“Don’t play games, Aimi. We both know why I’m here.”
She jutted out her bottom lip and crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re cruel, Shin.”
He sighed and she flashed him a smile.
“You’re no fun lately.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder before standing up to cross the room. She sauntered, naked, over to a screen, where her robe had been hastily tossed in their hurry to make it to the futon. She dressed slowly, exposing her flesh in small glimpses and with sly glances over her shoulder. Though he had seen every inch of her body, had taken her in more ways than he could count, it never satisfied him. Aimi was beautiful, clever, dangerous, but never enough for him because she was not Rin. He was never sated, no matter how he tried to drown his feelings in the indulgence of the flesh, fighting, or drinking; everything left him wanting and empty. I have to tell Rin how I feel before I go mad.
When she finished dressing, she knelt in front of him as she pinned her hair into place on top of her head. He waited for her, because he felt like he should spend time with her at least. He never wanted a woman to feel like he was using her. It wasn’t Aimi’s fault he was too afraid to tell Rin how he felt. A part of him feared Rin’s rejection and losing what they had together.
When she finished, she placed her hands in her lap and said, “I’ve made inquiries, as you requested. It seems Akio is looking for someone.”
“Is it Rin?”
She shook her head. “No. He’s angry with her, but he’s made no real effort to capture her. When she stormed in here, he was livid, but he’s not fool enough to start a war with the Dragon over nothing. If she comes into his forest, however…” She shrugged.
He sighed. “Damn her.” Rin’s impulsive nature always got her into trouble. It was one of those traits he simultaneously loved and hated.
“I heard she really made a fool of him. Right after he sent a few of his pets to hunt for her. But came to his senses not long after.”
Yes. And she was nearly killed by one. But something killed it first, and that’s what’s been bothering me. There’s a powerful Yokai in that palace. But they’ve masked themselves, so I do not know who it is.
“Did you find out who Akio is after?”
“Do you doubt my abilities?” She arched a perfectly sculpted brow.
He forced a smile. “I never doubt you, my pet.”
She smiled, seemingly satisfied. “Well, it seems Akio has found a Kitsune-Hanyou. If the rumors are true, he’s the son of some human lord. He sent Naoki to fetch him.”
Ah. It all makes sense now. I knew there was something different about the human, though I could not say what at the time. And Naoki is haunting the palace. Of course, who else could cloak themselves so completely?
“What does Akio want with a Hanyou?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Well, they say Kitsune-Hanyous have special powers, don’t they? I had a friend who swore the liver of a Kitsune-Hanyou could break any spell.”
And that’s why Akio wants him. I have to get Rin out of there. If Naoki discovers her, he’ll be sure to take her back to Akio.
He got up to leave. Aimi didn’t stop him. She never did. She knew what this was. It was one of the other reasons he kept coming back; she never expected more.
“You’ll be back again soon, I suspect,” she said as he slid on his robe.
“Hopefully not,” he replied with his back turned. He did not see the ghost of the smile on her lips as he exited without a backwards glance.
22
Hikaru paced the length of the chamber. Every so often, he went to the door and rattled it with the fruitless hope that it would open. Even if it did, there were guards outside, waiting to cut him down if he tried to escape. He ran his hands through his hair, pressing his fingers against the scars on his scalp. I am half Kitsune. His new reality had yet to sink in. He dropped his hands to his sides. He should have known Hotaru would try something like this. He had always resented Hikaru’s place in the household, and Hikaru had been too blind to stop him. And that’s the problem. I knew he was ambitious. I knew he had no love for me and I still did nothing to stop him. If I were a better leader, I would have been able to prevent this. This is my fault. He ceased his pacing. He could see the silhouettes of the guards outside his door. Hikaru never wanted to be a leader; that responsibility had been thrust upon him. Perhaps it will be better if I never become elder. If Hotaru lets me live, that is.
The guards talked together in low tones, their voices like a distant hum, the background to Hikaru’s tormented thoughts. Then he heard a familiar voice mixed in with the other two. Curious, he crept closer to listen to their conversation.
