Shadow of the Fox

by Julie Kagawa

  However, as I pressed farther into the building, hearing what I assumed were more mikos, talking about their daily lives, I suddenly hit a wall. Not a physical one; I could go through wood or stone or rice paper with ease. But a wall of magic, shimmering with energy, prevented me from going any farther.

  A barrier?

  I opened my eyes, and the magic scattered to the winds. The ronin still lounged on the steps, drinking, and the noble seemed to be admiring the well-tended rock garden in the shade of a pine.

  Pushing myself off the railing, I turned and walked around the veranda and up the steps, brushing past the ronin, who gave me a puzzled look.

  “Oi, where you going, Kage-san? I thought we were supposed to wait here.”

  Ignoring him, I continued down the hallway, pulling my sword as I did. With a yelp, the ronin scrambled after me, demanding to know what I was doing, but I didn’t pause. I’d underestimated the shrine maiden, thinking she wasn’t a threat. That wasn’t a simple barrier I’d encountered; it was a complex seal, blocking any sound or magic from getting in or out. If she had Yumeko in that room and decided to attack, none of us would be able to hear what was going on.

  As I drew closer to the last room, I could feel the magic pushing against me, trying to keep me back. I saw the nearly invisible shimmer blocking the door and narrowed my eyes. Raising Kamigoroshi, I aimed, then brought the sword slicing down across the frame, feeling the blade rip through the barrier and shatter it into a thousand pieces.

  The doors fell, clattering to the floor beside me. I stared into the room as Yumeko and the shrine maiden whirled around, their eyes going wide as they spotted me.

  “You!” The shrine maiden stepped forward, seeming unafraid, even as Hakaimono snarled with hate and urged me to split her in half like the doors. “Kamigoroshi, you are not welcome here. Get out, and take your human host with you!”

  “It seems the head priest isn’t here today.” I stepped into the room, and the miko retreated a pace. I glanced past her, making sure the girl was all right, before turning to the shrine maiden. “You deceived us to get Yumeko alone. Did you think your barrier could stop me?”

  Scowling, the miko pulled another ofuda from her sleeve and brandished it before her. It read loyalty in stark black ink down the paper. “Leave this place, abomination,” she ordered again. “If you come a step closer, I will summon the guardian of the shrine to drive you out!”

  “Do it,” I said, feeling Hakaimono flare with eagerness, “and you will have one less shrine guardian.”

  “Tatsumi, wait!”

  Yumeko stepped between us. “It’s all right,” she told me, as the noble and the ronin pushed into the room, as well. I could feel their shock as they took in the scene; me with my sword bared, facing a shrine maiden brandishing ofuda. And a slip of a girl between us. “I’m fine, Tatsumi. There’s no danger here. Reika-san was just telling me how Master Jiro went missing and that she needs our help to find him.”

  “What?” the miko exclaimed, obviously just as surprised as the rest of us. Yumeko half turned, looking behind her, as the shrine maiden lowered her arm, frowning.

  “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it, Reika-san?” She cocked her head, as if the solution was perfectly clear. “To find Master Jiro. And we need his help to get to the temple. So, obviously, we should aid each other. Right, everyone?” Yumeko glanced back at the three of us, her gaze plaintive. “Daisuke-san? Okame-san? You’ll help, too, right?”

  “Of course,” the ronin exclaimed immediately. “We’re always happy to aid a friend of Yumeko-chan’s. Just leave it to us.” He paused, scratching the back of his head. “Though it would help if I knew what the hell was going on.”

  I sighed, lowering my sword. Shrine maidens, ronin, farmers, yurei. Was there anyone Yumeko wouldn’t trust as soon as she met them? “You said the head priest has gone missing?” I asked the shrine maiden, who eyed me warily but nodded. “How long ago?”

  “Three days,” the miko answered, and stepped back with an exasperated look at the doors, lying in the frame. “You might as well come in.” She sighed, waving us through. “Sit down, and I’ll explain the whole situation.”

  We stepped carefully over the broken door panels and sat down in front of the low table, with the miko on the other side. And we listened as she told us of the head priest, the mysterious summons to the palace and his meeting with a woman named Lady Satomi.

