laughable. He cared nothing for her. What they’d had was nothing but a short liaison, a tryst. He held no love for her. But the question escaped her lips before she could stop it.
“Why?”
Her teacher grabbed her by the shoulders. Kazue looked into her wrinkled face, the lines that framed her mouth from years of laughter, eyes full of ancient wisdom. She had risked much to teach Kazue about her spiritual powers. If her father had found out—she did not want to think about the repercussions.
“I have seen a vision of the future, and if you were to go with him, it could mean destruction.”
She looked away from her mentor, afraid she would see the longing in her eyes. Despite her warning, she still wanted him to come for her. “It does not matter either way, he would not come here. I am married now.”
“That does not matter to a Dragon.”
“I understand, teacher.”
Her teacher pressed a kiss to Kazue’s brow. “Be safe, child. I will return soon.”
The mysterious woman left in her usual way, like a puff of smoke, though Kazue still harbored doubt in her heart. She had not told her teacher, but she too had a vision, and it showed a child. And though her vision was not certain, she knew it belonged to the Dragon.
I wish Shin were here and that I could speak with him. Rin stood up. She had lingered in the garden, thinking about Hikaru’s proposal. She had not thought about the future or even the potential of a future with Hikaru. He was married and a human—well, a half human. She was not completely immune to the gossip. She could not imagine why he had not told her himself. It hurt her that even now he was keeping secrets from her. Not that it mattered, even with Kitsune blood in his veins, his life span would end, and thinking about that just constricted her chest. I cannot even consider a future until I break this spell.
She started walking before she could change her mind. Her bare fleet slapped on the wooden walkways. The servants, who were busy with their tasks, still stopped to bow or try to press offerings of flowers and food into her hand. She shook them off and ran down the hall. She darted down the first empty passageway she could find and leaned against a wall. I almost miss when they hated me. After taking a moment to collect her thoug
hts, she continued, this time down the deserted halls that led back to her bedchamber. Much of the activity was centered around the main hall, the centermost building where the family entertained.
When she reached her door, she looked both ways before sliding it open. She went straight to her futon, and kneeling down, she reached under it and pulled out the dagger from underneath. She clamped her hand down on it and just held it for a moment. Testing the weight against her palm, she resigned herself to her task. It’s her or me. She swallowed past a lump in her throat. I have no choice.
After poking her head out to check for any casual witnesses, she headed out. She hid the dagger in her sleeve just before a servant appeared at the opposite end of the walkway. The young woman bowed so deep to Rin her head nearly touched the ground. Rin smiled and scooted past her, her arm pinned behind her back. Rin went in the opposite direction of where she had originally intended to avoid suspicion, then doubled back once she was certain the servant was gone. Guards were stationed along the cross section that led to the inner ring; she came across blue-masked warriors. They watched her slip past without expression. They were not Kaedemori guards, but Lady Fujikawa’s. Damn, they will not know I am a Kitsune. I doubt they will let me pass.
Hidden in the shadows, she sized up the guards and reevaluated her plans. A garden nearby had a trellis, which she could climb. She recalled her last adventure on the palace roofs. I can do it again, and this time no one will be chasing me. She removed the dagger from her sleeve and placed it in her sash. She could not risk it sliding out. Her palms were slick with sweat, so she wiped them on her thighs before taking a deep breath. The guards faced the garden. She would need to distract them to get by. While searching for inspiration, there came shouting from behind the guards. The men turned in unison, pulling their swords from their sheaths as one. Rin seized her opportunity and ran over to the trellis, praising her good fortune.
As she climbed, her hands trembled. The climb seemed to take an eternity. They’ll turn around any minute and I’ll be done for. In reality it was but a matter of moments. She reached the roof, where she collapsed, taking large gulping breaths. She rolled over and looked down at the guards, but they had disappeared. No matter. At least I was not seen.
She ran along the rooftops. Every few feet she peeked her head over the edge. She found mostly empty rooms. Then she came to a large barren garden. The plants were all dead, the tree at the center was nothing but empty branches. Four young noble ladies sat talking in low voices. They were Lady Fujikawa’s maids. Rin squatted on the roof. She wished she had taken off her robes; all the exertion was making her sweat. She swiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand.
“Ladies, where are you?” Lady Fujikawa called from within her chamber.
“In the garden, my lady,” said the lady in the center of the three others.
Lady Fujikawa glided into the garden. Her long ebony hair fell over her shoulders like rivers of silk. She wore her layers of robes with ease. Rin watched her with a distant pang of jealousy. This was Hikaru’s wife. Did he love her? she could not help but wonder. Human relationships baffled her despite spending nearly a month in their presence. Tonight is the last night. She looked up at the moon. It glowed above, mocking her. It seemed cruel to murder an innocent human. She could have laughed. Being among the humans had changed her.
Lady Fujikawa joined her ladies and sat on the bench.
“Shall I read to you, my lady?” asked a woman to her right.
“No, thank you,” was the lady’s despondent reply.
“Does something trouble you?” asked the third woman.
Do they take turns speaking to her? Rin readjusted her legs, which had begun to burn from squatting. She could not just plop down in the garden and kill the lady. She would have to catch her alone. And there were likely guards about. I did not think this through very well. She removed the dagger from her sash and rolled it in her hands as she concocted a plan.