“Lord Hotaru has asked to see the prisoner,” Captain Sadao said.
“Can’t imagine what good it will do. He’s destined for the afterlife,” replied one of the warriors.
“You will show respect; this is our lord’s brother.”
The men bowed; Hikaru could see their shadows through the door.
The guards moved aside. Hikaru backed away, looking across the barren room for some sort of weapon. He would not go without a fight. Rin needed him. He needed to protect her. If his brother had moved against him, then he might try to capture everyone that was close to him.
The door slid open and Hikaru, defenseless, squared his feet and prepared to rush the door. But the captain came into the room and shut the door after him. Every muscle in Hikaru’s body tensed. As a matter of posturing, Hikaru raised an eyebrow, hopefully to taunt the captain into action. Not that the captain seemed anything other than composed.
“Follow me,” the captain said.
Hikaru stared at him for a moment, trying to assess if he could fight him and win. The answer was a resounding no. If the captain could best his brother, then Hikaru might as well be a fly. He decided to switch tactics. “What does my brother want from me? He’s already taken control of the clan. Does he expect me to accept an honorable death by my own hand?” he said, with a self-depreciating tilt of his mouth.
The captain said nothing. He slid the door open and commanded the guards to leave. Then he gestured for Hikaru to step out first. Hikaru did so with some hesitance. Glancing down the hallway, he formulated the beginnings of a plan. He might not be able to outfight the captain, but he could surely outsmart him.
He headed towards the elder’s chambers, but when he did, the captain stabbed a finger in his back. “Not that way.”
“The elder’s chambers are that way.” Hikaru pointed in the opposite direction the captain had bullied him into. Is he onto me?
“They are.”
Hikaru went down the hall, his heart hammering in his chest. The servants that passed them would not raise their heads. He felt as if he were on a death march. He bided his time until his chance came at last. A servant carrying a platter of food came from the opposite direction. Hikaru hurried his pace before the captain noticed. He grabbed the servant by the shoulder, spun her around and grabbed the platter from her. He tossed the platter and bowl of soup at Captain Sadao. Hot broth splashed his face as Hikaru used the momentary distraction to run.
He could not hope to outrun the captain, so he turned a corner, disappearing from sight. Thundering footsteps pursued him. He slammed open the nearest door; inside, a group of ladies chatted together. They looked up as one, eyes wide and curious. He ran through them, scattering them like a flock of birds. They shrieked and shouted curses at him as he slipped out into the garden beyond. The captain, hot on his heels, burst through the door. The ladies shouted instructions at the captain, inadvertently detaining him with their outrage.
The garden beyond was ringed by verandas and more rooms on each side. He turned a sharp right and went into a nearby room. Jumping over an empty futon, he got himself tangled in a hanging reed curtain, slowing his progress.
“Stop, you fool!” the captain shouted from the garden beyond.
Hikaru knocked over a changing screen as he left the room, creating an
obstacle for the captain. He did not stop; he kept running, his mind working faster than he thought possible. Then he turned a corner and ended in another garden. He cursed his ancestors for their love of decorative plants. There were a few low bushes and a decorative pond to the right. A single pathway ran alongside it, the only escape route. Jogging up the opposite end of the path, three more guards rushed towards him. They had heard the disturbance and now they raised their blades at him.
Hikaru skidded to a stop, panting and clutching his chest. He was no athlete by any stretch of the imagination. Footsteps fell in behind him; the captain had caught up.
“Hikaru, come to me. I can help you escape.”
Hikaru looked to the captain and then to the men who closed in from the opposite side. It was most likely a trap. No matter which side he chose, it meant his demise. He inhaled, then dived into the pond beside him. It was not much deeper than his shoulders. The soldiers shouted as they ran around the pond and the plants that blocked their way. He swam the short distance across the pond and then dragged his dripping body out and onto the opposite veranda. He ran through another room and burst through the other side, but the wet clothes weighed him down and made his progress slower than before. They would catch him for sure. But he had to save Rin. Nothing else mattered unless he knew she was safe.
