Suzume leaned back on her hands to put distance between them. "Can someone explain why all of you immortals seem to have no personal boundaries?"
Before he had a chance to answer, Kaito stomped over and plucked Tsuki off of her sleeping mat and tossed him aside like a rag doll. Tsuki hit the ground, rolled, and then jumped back to his feet, smiling. He threw his arms out with a flourish.
"Did I hit a tender spot, Dragon?" Tsuki asked. He had his hands on his hips, but his body looked tense and ready for action. Kaito stood in front of Suzume so that she had to crane her neck around Kaito to see Tsuki.
"The priestess is mine, and I don't like to share," Kaito snarled.
Suzume jumped to her feet and shoved Kaito hard in the back. Her final nerve had been struck.
"How dare you!" she shouted. She balled her hands into fists at her sides, trying to curb the impulse to swing and hit Kaito. She could feel the rivers of energy coursing through her body. Flames leapt along her skin and sparks flew from the ends of her hair.
The two men swiveled to face her. Kaito raised an eyebrow in question, as if he did not understand her indignation. This is all a game to the lot of them. I hate them all, the inconsiderate jerks.
"I am not yours; I do not belong to anyone," she said through clenched teeth.
Kaito's expression was bland, but she could see the fire—or in his case, ice—burning in his eyes. She knew from experience what the result of pushing his buttons was, but she just could not stop herself. It was like a bad habit, one that she was powerless to correct.
"Have you forgotten you were given to me on that mountaintop? You were meant to be my bride." His tone rumbled with thunder. Had Suzume not known Kaito, she might have been afraid, but she knew this was all just posturing on his part. Something about Tsuki getting chummy with her had struck a chord with Kaito and this was the resulting pissing contest. It's like he's jealous.
She did not want to think about that possibility, so instead she shoved him again. And this time she pushed with a thrust of her power. She had recouped more energy since her fight with the Oni. The red streak of energy rolled over her skin, smashed through all the dams inside her, and grew into a tidal wave. The energy manifested in a ball in the palm of her hands and in her rage-filled push, she hit Kaito in the chest, sending him flying through the air and into the forest beyond the light of their campfire.
Kaito landed in a bush but leapt to his feet quickly enough. When he got back on his feet, the air temperature dropped several degrees. Kaito was mad. It had been a clear night before, but storm clouds started gathering in the sky—big, gray and ominous. This was quickly escalating beyond posturing and turning into a full-blown battle royal and she was the challenger. She knew she should step down, but she was too angry to do so. She stood with hands on hips, glaring at Kaito and Tsuki.
"All of you think it's fine to play games. That people's feelings don't matter. Well, here's the truth. I am not your possession and I am not a tool." She glared at Tsuki. "I do not want to be Kazue. I do not want anything to do with her task. I'm tired of having my life threatened by Yokai and I'm tired of the secrets. Now either everyone lays everything out on the table or I quit!" She finished her tirade and panted from the effort of forcing the words out.
Her power swirled around her, over her skin and through her veins. Every part of her vibrated with energy. It felt like she was made entirely out of flame. Red light fanned around her, flickering and moving like fire. Kaito stomped over to her, but as he drew closer, he stopped, his face washed in a red glow. Rin had been staying out of the fight, sitting on her own sleeping mat, but she rose to her feet now and stared at Suzume. Tsuki's eyes were wide and terrified.
"Why are you all staring at me like I am some kind of freak?" she asked them.
"You're on fire," Rin said.
Suzume lifted up her hand; it was tipped with flames. She did not feel the heat, but it rippled and contorted as she waved her hand back and forth.
"What is this? What did you do to me?" She looked over at the most likely candidate, Tsuki, but he looked just as shocked as the others.
None of them would move any closer to her; in fact, they all took a step back. Thanks a lot, guys, for your help. What if I really had been on fire? In truth, she would have fled the scene just as quickly had the roles been reversed. As it was, she was afraid to move for fear she'd ignite a forest fire.
