“No, you have to go home,” she said and lifted her hand, showing me her palm. Drawn in her blood was the symbol for Japan.
“My uncle is in Japan?” I said.
She nodded and looked down at Goro’s body.
“This is why he told you,” she said. “They will be waiting for you from the moment you arrive. You must not go.”
“I don’t have a choice, Sensei.”
SIXTEEN
I WENT BACK to my coat, holstered my guns and pulled out the folder. I placed it on the table near the entrance and opened it, allowing Sensei to view the contents. She brought two cups of tea and a first-aid bag. She pulled out the suture kit and poured some Betadine on the gash on her forearm.
“How am I supposed to get to Japan?” I asked. “I can’t even get around the city without Enforcers trying to shoot me. You okay?”
The blades Goro used were razor sharp and the cut was deep, but the edges of the wound were even.
She nodded. “Just a scratch,” she said, her jaw set as she threaded suture thread in the needle.
“I need to call Rafe,” I said. “Maybe he has a way I can use.”
She grunted in assent as she threaded the needle through her arm. She didn’t have my accelerated healing, but the density of her skin was like wearing armor. I didn’t think I would have walked away with a ‘just a scratch’ if I had been fighting those blades. The straight needle she used would bend slightly each time she pushed it through the edge of the wound.
I pulled out my phone, called Rafe, and put it on speakerphone. I waited while the signal ping-ponged across the planet to reach his phone. It went to his voicemail.
“Hello, I’m not available at this time,” his voice said. “I’’m basking somewhere warm and non-lethal. If this is my favorite mystic—you have the number you need to call, so I suggest you use it.”
The message ended with an abrupt silence. I tossed the phone on the table in frustration.
“Shit,” I said. “Sorry, Sensei.”
“There is a way for you to get to the Nihon Enclave, but it will be dangerous,” Sensei said. “What number is he referring to?””
“This one,” I said and showed her the number to contact Titus. Some scrawl beneath it was nearly impossible to decipher. “Supposed to contact some dangerous ex-Enforcer. What other way are you talking about?”
“Call it,” she said, looking at the contents of the folder on the table. “You will need help and I don’t think the Enclave can provide the assistance you need, though you will need their services too.”
Arashi padded over to where I was sitting and sat by my feet. He lay down and closed his eyes. Sensei raised an eyebrow at me.
“I still don’t do pets, even though he did help today,” I said and picked up my phone. I dialed the number and got a long ringtone followed by several chirps and beeps. A brief silence was followed by a crisp voice.
“Yes, how can I help you?” he said.
The speaker had worked hard at erasing his British accent. I could pick up the remaining traces of it, but only because of my heightened hearing.
“Rafe gave me this number,” I said. “Said to call when it all goes to shit.”
I looked at my Sensei quickly, but she was focused on finishing the sutures and didn’t react to my cursing.
“And has it?” he asked.
“Has it what?”
“I am assuming you are calling because you are either in danger currently or about to embark on a course of action that will place you in danger,” he said. “If this is not the case please hang up so I can get on with my life.”
I heard the action of a rifle bolt being pulled back and a silenced round being fired. The next sound was of packing something away and walking fast.
Did he just shoot someone?
“Both. So can we meet?” I asked.
“Did Rafe tell you my conditions?”
Conditions? What conditions?
I looked through the folder and saw the scrawl on the page with this number. Beneath the ‘T’, in what I thought was some random doodling, I could just make out—no women, no children, non-negotiable.
“No women, no children,” I said. “Those conditions?”
“Yes, those conditions,” he said. “Where are you?”
I told him the location of the dojo.
“Which discipline?” he asked. “If Rafe gave you this number, you know I was an Enforcer, which makes me—”
“Void, I know,” I said. “I’m Fire.””
I didn’t feel like sharing that I may be a latent Air Mystic as well. It was unreliable at best, in any case.
“Fine, I’ll be there within the hour—we can discuss details when I get there,” he said and hung up. I placed the phone on the table and reviewed the file.
Sensei had cleared the first-aid kit and was sipping her tea. A wide bandage covered the wound and she was rubbing the back of Arashi’s neck when I was done.
“He will assist you?” she asked.
“I don’t know, but he will be here soon,” I said. “What are you going to do about Goro?”
“I will take care of that, but you cannot stay here for long. I will activate the wards to stop them for now.”
She walked over to the other side of the dojo floor and stepped near the shrine. She placed her palms together and touched a panel near the main wall. Violet lines shot out from the shrine area and covered the dojo floor before fading away.
“What was that?” I asked. “That looked like Void energy.”
“It will stop them for now, but if Kaze sent Goro, he will send others who are stronger. He will not stop.”
She walked back to the low table and sat on the floor, opposite me. Arashi padded over next to her and sat between us.
“What did you mean Uncle is not my only family?” I asked. “Are you Kurokami?”
She sighed and rubbed Arashi for a few seconds before answering. Suddenly, she appeared much older.
“I spoke out of turn,” she said. “It is not my place to discuss these things with you. I was upset and this is a matter best resolved with your uncle.””
