by Julie Kagawa
“Usagi!”
Ignoring the staring nobles, the man—most likely a groundskeeper—lunged at the rabbit, diving forward with hands outstretched. The usagi instantly spun and flashed into the bushes, and the human landed on his stomach in the grass, plunging his hands into the branches. Digging through the leaves, the gardener searched frantically around the bush, before coming to realize he was being watched.
Spinning around, the now pale groundskeeper blinked at the equally stunned court, then pressed his forehead to the grass in the lowest of bows.
“Please forgive!” he cried, but at that moment, the rabbit streaked past him in a tan blur. With a howl, the gardener leaped upright, stick in hand, and chased it to the edge of the trees, where both vanished into the darkness beyond.
Silence fell. Everyone continued to stare into the shadows, as if not knowing what to do. I spared a glance at Yumeko and saw her standing quietly in front of the dais, a small, triumphant smile on her face.
A slow clapping shattered the stillness, making several nobles jump. The emperor rose to his feet, bringing his hands together, a wide smile breaking over his beardless face.
The rest of the court erupted into applause. It swept through the air and swelled above the trees, as the crowd turned as one to face the girl in the center of the garden. Yumeko bowed, humbly accepting their recognition, as the sound of success rose above the trees and scattered to the winds.
30
The Viper in Silk
I let the applause wash over me, listened to it rise and swell, and allowed myself a tiny sigh of relief. Who knew that such a small thing, an illusionary rabbit at the right moment, could charm an emperor? Of course, the appearance of the gardener had not been planned, but his reaction had certainly helped convince the court that what they were seeing was real. I hoped the man would be all right, that the appearance of a single rabbit within the emperor’s pristine gardens would not get him punished, but it was too late to regret that now.
Denga, if you could see me now, I thought, smiling as I met the gazes of Daisuke, Okame and Reika in the crowd. My good-for-nothing fox trickery just fooled the most powerful person in all of Iwagoto, and his entire court. I’ve come a long way from making the teapot dance around the room.
“Brilliant!” As the applause died down, the emperor stepped off his platform, beaming in my direction. “Astonishing. What remarkable talent, Yumeko-san. Would you consider using it in service to the country?” My brows rose, and he smiled, gesturing over the trees toward the palace, glimmering gold against the night sky. “There is an opening in my court for a royal onmyoji. I could certainly use someone with your skills.”
Oops. Well, I suppose there’s such a thing as doing too well. I thought quickly, knowing that refusing the emperor, even now, could have terrible repercussions. “His Highness honors me,” I said with a low bow. “I am grateful for the offer, but there is a...very important task that I must complete, a vow to fulfill, before I can accept.”
“Ah. Of course.” The emperor nodded; even he would not dare suggest one break a promise and risk the dishonor that came with it. “Well, when you are finished with your task, consider returning to the palace, Yumkeo-san. You are always welcome within my court.”
I bowed. “His Highness is too kind.”
“My last onmyoji told me of the coming of the Great Dragon,” the emperor went on, making my stomach leap to my throat. “I thought the story was simply an ancient myth, but he was certain he saw the Dragon rising in one of his visions.” The emperor frowned. “Sadly, he was discovered to be a practicioner of blood magic and executed, and the words of a blood mage are tainted and cannot be trusted. But it would please me to have another onmyoji in my court, to inform me if the Harbinger is indeed approaching, and what I can do to claim its power for my own.”
I felt a crawling sensation under my robes, and looked up into Lady Satomi’s dark eyes, glittering with hostility over the emperor’s shoulder. Only for a moment, before she turned to the emperor and smiled, all traces of menace vanishing beneath a beautiful porcelain mask.
“My lord,” she crooned, gazing at him from beneath long, thick lashes. “The moon is rising. Would you not like to view it from the lake pavilion? The water is very clear tonight—you should be able to see his reflection from above and below.”
“Ah, of course. Everyone!” the emperor called, clapping his hands and bringing the court’s attention to him. “Lord Moon has begun his journey across the heavens. Let us retire to the edge of the lake, so that we may wish him well. I am eager to hear the fine poems you have composed to honor his journey tonight.”