Tsuki switched to Akira and she alone among the group was willing to cautiously approach Suzume. Akira stood a few feet away from the burning priestess. She reached out to touch Suzume. When she got close, the flames erupted, burning like an inferno around Suzume. Her hair whipped around her as if she was in the middle of a tropical storm. The flames that encased her lit up the entire clearing, casting everything in crimson light. The flames wrapped around Akira's arm like a vine on a tree, and unlike Suzume, it burned Akira.
Akira screeched as the flames scorched her skin. Her lips pulled back in a grimace. She batted at the flames that were crawling along her sleeve and catching fire on her clothes. She dropped to the ground and rolled around, but nothing seemed to deter the fire's ferocity.
"Do something!" Rin shouted at Suzume.
Suzume threw up her hands. She was locked in place, not sure what to do or how to stop the unnatural fire from killing Akira and Tsuki. It was Kaito who came to the rescue and blew on the burns with breath made of ice. The two combating elements met in an explosion of fire and sparks, steam and ice, as it extinguished the flames. Akira lay on the ground panting for a few moments. She trembled all over and her skin had pink and black burns vining up her arms from where the fire had touched her.
Suzume's anger had cooled into fear, but she remained engulfed in flames that did not burn her. Kaito turned back to Suzume and he tilted his head as he regarded her, less afraid and more curious. "This is not a skill Kazue had. What are you?"
"Believe me, I wish I knew," Suzume said in a shaky voice.
I wish none of this ever happened. Damn my mother for doing this to me. If I hadn't been exiled, none of this would have happened. I wish everything would go back to normal. She tried to fight it, but she was so mad and afraid that a tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. Once the tears started, she could not stop them. Suzume fell to her knees and hid her crying behind her hands.
The wind died down and she felt the storm inside her calm. The flames must have gone out as well because someone put an arm around her shoulder. She was mortified to have had so many people witness her moment of weakness. She did not want to open her eyes and face them, but if she kept letting one of them comfort her, she would look even weaker. She opened her eyes. She was surprised to find Kaito had put his arm around her. This led to a complicated series of emotions. Chief among them was the thought that he was only doing it because he still saw her as Kazue. He did say he does not think I'm Kazue. Not that I care. He's an arrogant jerk.
No matter what she told herself, she did feel comforted when he held her, as evident by her body not sparking to protect her. There was also the possibility that she had burned out all of her spiritual energy in her fire display. It was difficult to tell. She did feel empty at the moment, but she wasn't sure if it was because of her lack of energy or the feeling that she had lost everything the moment she had released Kaito.
She discreetly removed herself from Kaito's grip. But she did not give him any spitting insults and he did not leer or make any suggestive remarks.
"Well, that was interesting," Tsuki said using Akira's form.
Suzume laughed and it sounded insane to her own ears. The others were definitely looking at her in a new light.
"Any theories on what just happened here?" Suzume asked.
Kaito had not moved away. He was near enough to touch. Their fingertips were just inches apart. She looked down at their close proximity, considered saying something, then decided not to. She liked having him close, just in case anything decided to pop out of the woods and try to eat her
. As weak as she felt, she wouldn't have the motivation to even try to defend herself. It was not because she wanted to be near him. At least that's what she told herself.
Everyone took a seat and they looked at each other. No one spoke for a long time.
Surprisingly, Rin was the first to speak. "I think you're some sort of fire creature, at least in part."
"That's not possible. Both of my parents are human!" Suzume protested.
"Your mother did get exiled for having an affair; maybe it's been going on longer than we initially thought," Kaito said.
She glowered at him. Leave it to the Dragon to drag up her past. Thanks for kicking me when I am down. "Yes, she was banished for her infidelity. But even if the emperor is not my father, how does that equal me lighting up like a torch?"
"Maybe the infidelity charge was a cover-up? Perhaps the emperor discovered that your mother was something less than human," Akira said reasonably.