“But you know,” I said. “You knew about Goro—you knew Goro.”
“About the Kurokami, I cannot speak, even to help you,” she said, her voice hard. “Some debts can only be paid in blood, and this is one debt I am not willing to pay……yet.”
Uncle used those same words.
“What about my uncle, my family?” I asked.
“If you find Sebastian and he will not discuss it with you, then return and I will tell you all I know about your family,” she said. “Until then we will not discuss it again.””
I knew better than to push the topic. Sensei was dense as stone and just as immovable when she made up her mind about something.
“Tell me about the other way to get to Japan,” I said, certain I wasn’t going to enjoy it.
“There is a mystic circle you can use—in the North Enclave,” she said and stood. “Come with me. We need to prepare.”
She picked up Arashi and headed back upstairs.
SEVENTEEN
“A MYSTIC CIRCLE where?” I asked. “Did you just say the North Enclave?”
“Yes and you cannot take Arashi with you for this, unfortunately,” she said. “He may attract attention. He has not yet mastered his camouflage.””
She rubbed his belly as she spoke, causing him immense delight. It sounded like a small jackhammer as he rumbled his pleasure.
“Sure, because that was my main concern,” I answered, “not how to break into the Enclave’s equivalent to Fort Knox and use a mystic circle I do not have the key to so that I can travel across the world to another Enclave, where I’m being expected by some deranged mystic who wants to use me against my uncle.”
“Yes, I would say you have a grasp of the situation; well done,” she said without a hint of a smile. “Now you can plan. I wish I could go with you, but I will try to help you from her
e.”
“But the North Enclave?” I said. “Can’t we just create a circle here? What was it that the Kurokami did?”
Maybe Circe knows a way to do this that doesn’t involve the Enclave.
“You cannot use that method,” she said. “You are not Kurokami and it would kill you. As for making a circle, that would require an Arch Mystic at third degree——five powers fully functioning. Do you know one?”
“No, I don’t,” I said. “Those are almost as rare as Fire Mystics.””
“Rarer,” she said. “Then it would seem your only option is to use the circle that exists in the North Enclave.”
“Except for the fact that the North Enclave is impenetrable,” I said. “Walking in there would be a death sentence.”
“I may be able to help you with that part,” she said. “Getting the key will prove more difficult.”
“Those are guarded by the Enclave,” I said. “Only the Director of each Enclave has access to them.”
“Don’t you know a Director?” she asked.
“Moira?” I said. “Are you kidding? She can’t help me.””
“Have you asked?”
I checked the time. Titus was due.
“Sensei, it’s crazy,” I said. “She would be risking everything.””
“What some people call crazy, others call sanity,” Sensei answered. “What is the worst outcome?”
She picked up the phone and held it out to me.
“Enforcers and PTF surround this place and take it by force after tracing the call,” I said, taking the phone from her hand. “I don’’t want to put you in danger.”
“You are the one in danger, so please call her,” she said and made her way to the kitchen area again.
I dialed the number but it went to voicemail. I tried it again with the same result. I was about to call another time when Sensei came back and set out another cup of tea. I was about to protest that I didn’t want any more tea when I heard Arashi growl. His low rumble resembled a chainsaw in idle.
More Kurokami?
I stopped dialing Moira and looked down at him. He was on all fours and focused downstairs.
“What is it, Arashi?” I asked.
He remained focused on the entrance to the floor with his wards flaring violet. He gave one bark and with my heightened hearing, it sounded like a truck had slammed into the side of the dojo. I covered my ears in pain.
“Sensei, what the hell?” I said when the ringing in my ears stopped. “You didn’t tell me about his bark.”
“Didn’t want to ruin the surprise,” she said with a smile and rubbed the neck of the demon dog before she stood. “We have a guest.”
A figure exited the stairwell and stepped on the floor. I didn’t sense anything from him. It felt like the absence of power—a vacuum. He was dressed in a black suit with a crisp off-white shirt. A silk vermillion tie caught some of the light, giving the illusion of dripping blood down the center of his shirt. His hair was down to his shoulders but cut neat. The stubble on his face was peppered with gray.
“You are very skilled,” said Sensei, who bowed. “Please come in. I am Hana, and you are Mr.…?”
“Titus…just Titus,” he said and looked at me. “You called me.”
I didn’t expect the suit. He looks like a CEO, not some dangerous ex-Enforcer.
“Nice suit,” I said. “Off to storm a board meeting?”
“You expected full body armor—Enforcer style?” he said and looked down at his suit. “No longer my stylistic choice, and this blends in better. You called me?”
I nodded and he stopped his flow-state. I could sense him then and his power was considerable. He was easily more powerful than I was and his energy signature resembled Sensei’s.
“I did,” I said. “I need to do something impossible.”
“Where did you get that?” he said, looking at Arashi warily. “No one besides the Nihon Enclave breeds them anymore.”
“You know what he is?” I asked, curious that he could recognize Arashi.
He gave a short nod and sat on the opposite side of the table, keeping it between him and the dog.
“Komainu. Is he yours?” he asked. “Did you bond?”