The crowd dispersed, heading in the direction of the lake. Including the emperor, who seemed to forget about me as soon as he stepped away, his yojimbo falling into step around him. Lady Satomi, however, did not leave, but continued to watch me, a faint smile on her face. None of the other nobles, guards or samurai seemed to notice her; all continued to move toward the lake edge, leaving us alone.
“Well.” The woman’s cruel gaze raked me up and down, spreading the sensation of dirty claw marks across my skin. “That was amusing.”
I stifled the sudden wave of panic, feeling the weight of the scroll under my robes, wondering if Satomi could somehow sense it. If she would summon an oni, right here, to crush me like an egg. I shivered, then took a breath to loosen the cold knot in my stomach and looked Satomi in the eye.
“The...the emperor thought so.”
“The emperor is a child who is easily impressed with illusion and cheap tricks. He does not know the difference between a charlatan and true power.” One corner of a pouty red lip curled up in a smirk. “You will not find me so gullible.”
I felt fox magic surge to life and clenched my fists to keep kitsune-bi from springing to my fingertips. “You’ve been following us,” I accused in a whisper. “Those dead birds are yours, aren’t they?” She raised an elegant, mocking eyebrow, and I bit back a growl, knowing I couldn’t fly at her and force the truth from her pouty red lips. “You’ve been watching me and Tatsumi ever since we left the forest,” I said in a low voice. “Were you the one who sent the demons to the temple?”
“What an awful thing to imply.” Lady Satomi touched a hand to her chest, as if appalled. “Certainly you would not expect one of my station to engage in such things. Dead birds? Demons?” One corner of her lip curled, and her voice dropped to a menacing whisper. “Blood magic is punishable by death, little fox. As is lying to the emperor of Iwagoto. Your little performance worked only because I allowed it. This is a court of puppets, and I manipulate all the strings. Who do you think they will believe, if certain things come to light?”
“Satomi-san.”
Daisuke’s voice echoed behind me, even as I fought to hold my ground, to not step back from this evil woman. Lady Satomi’s malicious look vanished, as she smiled at the noble who joined us, switching faces so quickly that she seemed to cast off a mask. Okame and the shrine maiden appeared beside me as well, and a tiny, barely audible growl rippled up from the ground, as Chu took one look at the woman and bared his teeth. Lady Satomi didn’t even glance at the dog.
“Good evening, Taiyo-san,” she greeted, bowing to Daisuke, who nodded in return. “Did you see the remarkable performance of our talented onmyoji?” She turned her smile on me, and it looked completely genuine. “I cannot remember the last time I was so amazed. I could hardly believe it was real.”
“Lady Yumeko is indeed talented,” Daisuke agreed, with a small smile in my direction. “It is an honor to have her here.” He turned back to Satomi, and his words became forcibly polite. “Satomi-san, if we could trouble you but for a moment. It will not take long.”
“Of course, Taiyo-san,” Lady Satomi said. “It is my pleasure. What can I do for the son of the honorable Hironobu-sama?”
Reika stepped forward, her scowl indicating she was
not fooled in the slightest. “Master Jiro, of the Hayate shrine,” she said without preamble. “Does this name mean anything to you?”
“Hmm? Should it?”
“You called him here,” Reika went on, as anger flickered through me, knowing the woman was playing with us. “Three days ago, he received a summons from the palace to come and meet with you. He never made it back to the Hayate shrine. That was the last anyone saw of him.”
“Master Jiro,” Lady Satomi said thoughtfully, as if trying to remember. “Master Jiro. Oh, yes, I remember now. I called him to the palace for tea, and to answer a few simple qustions I had. Horrible, offensive little man. He was quite rude to me.” She smiled faintly at Reika. “Aren’t priests supposed to be the pillars of humility and wisdom? I found him terribly wearisome and repulsive, to tell you the truth.”
The miko regarded the other woman without expression, refusing to be goaded. “Where is he?” she asked, her voice remarkably calm. Lady Satomi’s lips curled even further.