It was a sound theory, but Suzume was not willing to believe her mother had been a Yokai. She tried to think of the few and far between times she had seen her mother. Her mother had, for most of Suzume's life, been the emperor's favorite wife. Though not his first, she was adored and often exploited her position to get whatever she wanted. Suzume was more inclined to believe her mother had an affair than that she had secret powers.
"Maybe we should find her after we find the forgotten priest," Kaito said. She could see his wheels turning, planning another adventure.
"No. Not going to happen."
"Why not? Don't you want to have a reunion with your dearest mommy?" Kaito teased.
She turned to face him and said, "Do you want to find your son?"
The smile was wiped right off his face.
"I did not think so." She crossed her arms and scooted a little further from him. She was not feeling as chummy with Kaito as she had been before. "Speaking of which, how do we even know this priest is alive?" Suzume asked.
"I just know," Akira said with an air of superiority.
"Well, I meant what I said earlier; I'm tired of the secrets. What are you two plotting?"
Akira stared at Suzume for a moment, giving her a steady look. "You want the truth?"
"No, I want more lies."
Akira sighed. "The priest we are looking for is like us. He will live trapped as he was the day Kazue cursed him until Kazue's spell can be broken."
"Okay, why would you keep that information from us?" Suzume had a feeling they still were not telling her the whole story.
Akira looked away. She and Tsuki appeared to be having a silent conversation. I didn't know that they could do that. I wonder why they have all the other back and forth. Maybe it's for our benefit. Either way it was creepy.
They concluded their silent conversation and Akira turned to face Suzume.
"The priest is not just cursed, he's our father."
44
"Wait," Suzume said as she put up her hand. "So you're saying this mythical priest is your father? Why didn't you tell us this before?"
Akira shrugged. "We thought you would doubt our motives if we told you."
"It's too late for that. I have doubted your motives from the moment I met you. I think an explanation is in order. What are the two of you after, really?"
Akira sighed heavily. "I was afraid it was going to come down to this. As you may realize, Tsuki and I want to be freed from the curse that bound us together, but we're not the only ones who were effected by Kazue's curse. She cursed our entire family. She bound us to the staff and forced us to share a body, and our father is being forced to guard Kazue's heart."
Suzume's head hurt, and she massaged her temples. "What do you mean 'Kazue's heart'?"
"What game are you playing, Akira?" Kaito snarled.
Suzume's head whipped to the side to watch Kaito. His hands were clasped at his sides as if he was using all his effort not to strike at Akira. Akira returned his snarling gaze with a tilted smile. She loves taunting him. Rin moved close to Kaito and put a hand on his shoulder. He did not turn to look at her, but Suzume could see his shoulders relax. Suzume looked away from them. Her angry words she threw at Rin earlier that day came back to mind. I do not want her thinking I am jealous.
"There's no game, Dragon. You should know that at times those humans who have exceptional spiritual powers are embalmed so their holy powers can be harnessed. What is hidden in this mountain is Kazue's remains. They are imbued with Kazue's spiritual power. You and I both know what danger that could mean if the power fell into the wrong hands."
Kaito's eyes had turned a burning blue that he only displayed when he was really angry. She had not seen him this angry since the temple, when he thought she planned to seal him. What is he so worked up about? It's just her body.
"Who did this to her?" he growled. The air dropped by a few degrees and Suzume shivered. She rubbed her palms against her arms.
"It was Kazue's choice," Tsuki replied, once more using his sister's face to speak. "There was something she could not finish in her first life, so she sealed her powers until her reincarnation was born and could take her place."
Three pairs of eyes swiveled in Suzume's direction. She threw up her hands in a defensive pose. "Why are you all looking at me?"
Kaito coughed and it sounded suspiciously like laughter. She scowled at him, but he would not look at her.
"We've already established Kazue had some great quest I am destined to complete, but why hide her powers up in the mountains? She seemed perfectly content to leave the staff at the shrine."