A hand came down hard on his shoulder and he tumbled to the ground. He twisted up with his arm to punch the captain. He connected with his jaw; it felt like punching a stone. The captain pinned him to the ground, his mouth set in a grim line.
“Stop fighting me, you fool. I am trying to save you.”
Hikaru panted, staring up at the captain. “You are my brother’s man, you never respected me. Why would I believe you?”
“Because I am not from this household. I am not even human.”
His face shifted and his eyes were a bright purple, like twilight, and there was a marking on his forehead like a tattoo or a symbol of swirling lines, which he did not know the meaning of.
“What are you?” Hikaru bit out. “How could I not see you this way before?”
“Because I am stronger than you. Will you come quietly?”
Hikaru nodded as he choked down the paltry explanation. Did it matter what he thought? No matter how far he ran, he could not escape. If the captain was not human, and he had no more reason to doubt, then there was no choice.
The captain eased off him. He grabbed his sword, which had fallen on the ground, and returned it to his sheath.
“Wait here.” He slipped away, leaving Hikaru alone with his shifting reality.
Now would be the perfect time to run. But he could not make his legs obey him. So Hikaru waited for the captain to return, ears straining as he listened for the other guards. Can I trust him? What does he have planned for me? Why save me?
The captain returned. And he motioned for Hikaru to follow him.
“Why are you rescuing me?” he asked.
“I’m following orders.”
“Whose orders?”
He did not answer.
Hikaru dug in his heels. “I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me who ordered you to save me.”
The captain looked over his shoulder. At first he thought he would not answer; then he said, “The forest guardian ordered me to save you.”
His mouth fell open. This had to be a joke. But then he had thought Kitsunes were a thing of fantasy until recently as well. It wasn’t that much of a stretch to believe the forest guardian wanted him. But why? He held his questions to himself. They slipped out into the hall, where Hikaru saw three bodies on the ground, the soldiers that had been chasing him before. He looked away. He couldn’t take the guilt if the captain had killed them for his sake.
After a few moments, Hikaru spoke up. “I have to find Rin.”
“There’s no time.”
Hikaru shook his head, but the captain’s back was to him. He turned down an adjacent hall towards Rin’s chamber. The captain chased after him and grabbed his arm.
Hikaru shook him loose. “I will not leave without her.”
He met the captain’s gaze. At first his expression was firm and it seemed unchanging; then with a heavy breath, he nodded. “But make it quick.”
Hikaru ran ahead. He threw open Rin’s chamber door, but found it empty, her bed unslept in. Could she have gone to the banquet? Fear tightened his throat. I have to find her. He ran out in the hall.
“She is not here,” the captain said. He glanced at the sky, as if he could tell time by the stars.
“My brother may have her. If he does, he will kill her.”
“If he knows what she is, then he would have brought her back to the shrine.”
Hikaru headed that way.
The captain’s heavy footsteps followed after him. “You cannot go there. Your brother’s men will be about.”
“Have you ever loved someone?”
The captain did not respond. It was a ludicrous question, and inappropriate. After a few beats, he said, “I do love someone. I will find her. Stay here.”
He pushed Hikaru into an empty room and then leapt into the dark. From the doorway Hikaru saw him running along the rooftops like a bird through the clouds.
Naoki ran across the rooftops as men shouted down below. Hotaru had made his move and now the palace was in chaos. Warriors raced along corridors, calling out to one another, while clan members screamed and shouted. Many would die tonight. But that was not Naoki’s concern. He stretched out his senses, searching for the Kitsune in the palace; as he did, he brushed against something that surprised him. The Dragon, one of the rulers of Akatsuki, was in the palace. How he had gotten past his net was a mystery. As he brushed against his power, he sensed the Dragon’s awareness. He retracted before the Dragon could get a clear read on him. He was lucky he’d cloaked his probes; to the casual observer he would appear as a lower Yokai. As he withdrew, he caught a spark of the Kitsune; they were together. Now this could pose a problem.