“Oh, he’s safe,” she replied, waving her fan in an offhand manner. “He is fairly close by, actually. Though I’m afraid you’ll never find him without me. Even your lurking little shinobi watching us from the shadows will not be able to uncover his location.”
I drew in a sharp breath, making Satomi turn her smile on me. “Did you think I was unaware that the Kage demonslayer had infiltrated the palace?” she purred, her voice very low. “Nothing happens in this court without my knowledge. I know he is listening to us right now, and if he strikes me down, you will never find your precious Master Jiro, and he will never complete his mission.”
“Then you’ll take us to him,” Okame said, and she raised a brow in his direction. “Right now.”
“Interesting.” Lady Satomi gazed at the ronin like she might a particularly obstinate dog. “And what, may I ask, do you think you can do to me? Attack me here, in the emperor’s garden?” She chuckled. “With the exception of Taiyo-san, who would certainly face a terrible blow to his family’s honor and reputation, the lot of you would be executed before dawn.”
“There are other ways,” Reika said. “I’m sure the emperor would be very interested to hear—”
“Oh, do be careful of what you accuse me, girl.” The woman’s voice was like silk threads that could slice open your throat. “We wouldn’t want other secrets to suddenly be revealed.” She looked in my direction, the threat in her eyes perfectly clear. “Would we?
“Besides, you didn’t let me finish,” Lady Satomi went on, her lips pulling down in a pout. “You see, I could refuse, and watch the lot of you strut and threaten like tiny male sparrows. But as amusing as that would be, I know I will be hounded for the rest of the night. If not by you, then by the Kage demonslayer, who I am sure is listening to this conversation. I do not wish to draw the ire of the Shadow Clan’s immortal daimyo, nor do I wish to watch my back every time I stroll down the halls of the palace. That would grow very tiresome.” She sighed. “So, yes, I will take you to your priest. I have no further use for the old fool, anyway. In fact, you’d be doing me a favor, taking him off my hands.” She raised an elegant white hand, indicating the sweeping landscape. “You wouldn’t mind a quick stroll across the garden, would you? It is quite lovely in the moonlight.”
Daisuke narrowed his eyes, and glanced to where the emperor and his guests had gathered at the edge of the lake. “The emperor’s concubine is not permitted to venture off alone, late at night,” he said in a voice of chilly politeness. “Especially with a group of strangers. There will be speculation, rumors at the very least. Will you not need an escort, Lady Satomi?”
“You are adorable,” Lady Satomi purred. “Such a good boy, to be concerned about staining my honor.” She tittered, making Reika’s scowl darken. “Worry not, Taiyo-san. The emperor and his guests will not miss me. They will not notice I am gone. Even if they do, tonight’s sake is especially strong—they will forget all about it tomorrow.
“So,” she continued, drawing back. “Shall we go? I assume you are eager to see if the priest is all right. Follow me, my precious ducklings. I will show you where he is.”
Warily, we followed the woman around the edge of the lake, away from the emperor and the rest of the court, heading deeper into the garden. As the shadows closed around us, I found myself scanning the bushes, searching for movement, for a ripple of darkness that didn’t quite belong. I wondered if Tatsumi was trailing us, keeping an eye on his prey as we moved through the trees, farther from the crowds and anything familiar.
I also wondered if, deep in the garden, out of sight of any guards or witnesses, she would try to kill us with blood magic. It seemed unlikely; there were four of us, six if you counted Tatsumi and Chu. The odds appeared stacked against her, but I didn’t know how blood magic worked, or how strong a sorceress she was. Perhaps she could summon flocks of dead crows or raise skeletons from the ground. It seemed a good idea to be cautious.
Near a corner of the outer wall, we came to what I assumed was an old storehouse, a tall, square-based building with a peaked roof and a single door in the front. It was similar to the storehouses I’d seen in farming villages, except those were smaller and stood on stilts to protect crops from rain and vermin. An aura of menace hung over the building like a shroud, and my stomach curled in dread.