  At the name, Taiyo-san straightened, a flash of recognition going through his eyes. Yumeko noticed it, as well.

  “Do you know her, Daisuke-san?” Yumeko asked.

  “I do.” The noble’s expression turned faintly sour. “Not personally, but I know who she is. Everyone in the palace does. She’s the emperor’s favorite concubine. She came to the city less than a year ago and has been growing her influence ever since. There are some who believe the emperor favors her too much, that a simple concubine should not be given such status, but any who speak too loudly against her find themselves dishonored, exiled from the city or worse. And...”

  He trailed off. “And?” I asked softly.

  He exhaled. “It is nothing. Peasant gossip, nothing an honorable bushi would concern himself with. But there have been...rumors of late, whispers, about Lady Satomi. The servants are all terrified of her, and she never seems to have the same handmaid more than a month or two at a time. There was a little servant girl...Suki, I believe her name was, who was last assigned to Lady Satomi’s quarters. By chance, I ran into her once, when she first came to the palace.” He tapped his fingers on his arm, frowning. “I have not seen her since.”

  Yumeko cocked her head. “What happened to her?”

  “I do not know.” The noble shook his head. “I do not keep track of Lady Satomi’s maidservants, but I believe she has yet another girl working for her. If what you say is true, and the head priest has gone missing, that does indeed appear suspicious. What would Lady Satomi want with Master Jiro?”

  “I intend to ask her,” the shrine maiden said, “if I can get into the palace.”

  The noble’s jaw tightened. “I would be very careful, were I you,” he warned. “Lady Satomi may not be a warrior, but she is the emperor’s favorite and a lady of the court. Within the palace, she holds a tremendous amount of sway and power. She will be a dangerous opponent if you attack her head-on. If you do not bring down the wrath of the emperor himself.”

  “Daisuke-san,” Yumeko said, as if just realizing something. “You’re a noble of the great imperial family. You could get us into the palace, right?”

  “I...” Taken aback, the noble stared at her a moment, then nodded. “Yes,” he finally admitted. “I could. It would take some planning, but I think I could manage it.”

  I could, too, I thought, unreasonably annoyed with the smile Yumeko gave him. Hakaimono perked up, intrigued by my flash of irritation, and I shoved the demon’s presence down.

  “However,” the noble went on, “there are proper channels we must take. I cannot simply walk you through the gates of the Imperial Palace and demand to see Lady Satomi. Such dishonorable behavior would ruin my family’s reputation and make us the laughingstock of the court, and my father might commit seppuku in shame. And if Lady Satomi decides she is being threatened, she could turn the court against you, have you arrested, or even executed. This is not something we can take lightly. One wrong step in the court will be disastrous for us all. But...” He paused, brow furrowed in thought, before nodding. “Yes, of course. That might work. I think I have a way.”

  “What do you have in mind, Daisuke-san?” Yumeko asked.

  “Tomorrow night,” the noble went on, “the emperor is holding his annual Moon Viewing party in the palace gardens. It is a very prestigious event, and a great honor to be invited, so all the important nobles and families will be there.”

  “Including Lady Satomi,” the miko guessed.
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  “Most certainly. My family has already been invited, of course. The trick will be getting the rest of you through the gates. A difficult proposition, but I think I can manage it.”

  “And you would do this for us?” The shrine maiden stared at the noble, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Forgive me, Taiyo-san,” she said, as he raised a brow at her. “But...you are a noble. Not only that, you are part of the imperial family. Why would you help a shrine maiden, a ronin and a kinsman of the Shadow Clan into the emperor’s party?”

  “Lady Reika.” The noble gave her a solemn look. “I met Suki-san only once,” he said. “Normally, I do not notice the comings and goings of the servants in the palace, but this meeting, brief as it was, stood out. I discovered she was the daughter of a craftsman, and had an ear for beautiful music. She was...genuine, something quite rare within the Imperial Palace.” His brow creased, a look of weary disgust briefly crossing his face. “The dance of the court never changes. Every year, it is exactly the same—silken words that hide daggers of venom beneath the veneer of decorum and compliments. A smile can be as dangerous as a sword, and the wrong choice of words can mean the difference between great favor and eternal shame. When I met the girl, it was refreshing to speak to someone who did not care about earning favor or keeping up appearances. For Suki and her father’s sake, I feel it is my responsibility to discover if the rumors about Lady Satomi are idle peasant gossip, or if they have any truth to them.”