If it came down to it, he would not be a match for the Dragon. Though he was curious to meet him, he was also bound to Akio. If the Dragon knew what the guardian had planned, it could mean war among the Yokai. And he had to prevent that at all costs. Alongside the Dragon’s energy was a strong spiritual presence, though it was raw like an uncut jewel. He had sensed it when she arrived; there was more to Lady Fujikawa than met the eye. They withdrew from the Kitsune, and the Dragon and Lady Fujikawa were headed in his direction, running along the rooftops. He shielded his energy and dropped into an empty courtyard below.
Pressing his back against the wall, he waited for them to pass overhead. As they approached, he felt his heart beating in his chest. The Dragon was stronger than him, a first generation Yokai, and as such, if he paused to look, he would notice the void that Naoki’s shield created. His hand hovered over his sword. The Dragon stopped overhead; he imagined him scanning the horizon, drawing closer to the edge of the roof and peering over. The Dragon’s energy probed against his shields, pressing against it, straining and nearly overpowering him. Naoki held his breath and focused all his energy on maintaining the shield.
“What is it, Kaito?” Lady Fujikawa asked.
“There’s someone there.” His footsteps drew closer, and the pressure from his energy closed in. He could feel fractures in his shield; another push and it would break and leave him exposed.
“Kaito, let’s go before the guards see us.”
The Dragon stepped away from the edge and said, his voice pitched away from Naoki, “You’re right, I promised no more bloodshed.”
Naoki listened as their footsteps receded, and did not risk expanding his own energy to track their progress. When he was sure they were gone, he resumed his search, using the halls and cutting through chambers instead. Using cloaking, he avoided guards and clung to the shadows. Men bearing blue armbands hunted in packs, murmuring to one another about Hikaru. They were looking for him. Naoki should give up this fool’s errand and remove
Hikaru from the palace. Then he heard shouts of the men.
“We’ve found the Kitsune!” Rokuro shouted.
The lieutenant held no love for Hikaru, or Rin. If he abandoned her now, her death would be on his conscience.
Cursing himself for his damn honor, Naoki slid in behind the men as they closed in around Rin. She was trapped in a garden, men in a half circle around her with blades drawn. Her eyes darted from one to the other as she backed up slowly. Naoki drew his blade. He would avoid spilling human blood if he could, but he had his orders.
Silent and unseen, he crept up behind the first man. His blade slid into his back before he had time to cry out, blood bubbling up to his lips. “I am sorry,” he said as the man dropped to the ground. A second man saw the man drop dead; from their vantage point he would have died from a wound delivered by an invisible hand. He shouted, pointing at his brother in arms. As he lowered his sword to gawk, Naoki swung his blade across his gut. The man clutched at his wound; then a third and fourth turned, spinning in circles, looking for their unseen assailant.
“This is the Kitsune’s power. Kill her before she kills us!” Rokuro shouted.
Rin watched him. She alone could see him as he swung and slashed, killing them with ease. As each man fell, he whispered their name. He knew each one, had drunk with them; Sadao’s memories flooded him, weighing him down. Though the skin he wore was false, for a time he had shared their lives with them; he would never forget them. Last of all was Rokuro with his back to Naoki.
“You killed my brothers! Just like you killed Jun in the forest. I’ll make you pay!” He raised his sword and ran towards her.
Rin looked away as Naoki swung his sword a final time and separated the man’s head from his body. Humans were no match for his skill with the blade. It was not fair to them that they must die. Then he turned to the Kitsune. She faced him with composure, but he saw how her hands shook. He sheathed his blade as he took a step towards her. Then suddenly her eyes fluttered shut and she pitched forward, collapsing into his arms. “What would you have me do with her?” he asked the witch, who had crept up behind him. It was her spell that had put the Kitsune to sleep.
Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling Page 18