"I would assume this would be the best way to protect it," Akira said. She shrugged again. "Honestly, I don't know the whys of it. All I know is that Kazue's heart has the power to break this curse on my family, but only if the right person can access the power within."
"Meaning me?" Suzume guessed.
"Yes, she intended for her reincarnation to gather the relics of her previous life."
"What if I don't want to help? Ever since I unleashed Kaito from the seal, I've had nothing but trouble. How much worse will things get once I free Kazue's power?"
"You don't have a choice; this is your destiny," Akira said.
Suzume's hands clenched at her sides. Her building frustration had reached its peak. She was tired, hungry and, the worst offender, filthy. Bits of ichor and dirt clung to her torn and ruined clothes. She had gone along at first because she did not have any choice, but everyone had a breaking point and Suzume had reached hers.
"That's what's great about being human, I don't have to do anything I don't want to." She turned on her heel and stomped away from the group.
"You can't run away," Kaito called out to her, but she pretended not to hear.
Her fingertips crackled with power. Red sparks sputtered and flickered along her skin and her hair. She was afraid she was going to erupt into flame once more, and that was probably the only thing keeping the others from following after her. She expected Kaito to come after her despite that, but she made it out without anyone physically detaining her.
As the light of their campfire faded behind her, Suzume stumbled over rocks and tore her clothes further. She tripped over a bush and scratched her arm. She swore under her breath as she fell to her knees and pain shot up her leg. She looked over her shoulder, out of habit. There was no one behind her to see her fall.
The forest was pitch black. Overhead, the stars twinkled against the inky sky. The moon was a thumbnail and gave little light. As her eyes adjusted, however, she could see the silhouettes of trees. She got to her feet and continued on with her hands outstretched in front of her. I'd rather deal with whatever is lurking in these woods than face another moment of my so-called destiny. I'm not stupid, I know they're just helping me because I can free them from their curse. I don't know what Rin wants, but I'm sure she has her own motives. As for Kaito, he just wants me to be Kazue… That was the most bitter thought of them all.
Cicadas buzzed nearby as she bumped into tree trunks.
An animal skittered through the underbrush and she saw a glimpse of luminescent eyes before they disappeared into the forest. A twig snapped nearby and she spun in circles. Her power swam to the surface, coating her skin in a pale red glow. It felt like a prickle along her arm, wrapping her in warmth. It was getting easier to summon the power. She held up her hand, hoping the glow of her skin would illuminate her path. Which way back to the shrine? I'm going to force them to let me stay, even if I have to invoke my father's name. She hadn't been able to do that in quite some time. The emperor would be upset with her if he found out, but it seemed worth the risk. It would at least give her enough time to figure out where to go from here.
The cicadas' song cut short and the following silence was deafening. Suzume spun around in circles, her eyes squinting in the dark, looking for a shadow, a hint of what had scared away the insects.
"Kaito, if that's you, I am not coming back. Go fetch Kazue's heart yourself. I'm done being your dog!"
A light flickered to life a few feet from her, a glowing orb hanging overhead. Suzume turned towards it as she removed her staff from her back sheath and pointed it in the direction of the unnatural light.
"Suzume, I thought we had agreed we would not fight one another," Hisato said.
A shiver ran down Suzume's spine. She knew she had not seen the last of Hisato. He stepped into the light. The golden orb hung above his head like a miniature sun and cast his face in shadows. She could see the sharp edges of his cheekbones contrasting with the sweep of his eyebrows and his lips, which were pulled back in a toothy grin.
"What are you doing here, back to taunt me some more?" She pointed the staff at him, but she suddenly felt very vulnerable. If her previous run-ins with Hisato were any indication, she was no match for him, and this time there was no one here to save her.
He strolled over to her with his hands folded behind his back. "No. I came for my answer, Suzume." He spoke her name, savoring every syllable.
The Dragon Saga Box Set Page 32