  “Wow,” the ronin interjected. “A noble who actually realized a peasant was a real person. Better be careful, Taiyo-san—next thing you know, you might start courting dogs and having conversations with monkeys.” Yumeko frowned at this, looking puzzled, and the ronin hurried on before she could ask a question. “But that still doesn’t explain how you’re going to sneak a ronin, a priestess and...her—” he nodded at Yumeko “—into the Imperial Palace.”

  “Sneak you into the emperor’s party?” The noble seemed genuinely horrified. “What a shameful thought. I may find the courtly events a bit repetitive, Okame-san, but I am not so bored as to consider treason.” He sniffed, letting us all know he was offended, before continuing. “However, a distinguished onmyoji and her yojimbo is a different story. Those who practice onmyodo, the ancient art of yin and yang, are highly respected. The emperor himself often calls upon onmyoji for advice in political affairs, to tell his fortune or divine the future of the country. I’m certain he would welcome Yumeko-san and her companions into his presence.”

  I saw the shrine maiden glance at Yumeko and narrow her eyes; perhaps she could tell that the girl wasn’t an onmyoji, or anyone with magical abilities. But she didn’t correct the noble’s assumption, and neither did Yumeko, though the ronin looked vaguely uneasy at the thought of meeting the emperor.

  “So, it’s decided,” the shrine maiden said. “Tomorrow night, we will attend the emperor’s Moon Viewing party, find Lady Satomi and discover what has happened to Master Jiro. Are we all in agreement, that this must be done?”

  “Yes,” Yumeko said immediately. “And once we find Master Jiro, we can finally go to the Steel Feather temple.”

  “Sounds like fun,” put in the ronin, rubbing his hands together. “I’ve never been invited to the palace before. I can’t wait to see it up close.”

  “Agreed,” said the noble. “Although, if I may...” He glanced at Yumeko, then the ronin. “The emperor’s party attracts nobles from across Iwagoto. All are looking to make an impression, to see and be seen. And, for the most part, you will not want to stand out among the crowd. Perhaps a change of attire would be...prudent.”

  The ronin snorted. “Don’t show up looking like filthy peasants, then?”

  “If at all possible.”

  “Miss Reika?”

  I turned, ignoring the sudden surge of bloodlust. Hakaimono was angry that the scene with the miko hadn’t ended in violence and was now lashing out at everything around it. A pair of shrine maidens, probably the two I’d heard in the rooms next door, appeared on the veranda, peering cautiously into the room.

  “Miss Reika,” one said again. “So sorry to disturb you, but there are samurai at the entrance that will not leave. They say they are looking for one of their kin.”

  “Thank you, Minako-san,” the shrine maiden said, as a cold lump settled in my gut. “Please inform them that I will be there shortly.” As the two miko bowed and hurried off, the priestess gave the rest of us an exasperated look.

  “It appears your presence continues to disturb the peacefulness of my shrine,” she remarked. “Now I have samurai at the gates, upsetting the kami and scaring the mikos. Which one of you is responsible for this, I wonder?”

  “Hey, don’t look at me,” the ronin said, holding up his hands as the shrine maiden glared at him. “I’m not in the habit of being around samurai, present company excluded. If anyone, it’s the noble Taiyo, wanting to know why their golden kinsman is hanging around with such riffraff.”

  “No,” I said softly, and rose, causing them all to glance up. “It’s the Kage. They’re here for me.”

  Stepping over the shattered door panels, I walked out of the room. I knew, somehow, that the members of the Shadow Clan had come for me, and I did not want them to know the faces of those I had traveled with. But I hadn’t gone very far when light footsteps echoed behind me, and her voice floated over the breeze.