“A storehouse?” Reika gazed at the structure, then glared at the woman walking calmly toward the door. “You’ve been keeping Master Jiro locked up in a storehouse?”
“What a crude accusation. I am highly offended.” Lady Satomi didn’t break stride as she reached the entrance. She pushed back the door, and turned back to us. Framed in the doorway, her crimson robes standing out against the black, she gave us a cruel smile. “Your Master Jiro is not here,” she stated, “but the path to reach him is within. Follow if you dare, little ducklings. Into the dark we go.”
She took a step back through the doorway and vanished into the shadows.
“Hurry,” Reika said, stepping forward. “We mustn’t lose her.”
“Wait.”
Surprisingly, it was Okame’s voice that cut through the night, stopping her. The ronin stared at the storehouse with crossed arms and narrowed eyes. “I might not know a lot about blood witches and court politics,” he said, “but I know a trap when I see one.”
Reika whirled on him. “We cannot stop now,” she said. “I will not let that woman get away with this. Stay here if you are afraid—I will find Master Jiro with or without your help.”
“I didn’t say I was afraid,” Okame snapped in return. “Of course we’re going in. I just don’t think we should walk merrily into an ambush, if that storehouse is filled with demons, monsters or giant centipedes wanting to eat our faces.”
“It’s not,” said a new voice overhead.
We looked up. A figure in black crouched on the roof of the storehouse, silhouetted against the moon, a crimson scarf rippling behind him. My heart leaped, Chu flattened his ears with a growl and Okame snorted.
“There you are,” the ronin said, as Tatsumi landed gracefully in front of the storehouse. Chu’s growls grew louder, but the shrine maiden spoke a quiet word, and he stopped. “Finally decided to show up, eh, Kage-san?” Okame continued. “I won’t even point out the previous shinobi comment I made a few days ago that resulted in a threat to my life. I’ll just stand here, being quietly vindicated.”
“Kage-san,” Daisuke said, staring at Tatsumi. “You are...shinobi?”
“He’s the Kage demonslayer,” Reika broke in, her voice flat. “Of course he is. How are you even surprised by this? Regardless...” She turned to Tatsumi. “Kage-san, you said there are no demons or other creatures lurking within the storehouse, is that true? Kage-san?”
Through this whole exchange, Tatsumi hadn’t said anything, his gaze solely on me. At Reika’s question, however, he blinked and glanced at the shrine maiden, the cold mas
k of the demonslayer dropping into place as he turned.
“I didn’t sense any,” he replied. “There are no demons, but...” His gaze flickered to the open doorway, eyes narrowing to violet slits. “There is something. Not living, but...powerful. It reeks of blood magic and death. Whatever is in there, it’s nothing of this realm.”
With a metallic shiver, Daisuke drew his sword, the razor-sharp blade catching the moonlight as it was unsheathed. “Then we will face it with honor.”
“I was afraid you would say that.” Okame snorted and pulled his bow over his head. “Into the jaws of death once more. As long as it’s not a giant centipede.”
“That doesn’t seem very likely,” I told him as we started forward. “I don’t think a giant centipede could fit through the door. Unless she summoned one from inside the storehouse, but then how would it move around?”
Tatsumi moved to my side. “Stay close, Yumeko,” he said softly. “If this is the blood mage that has been following us, we’ll be her first targets.”
I nodded. With Reika leading, an ofuda held before her and Chu at her feet, we walked across the grass and slipped into the darkness of the storehouse.
31
The Mirror of No Reflection
The blood witch is close.
I could feel the pulse of dark power in the air as we stepped through the frame, and I tightened my hold on Hakaimono. The demon fought me, knowing something was close, wanting to feel blood and flesh sliding over its blade. Bloodlust surged through my veins, filling me with the urge to kill, but I was also acutely aware of Yumeko, walking close at my side. I could see her from the corner of my eye, feel her presence in the space around me, and was torn between the almost painful desire to protect the girl and tear the head from her neck.
Focus, I told both myself and Hakaimono. Your objective is getting to the priest.