Sensei nodded in the affirmative since I looked at her in confusion. It must have been when I first held him and the strange exchange of powers.
“I guess so,” I answered. “I’m surprised you know about them.””
“Required study for Enforcers,” he said. “They make excellent guardians and Tosa grow immensely powerful. We run into them all the time in Japan and the East. Surprised to see one here outside of the Nihon Enclave sphere of influence.”
“Speaking of the Nihon Enclave—I need to get there.”
“Get on a plane, but I’m guessing you can’t do that, can you?” he asked. “Or else you wouldn’t have called me.”
Sensei nodded. “She must use the mystic circle in the North Enclave,” she said. “This must happen tonight.”
EIGHTEEN
“TONIGHT?” I SAID with a hint of panic in my voice. “You didn’t say anything about tonight.”
“You do not have the luxury of time,” Sensei said. “Besides, with him”—she pointed at Titus—“you have a better chance of success than alone.”
“You are planning on getting into the North Enclave, at night?”
He looked at Sensei and then me for a few long seconds before he shook his head.
“You are both insane,” he said. “Do you know the security at the North Enclave? Even I stay away from it.”
“I don’t have a choice,” I said. “I need to use that circle and get to the Japanese Enclave.”
“Let’s suppose you get inside, which is unlikely. How will you get the key to use the circle?” he asked. “Only the Director has that. And you can forget about facing him, he is a third degree quad mystic—four fully functioning powers.”
“How do you know that?” I asked.
“I do my research on all hard targets within the Enclave,” he said. “He is one of the hardest.”
“I can get you in the Enclave,” Sensei said. “I will have to call in some favors, but it should be enough to secure your entry into the facility. I will return shortly.””
Sensei stood and padded silently out of the area.
Who does she know that can get us into a place like the North Enclave?
“Your Sensei wouldn’t be Hana Okura of the Nakano clan, by any chance?” he asked.
“You know her?” I asked, mildly surprised.
I didn’t think of Sensei as popular, but I was discovering quite a few new things about her today.
“I know of her,” he said. “She goes by the Stone Maiden in some circles,”” he said, keeping his gaze on me as he spoke. “Highly lethal circles.”
“Is she a hard target?” I asked.
He gave a short laugh. “Let me see if I can explain this. Inside the Kurokami, she is only one of two people who walked away and lived. Hard doesn’t even come close to describing her.”
“Why are you agreeing to do this?” I asked.
“I haven’t said I have,” he answered and shifted his weight, careful to keep Arashi on the other side of the table. “Did you know she was Kurokami? It explains a lot, actually, especially the Tosa.”
He let the question hang there and I didn’t know how to respond. If I said no, what did that say about my relationship with my Sensei? If I said yes, there were questions I didn’t know the answers to and I had a feeling he would sense that. I opted for being honest.
“No, I didn’t,” I said. “Learning a few things today, myself.””
He nodded. “Sensei are always like that,” he replied. “Mine had quite a few secrets I learned after he passed. Glad you were honest.””
Sensei returned with a large black backpack. She placed it on the long table between us.
“Ammunition and rough maps of the Enclaves, along with the payment for entrance,” she said
in her soft voice. “In two hours, during the shift change, an entrance on the west side of the North Enclave will be open for a space of two minutes. Do not miss your opportunity.”
“What about the key to the circle?” I asked. “This is pointless if I can’t use the circle.”
“I think our guest is a man of extensive resources,” she said. “I am certain he will be able to assist you in obtaining the key you need.””
“Wait, you know someone in the North Enclave?” I asked.
“Goro was telling the truth—the Kurokami are everywhere, and this is what makes them so dangerous,” she said. “I still have a small measure of influence, but it comes at a cost.”
I stood and opened the bag. Inside I saw ten magazines for my guns, and boxes of ammo I didn’t recognize. There were also several large bundles of hundred-dollar bills. Titus stood and looked in the bag. I guessed the other ammunition was for his weapon.
“He doesn’t know if he is coming,” I said and closed the bag after taking the magazines and placing them in the inside pockets of my coat.
“He will accompany you,” she said. “It would seem we all have family issues to resolve.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Impressive,” he said. “How long did you know?”
“As soon as you entered the dojo,” she said. “I have only felt that masking ability once before and it was not you. I, too, do my research.””
She gave him a deep bow. “Bring her back,” she said in her usual voice, but the look in her eyes made it clear it was not a request.
“Arigato gozaimasu, Okura Sensei,” he said and returned the bow. “I will.”
He headed for the stairs. I picked up the bag and Arashi tried to jump on my leg. Sensei said something in rapid Japanese and he stopped and dropped into a sitting position.
“What did you say?” I asked. He resembled a statue. The only indication of life he gave was the motion of his eyes.
“I told him that he dishonors you with such dog-like behavior,” she said. “A true Komainu would not behave this way.”
Whatever she said worked. Arashi sat in place as I headed to the stairs. She remained seated at the table, sipping her tea.
A Dream of Ashes: An Ava James Mystery (Chronicles of the Modern Mystics Book 1) Page 9