  “Tatsumi, wait.”

  I turned. Yumeko had followed me out to the veranda and was now watching me depart, her gaze conflicted. “What about your promise?” she asked quietly. “We still need to find Master Jiro, and you said we would go to the Steel Feather temple together.”

  “I haven’t forgotten.” An odd reluctance tugged at me; for some reason, I found myself hesitant to go. “I’ll meet you at the palace,” I told her. “Don’t look for me. When it’s time, I’ll find you.” She still looked hesitant, and I offered a faint smile. “I swear it.”

  * * *

  The Kage were indeed at the entrance of the shrine; four samurai in dark hakama and haori, wearing the black-and-purple colors of the Shadow Clan. It wasn’t surprising; agents of the Kage were everywhere and had likely taken note of my presence the moment I stepped into the capital. “Kage Tatsumi,” one said with a short bow as I approached. “Master Masao wishes to speak to you. If you would please come with us.”

  I followed my clansmen through the darkening streets of Kin Heigen Toshi, as the sunlight disappeared and lanterns flickered to life. We walked in silence, parting the crowds as we glided through the city. A group of samurai walking the streets was enough to cause most normal civilians to politely cross to the other side, but a group of Shadow Clan samurai warranted even more caution. As the Hino family were infamous for their short tempers, and the Taiyo were known for being as proud as they were beautiful, the Kage had garnered a reputation as being sinister and untrustworthy. A standing we did little to dispute. The Shadow Clan had many secrets; better that the empire expected such behavior of us. It kept them from prying too deeply into our affairs and discovering they had every right to be cautious.

  The Shadow district, where the Kage family maintained an estate within the Imperial City, lay on the outskirts west of the palace. As a sanctuary away from home for the smallest of the Great Clans, it was tucked into a corner along the outer wall, far from the bustle of the inner city, out of sight and out of mind. Which suited the Kage perfectly. Like the name suggested, the streets through the Shadow district were narrow and dark, with few lanterns to throw back the gloom. As I made my way down familiar roads and alleys, I could feel eyes on me, invisible, but Hakaimono didn’t even stir. Shinobi prowled the rooftops overhead, silent and lethal, keeping watch over everything that happened within Shadow Clan territory. Ironically, their presence made the Kage district one of the safest in Kin Heigen Toshi; no kidnapper, thief or murderer would risk operating in a territory whose warriors knew the d
arkness better than them.

  The Kage estates lay at the end of the Shadow district, over a canal of sluggish black water that was rumored to be haunted by an irritable kappa, a type of man-eating river yokai. With the amount of shinobi in the area and the fact that Hakaimono had never sensed the presence of yokai near the canal, I doubted this rumor was true and thought that it might even have been started by the Kage themselves to keep curious civilians away from the estate.

  The Kage estate itself was surrounded by high stone walls and guarded by black-clad samurai, though I knew even more shinobi lurked in hidden nooks and crannies, watching us as we walked through the gates. Once we passed through the tall, iron-banded doors, all but one samurai bowed to me and left, leaving me in the care of a single bushi. I followed him up the steps into the Kage estate, smaller than Hakumei-jo, the home castle of the Shadow Clan, but no less elegant.

  And no less confusing. Both structures were designed to be baffling, and those without intimate knowledge of the estate’s interiors would soon find themselves hopelessly lost in the labyrinthine corridors of the Shadow Clan palace. Added to this were many hidden rooms, trapdoors, secret tunnels and spaces between walls and floors, where shinobi could ambush intruders and vanish without a trace. Within Hakumei-jo, it was said that there were hidden rooms, tunnels and passages not even the shinobi knew about, and that the only person who possessed all the secrets of the Shadow Clan palaces was the architect who designed them. But she’d left no record of her work behind, no blueprints or journals, and in the end, took her perfect knowledge with her to the grave.

  Thankfully, I had been to the Shadow Clan estate a few times before and was familiar with the layout. And, unlike Hakumei Castle, the interior of this palace did not switch around or change appearance several times a year, so I was able to keep my bearings as I followed my guide through the long, twisting corridors of the Kage estate.