“Nothing is the matter. Leave me,” snapped Lady Fujikawa.
The ladies rose together and scattered like fall leaves. Lady Fujikawa stood up and walked to the far side of the garden. Her head was lowered as if she were deep in thought. Now was her chance; Rin prepared to leap down. But before she could, another voice called out to Lady Fujikawa.
“My lady?”
Lady Fujikawa turned in place and furrowed her brow as one of her blue-masked guards approached her.
“I asked to be left alone,” she said, her lips pressed flat together.
“Pardon my intrusion, my lady, but you have not been yourself since we left the palace.”
“It is not your concern.” She turned to walk away, and now the warrior faced Rin’s direction and Lady Fujikawa’s back was turned to Rin. The warrior was so intent on Lady Fujikawa he did not notice Rin watching from above.
“My lady, I have sworn my life to you. Your happiness is of the greatest concern to me.”
She laughed and said, “Those are empty words. What is real devotion? I would say it is nothing but a romantic notion.”
He smirked. His smile seemed familiar. It cannot be.
“A man has broken your heart; I can see it on your face.”
She raised her hand to slap him, but he grabbed her wrist before she could do so. With his free hand he removed the mask. Lady Fujikawa gasped and slowly lowered her hand. The Dragon let the mask fall to the ground with a bang.
“Kazue, did you think you could run?”
Rin could not see her face, but from the way she balled her hands into fists, she knew the Dragon had stirred her ire. “You left me—without warning… without saying goodbye.”
He chuckled. “I told you I would break your heart.”
She scoffed. “You are a terrible liar.”
He moved closer to her and Rin edged closer. Is this where he has been? My master? She knew she should have felt something more, a twinge, anything that indicated there had been real feeling between them, but there was nothing. The Dragon, the greatest ruler in Akatsuki, was in love with a human. Though she could see it in his eyes, she could not believe it. Rin watched in a trance as he moved Lady Fujikawa’s hand away from her mouth and kissed her. She backed away, leaving them to their private moment. She could not kill her, not with the Dragon protecting her. But when she tried to walk away, her foot slipped and she went sliding off the roof. She clawed at the roof tiles, knocking loose a few in the process. Then she went toppling over the edge and landed in a bush, which broke her fall.
Everything hurt. Her body was covered in hundreds of small pains, all shouting at her. She rubbed her aching limbs and looked up to see an angry Dragon glaring at her. She opened her mouth to explain, but no words came out.
“What are you doing here?” he snarled.
She waved her hands, showing that they were empty. Then from over his shoulder she saw Lady Fujikawa pick up her dagger, which had fallen on the ground alongside the broken roof tiles.
“Kaito, look at this.”
Kaito? Rin had never called the Dragon anything other than the Dragon. Had the human given him a name? She could have slapped herself; there were more important things to worry about than pet names. Like the ice that glossed over his eyes that she knew did not bode well for her.
“Are you here to kill Kazue?” He shook Rin hard enough to rattle her brain inside her skull.
It’s me, do you not recognize me? She looked him in the eye, willing him to see her, but the witch’s spell had blinded him. She should have known the witch was devious—her last hope had been snatched away. If her master could not save her, then…
“Speak, damn you!” he snarled.
His hands on her shoulders were like ice. The cold burn of his touch crept into her flesh, freezing her from the inside. She opened her mouth to cry out, but no words would come out. The witch’s spell had muted even her ability to express pain.
Kazue grabbed the Dragon by the shoulder. “Stop, Kaito. I do not want to see a
ny more bloodshed.”
He ground his jaw, a habit Rin was all too familiar with. He wanted to kill her; he would have had Kazue not stopped him.
“You escape with your life, but if I see you again, you are dead.” He stepped backwards and took Kazue by the arm. They hurried out of the garden through an adjacent walkway, not bothering to go through her chamber.
Rin sat in the bush, numb. Her master, who she had served for centuries, had not recognized her, and on top of that, she had failed to kill Kazue. Which means I cannot break the spell without killing Hikaru.
She stared down at Shin through long lashes framing warm brown eyes. A wicked smile pulled at the corner of her cherry red lips. Her dark hair fell in a tangle, framing her pale face.
“It has been too long since you visited,” Aimi purred as she languidly traced his pectoral muscles with the tip of her finger.
Shin folded his arms behind his neck, stretched his legs out on the futon, and closed his eyes. The tension he had sought to relieve still wound him tight, and no amount of pretending would ease this churning feeling in his gut. He should never have left Rin behind. He should have dragged her out kicking and screaming, curse be damned. And where is the Dragon? The bastard should be fixing this mess.
“You cannot ignore me, Shin.” Aimi pouted.
“I can do as I please, woman,” he snapped, but it was halfhearted.
Aimi knew him well enough to not be offended, not really. But she enjoyed pretending she was. She scoffed. “Perhaps I shouldn’t tell you about Akio, then.”
He sat up, leaned on his elbow and fixed her with a hard gaze. Aimi had her uses outside the bedroom as well as in. It was why he had sought her out in the first place. As a spy she was top notch. Akio never suspected that she was feeding Shin, and by extension the Dragon, information about all his movements and every plot. But this time it was personal. Shin had heard the whispers, and he was certain the forest guardian had something to do with Rin’s curse.
Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling Page 17